The most affordable vehicle in the Hyundai lineup, the subcompact Accent comes off as the sophisticated kid in the economy class. There's enough content and quality baked into the Accent to advance it beyond the realm of basic transportation.
What's New for 2016
The standard trim level is now known as SE for the both the sedan and hatchback.
Choosing Your Hyundai Accent
Every Accent is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that's good for 137 horsepower, robust output for this class. You have a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic with a fuel-saving Eco mode. With the automatic, the Accent achieves 27 mpg in city driving and a laudable 37 mpg when cruising the highway.
The Accent is technically a five-passenger vehicle, but we wouldn't plan on carrying more than four on a regular basis. Cargo space is a happier story. With 13.7 cubic feet of it, the sedan virtually matches some midsize cars. The hatchback gives you even more, of course -- up to 47.5 cubic-feet with the rear seat folded.
To keep things simple, the Accent is offered in just two trim levels:
There are no further options for any Accent aside from the usual dealer-installed accessories.
The automatic transmission isn't cheap at $1,000, but we still heartily recommend it. You get slightly better fuel economy and access to the option packages, which furnish a lot of content for the money.