In the past decade, Hyundai has made massive strides towards stardom. With impressive vehicles like the Genesis, Equus and Sonata they have practically made it but that’s not stopping the Korean powerhouse from producing even more serious competitors. At the New York Auto Show, Hyundai released their new for 2012 subcompact the Accent.
The next generation Accent adopts Hyundai’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design that produced such lookers as the Sonata and Elantra. The sculpted lines are there and no one will confuse this for anything other than a Hyundai. The front bumper uses shapely fog lights that give the Accent a low, aggressive look while the hood “gunshots” into the large badge. For both the four door sedan and five door hatchback, the rear flares ever so slightly and continues the front’s fluid lines. Overall, it’s a handsome car that doesn’t stand out so much that one would be embarrassed.
Some of the biggest news is under the hood of the new Accent. Hyundai will use this platform as the showcase for its new “Gamma” engine: a DOHC 1.6 liter direct injected four cylinder that will produce 138hp and 123 lb-ft of torque with variable valve timing. This is actually the first subcompact car to use a direct injected engine and the new Accent will deliver 30 mpg in the city and up to 40 mpg on the highway. Transmissions choices will be two 6 speeds (an automatic and manual). Hyundai really did their homework and expects the new Accent to last a long time; giving it a roller timing chain instead of a belt. It’s the little things like this that count.
The underpinnings of the Accent have been stiffened by a solid 22 percent over the last generation. Front suspension is a strut/spring setup while the rear is a coil sprung torsion beam. In all honesty, this is a fairly standard set up for a subcompact but that shouldn’t hold it back. The light weight of the new car will surely make it a hoot to toss around the city streets, which is where it will see most of its duty. The standard features of the last Accent were very generous, and the 2012 model ups the ante even more. Of course, there will be plenty of trim options to please a wide variety of buyers.
Expect the MSRP to be on par with the other subcompacts: in the low to mid teens. What separates the 2012 Accent from all the rest is still Hyundai’s best-in-class standard warranty. The wonderfully generous 10-year/100,000 mile full powertrain warranty alongside five years of complimentary roadside assistance is mind-boggling and Hyundai isn’t out there finding loopholes around this. So far, the company has been true to its word and has been making happy buyers even more happy. With the new 2012 Accent, it is sure to grab just a few more smiles.
