The more vehicles I drive, the more I realize our domestic manufacturers are great at building cars and trucks people want, but not so hot at cranking out the ones we need. Take a look at any of the neo muscle bruisers out there right now to get the gist of my meaning. The 430 horsepower Chevrolet Camaro SS, drop-dead sexy Dodge Challenger SRT-8 and the supercharged Ford Mustang GT500 are all cars any red-blooded American would kill to be able to park in the driveway. Thing is, people don’t buy the cars they want – they buy the ones they need. While we’d all love to have gas-swilling, fire-breathing monsters for our daily commute, the reality is acronyms like EPA and MSRP dictate what buyers bring home at the end of the day. When a car manages to satisfy both the ethos and the pathos, everybody wins – something the surprising Hyundai Accent SE 3-Door manages to do with ease. Hop the jump for my impressions.
Let me be clear. Don’t expect teenagers all over the country to run around tearing down their Enzo posters in favor of this pint-sizer. The Accent 3-Door knocks out basic transportation needs before wandering off to tackle a few driver wants in the process. In Hyundai speak, SE means sport. Before you go laughing, have a look-see at the car’s specs. Every Accent is powered by the same 110 horsepower 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine, and while those digits aren’t going to be spinning dyno rollers anytime soon, it’s enough to get the 2,400 lb car up and moving. The biggest difference between the base GS and the mid-level SE is the suspension. The grippy bits boast a MacPherson strut design up front, complete with stiffer springs, and the rear torsion bar out back benefits from a larger stabilizer bar. Hyundai’s even worked in a quicker steering rack. Throw in electronic brake force distribution and anti-lock brakes and you’ve got a surprisingly planted car.
What you end up with is a vehicle that encourages you to keep up your momentum instead of relying on brute force under the hood. Keep the reps up with some clever foot work thanks to well-placed pedals, trust the car’s eye-widening grip and you can’t help but smile. The steering is laser-quick, and the suspension has enough bite to lift the car’s rear leg when you’re really going at it. The B&M shifter is sweet as can be, offering quick and precise gear selection.
The Accent SE 3-door is bright enough to have a blast dodging cones, but its first job will always be commuting. To that end Hyundai’s done a solid job of making the cabin comfortable. The mildly-bolstered front buckets are supportive — delivering attractive fabric and enough adjustability for most of the population. The dash is nothing to write home about, but controls are easy to navigate and the gauges are simple to read. SE trim nets you a six-speaker AM/FM/XM radio with CD/MP3 capability and an AUX input. Power windows, doors and locks are all part of the package, as is keyless entry and fog lights. Nice touches like a leather-wrapped steering wheel and sport shift knob are well-executed, too. With a $15,070 MSRP, you can’t ask for more.
Posted By: Zach Bowman | 16 Comments »
Tags: 2009 2009 Hyundai Accent SE 3-Door 3-Door Accent Accent 3-Door Accent SE 3-Door Econo Econobox Green Hatch Hyundai Hyundai Accent
“The more vehicles I drive, the more I realize our domestic manufacturers are great at building cars and trucks people want, but not so hot at cranking out the ones we need.”
I think that defines America pretty well. To hell with necessity, we’re decadent, proud and having more fun than anybody in an econo-box.
That said, I’ve had a lot of fun in a Kia Sephia, just because it was so underwhelming.
I would speculate that the main reason the Accent is fun is that it’s light.
That’s probably true. It’s power-to-weight ratio is similar to my 04 xB, and it sounds like what it lacks in grunt is made up for in competent handling. Obviously, no FWD econobox is going to give an S2k or Miata a run for it’s money in the corners, but it’s entirely possible to build a cheap, practical car that isn’t drudgery to drive.
It just happens that those cars aren’t build by US-based manufacturers, unfortunately.
What?
A cheap, no-frills car that’s not trying to be all things to all people? Shocking.
As best I can tell, this is like a mid-90s Civic, except new. And without all the aftermarket support. And without all the fake Vtec and Powered By Honda decals.
Never, EVER, have I “needed” a Hyundai.
Alls I’m sayin’ is drive one. You just might find your needs changing. It’s nearly impossible to mount an argument against this car. It’s cheap, seems to be well built, fun to drive, attractive, gets great fuel economy, is safe and has an unbeatable warranty. If that doesn’t tackle at least three needs, I don’t know what does.
Mostly I’m playing devil’s advocate here, but the price you’d pay for one of these doesn’t really correspond that well to the actual value of the car (as is true with most cars). For 10 grand, I could have a fiendish LS1 powered NA Miata and pay for the maintenance that would be covered by the warranty. There’s no reason I can see for buying a new car till I’m rich enough to buy something that really appeals to me, and by that point, it won’t be a Hyundai accent.
I am kinda missing the point though. This car satisfies needs pretty well, I’m sure. A nicely optioned hatch is a lot more useful for a student than anything with an LS1.
“Macphearson strut”
“surprisingly planting car”
“keep the reps up”
You guys should proofread.
I like reviews of cars like this, the ones that will actually buy. Keep it up.
Glad you like it, Jersey. We’ll do our best to keep you guys supplied with quality (typo-free) reviews.
nice article. reminds me of the early 90’s civic hatchback, you know a no frills kind of cheap car that all the high school kids in soCal adored and could afford.
there’s a huge price difference btw the base model and the SE (5k), could i save more money buying the base and modifying the suspension myself?
Good question, Ivan. I don’t know exactly how large of an aftermarket network there is out there for Accents. Given the sway bars, springs and shocks would have to be changed, plus you get stuff like power windows and locks, I’d probably just save the sweat and go with the SE.
I think that the Accent is one of the best small cars you can buy along side the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris but Hyundai needs to take this car a step further when it comes to styling and performance. The exterior styling of this car is attractive enough but the interior says bland! A performance oriented version of this car with more power and excitement could win a few hearts if Hyundai executes the product currectly.
I agree it does remind me of a 90’s Civic hatchback. A classic hatchback shape….nothing weird. Most will over-look this cool little car cuz it’s not a Fit or Fiesta, but they shouldn’t. If they test drive it, especially the SE, they may be really surprised. The newer Accents can handle, and the hatchback is roomy inside. There are accessories too, including an AEM SRI…..which dynos better than a CAI in this car. This car is cooler than the Yaris or Versa IMO, I haven’t seen the Fiesta, but it should sell very well in America.
Odlicno! Pozdrav od Dusice
This is a great site