Beijing Auto Show: Hyundai Lets Its Accent Show

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Several Chinese sites have caught shots of the next-generation Hyundai Accent [via autoincar.com] just prior to its reveal at the Beijing Auto Show. Styling-wise, the Accent appears to combine equal parts Y20 Sonata and Genesis Coupe, in a compact four-door package. The coupe-like profile looks to limit visibility somewhat, but no more so than other examples of the current trend towards bunker-like interiors. Otherwise, we’re looking at a fairly stylish little sedan that should help Hyundai keep its momentum building in the US market. And what of the long-available three-door Accent? Hyundai will likely be replacing both that budget hatch and the Tiburon sports coupe with the Accent-based Veloster sporty hatch.


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Blue adidas Blue adidas on Apr 23, 2010

    Reminds me of the "half used bar of soap" look that was popular in the 90s. For $10k, just buy a decent used car.

    • Jack99 Jack99 on Apr 23, 2010

      Correction: Just buy used for better value. The one part of TTAC I really like is the "Car Talk" conversations that come up often. The most common topic of discussion is the cars we own and our experiences with them. You'll have the guy who nabbed a pre-owned Acura with 100,000 miles on it for $5k and drove it another 100,000 with no problems. Then you have the other guy who's been driving the same car for almost 20 years with the engine replaced just once and an eye-popping mileage to brag about. I'm with ya. I admit I drool at cars like the Sonata. But in the end, I'm living on a middle class budget with an eye to my retirement. I'm not going to fall back on my pension plan to pad me over. Used cars with single owner histories all the way. Haggling with salespeople is part of the fun that comes with the game.

  • DweezilSFV DweezilSFV on Apr 26, 2010

    I just rented a Hyundai Elantra for a 500 odd mile trip back to LA from Tucson. What I got form the experience is that the Hyundai juggernaught is a lot of media cheerleading and hype. Horrible, nasty sounding 4 cylinder, an inept automatic that felt like it was slipping at only 17,000 miles [and actually did drop out of drive crossing the intersection at Burbank and Sepulveda , leaving me revving in neutral until the stupid thing decided to get with the program and allow us to accelerate],the brakes were overly sensitive, the ride over rough surfaces molar rattling, and the rear view mirror vibrated so badly the image was blurred.Seats were as flat and hard as in my low level ION. It rode like all the tires were pumped to 75 psi. I am reminded of someone else's observation: a whole lot of disparate pieces all going in the same direction. Some of those pieces were pretty nice I suppose: XM power everything and moonroof, but I got the sense that the thing would be shot and trouble by 50000 miles if it was as miserable as it was at 17,000 miles. The more I drove it, the less I liked it. And since people seem to be hypersensitive to the "quality" of plastics in their automobiles [I am not one of them, but for the record], the ones used in the Elantra were every bit as "craptastic" as any used on GM cars. Of the 80s.Or even, again, of my own ION, poster child for cheap plastic interiors. Granted some of this could be chalked up to abused rental, but at 17000 miles I would have thought the thing might have shifted smoothly and the engine evolved past the farm tractor sound and feel of an Iron Duke or a Saturn 1.9. The Ecotec and GM Hydramatic work infinitely better together and with more smoothness and discretion than this sorry combination. The trunk was huge. You can't tell from the outside [especially of an artist's rendering]how big the trunk of a sedan is by the outside shape. End result: they may be better than they were but Hyundai still has a way to go. But they'll be doing it without me as a customer. That they have now made the Accent so unattractive [and larger, no doubt] I am even less inclined to look at their products favorably. I'm with you Mr.Lang : does every frigging small car have to aspire to being a "premium offering in the segment" ?

  • EBFlex China can F right off.
  • MrIcky And tbh, this is why I don't mind a little subsidization of our battery industry. If the American or at least free trade companies don't get some sort of good start, they'll never be able to float long enough to become competitive.
  • SCE to AUX Does the WTO have any teeth? Seems like countries just flail it at each other like a soft rubber stick for internal political purposes.
  • Peter You know we’ve entered the age of self driving vehicles When KIAs go from being stolen to rolling away by themselves.
  • Analoggrotto TTAC is full of drug addicts with short memories. Just beside this article is another very beautiful article about how the EV9 was internationally voted by a renowned board of automotive experts who are no doubt highly educated, wealthy and affluent; the best vehicle in entire world. That's planet earth for you numbskulls. Let me repeat: the best vehicle in the world is the Kia EV9. Voted, and sealed, and if you try to deny it Fanny Willis is ready to prosecute you; but she will send her boyfriend instead because she is busy.
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