Once upon a time, cars in the subcompact segment were something grudgingly settled for when one's budget had been stretched beyond the point of no return.
While they may have been cheap, they weren't cheerful. Nobody expected them to be anything more than what they appeared to be: economic compromises. But things have changed during the past decade.
Finding favour among urban dwellers and the environmentally conscientious, small cars became a conscious choice instead of a last resort.
The segment exploded, and the resulting competition led to enormous changes in quality, innovation, and customer expectations. We take a look at one of these cars - the Hyundai Accent.
Exterior
Just like newer Hyundai models, the fourth generation Accent uses the Korean carmaker's 'Fluidic Sculpture' design language. So while previous iterations of Hyundai's smallest entry went from woefully ugly to acceptably forgettable, the new design ethos has reshaped the little car into one of the most stylish in its segment.
From every angle, the new Accent looks better - from its large open-mouth hexagonal grille and swept-back head lights with a dipping roofline through to the sculpted character lines along the sides that give an elegant and aerodynamic look.
LED daytime running lamps take the form of a white stripe along the upper edge of the headlamps. At first glance, it resembles the light-pipe 'eyebrows' used by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and some others - allowing the Accent to look pretty classy for an inexpensive car.
Interior
Inside, the Accent's centre stack has the plunging-neckline look initiated by its family members such as the Elantra, the Santa Fe and the Veloster.
We have no complaints about the gauges, which look crisp and frame an attractive LCD trip computer. The controls are simply laid out and mostly straightforward, and the three-knob climate controls are modela of ergonomics.
No doubt that you'll find plenty of hard plastics around, but they've been moulded into creative surfaces and textures with plenty of attention to design and function. There's no pretense of luxury here but that doesn't mean the Accent's cabin is without charm.
Inside, the Accent's centre stack has the plunging-neckline look initiated by its family members such as the Elantra, the Santa Fe and the Veloster.
We have no complaints about the gauges, which look crisp and frame an attractive LCD trip computer. The controls are simply laid out and mostly straightforward, and the three-knob climate controls are modela of ergonomics.
No doubt that you'll find plenty of hard plastics around, but they've been moulded into creative surfaces and textures with plenty of attention to design and function. There's no pretense of luxury here but that doesn't mean the Accent's cabin is without charm.
Clever design work has made the car surprisingly spacious inside and it feels like a much larger car than its dimensions suggest. There's plenty of front space and despite the sloping roof, there's good headroom in the back of the car.
Although the 389-litre boot may be less generous than some of its rivals such as the Chevrolet Sonic, the Mitsubishi Attrage and the Nissan Almera, it is capable of swallowing more than an average weekly family shopping trip.
The Drive
Power comes from a 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine. The little mill remains quiet and reasonably well-behaved even at high revs but that is also where you can extract the most out of it. Nonetheless, it can quench its thirst for fuel quite well if you can keep those revs as low as possible.
Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, you also get an 'Eco' shift indicator to help train you to use less fuel. Over our time with the car, we managed to achieve a rather impressive fuel economy figure of 13km/L.
With the manual gearbox, gear cogs are pretty slick, which translates to a smooth power delivery. It also helps that the car has a touchy throttle response, making the Accent feel perky, especially off the line. As a result, it takes 11.8 seconds to get to 100km/h from rest.
Combined with its relatively light weight of 1,035kg, the car doesn't struggle on the highway while the sixth gear helps the car stay 'relaxed'.
Power comes from a 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine. The little mill remains quiet and reasonably well-behaved even at high revs but that is also where you can extract the most out of it. Nonetheless, it can quench its thirst for fuel quite well if you can keep those revs as low as possible.
Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, you also get an 'Eco' shift indicator to help train you to use less fuel. Over our time with the car, we managed to achieve a rather impressive fuel economy figure of 13km/L.
With the manual gearbox, gear cogs are pretty slick, which translates to a smooth power delivery. It also helps that the car has a touchy throttle response, making the Accent feel perky, especially off the line. As a result, it takes 11.8 seconds to get to 100km/h from rest.
Combined with its relatively light weight of 1,035kg, the car doesn't struggle on the highway while the sixth gear helps the car stay 'relaxed'.
On the road, the Accent is well-mannered and with the predictable sort of handling you'd expect. That said, the car is surprisingly satisfying to drive as it winds its way through the twisties with decent composure.
Thanks to a compliant suspension setup, the Accent's ride is consistent and comfortable, and the cabin is reasonably quiet at higher speeds.
Conclusion
The Hyundai Accent may not be the most exciting subcompact car to drive but it gets the job done and handles curves efficiently with a smooth ride that's quiet.
This car finally has the looks that will turn heads and this, together with the quality that we've come to expect from the high-flying South Korean carmaker and a very low base price of $94,399 (as of 10th September 2015), make it a strong contender in the congested small car market.
