Beijing Auto Show: Hyundai Lets Its Accent Show
Published: April 22nd, 2010
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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.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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Reminds me of the "half used bar of soap" look that was popular in the 90s. For $10k, just buy a decent used car.
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" ?