Hyundai, in establishing leadership in the light car market, achieved in a relatively short period, what other manufacturers took many years to achieve. This position was reached through sheer determination, price-cutting and treading on many of the industry leaders' toes.
After six years of successful reign, Hyundai has seen fit to revamp its light car product by replacing the Excel with a new look and a new name. Hyundai claims the new bigger Accent has more space, strength, safety, power, refinement, features and dynamic finesse than the very successful Excel it supersedes.
There are many contenders in this part of the small car market and those in direct competition are the Suzuki Baleno, Mazda 121 Metro, Proton Satria, Toyota Echo, Daewoo Lanos, Ford Festiva, Mitsubishi Mirage, Kia Mentor, Peugeot 206, Proton Persona, Mitsubishi Lancer, Honda Civic and Nissan Pulsar.
The Accent comes in three basic body styles as a three or five door hatch and a four-door sedan. The base model is a three-door hatch with manual transmission and is priced at $14,990. At the top of the line is the four-door GLS sedan and five-door GLS hatch, both priced at $18,990 and fitted with standard power windows, mirrors and door locks, plus air conditioning. At a cost of $1000, air conditioning is optional on all other models. A passenger airbag and automatic transmission are optional on all models and all pricing is drive-away-no-more-to-pay.
Standard features
Standard features on all models include an engine immobiliser, driver's airbag, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters, centre console, power steering with tilt adjustable column, internal adjusters for mirrors, four speaker radio/cassette, 60:40 rear seat split, three cup holders and a front passenger vanity mirror.
Features & equipment
Hyundai has completely revamped the old 1.5 litre, twin cam, 16 valve engine and given it more power at lower revs and increased torque at a more useful 3000 rpm, some 1000 rpm lower than the previous superseded Excel. Hyundai claim this has not only improved its driveability, but it is also quieter, smoother and more fuel efficient with lower emissions.
The manual transmission has also been re-engineered by adding synchromesh to reverse gear, making fourth and fifth gears overdrive and improving gearshift quality. The automatic transmission now incorporates adaptive gear shifting which constantly adjusts the shift pattern to match the individual driver's style. This is claimed to prevent much of the annoying gear changing that occurs with many small-engined automatic transmission cars.
Independent McPherson struts with coil springs and anti-roll bars are attached to lower 'A' shaped control arms at the front and trailing multi-links at the rear of the Accent.
Larger front ventilated discs with more robust callipers and a larger brake booster combine with larger rear brake shoes and stiffer backing plates to improve braking efficiency. The brake pads incorporate a warning device to detect pad wear.
Hyundai claims a high safety and security rating for the Accent by strengthening and stiffening the body to protect the cabin area in front and rear collisions. Strengthened door pillars, firewall, sills, floor and doors improve occupant safety in the event of side impacts. Driver and passenger airbags combine with seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters to enhance front occupant safety, and all three child seat restraint points are fitted with anchor hooks ready for use. A high-density polyethylene fuel tank replaces the previous steel one.
An engine immobiliser with rolling codes for added security is fitted on all Accent models.
More consideration has been given to the environment with the building of the Accent. Greater use is made of plastics and recyclable materials. Bumpers, side sill trims and many plastic and metal assemblies are designed for ease of installation and disassembly and are easily recycled at the end of their life. High impact and heat resistant plastics are used for the cam cover, intake manifold, air cleaner, radiator tank and water pump impeller. Every plastic part weighing more than 100 grams is stamped with its material composition for ease of recycling.
Body & finish
The Accent's style has moved away from the obvious rounded and bulbous shape of the Excel and has now taken on more of a European look. The deeper section bumpers, shorter front overhang and increased body and track width, give it a stronger, more solid appearance.
Hyundai claims that noise, vibration and harshness have been isolated away from the cabin with extensive use of noise reduction materials around door pillars, thicker carpets, higher grade foam under the carpet, dash isolation padding and double sealing of upper door closures.
Comfort & space
Although the overall size is claimed to have increased compared to the Excel and inside passenger space improved, the only measurement that appears to have increased is the headroom in the front seats. Some other figures are actually a little less. Head, leg and shoulder room in the rear is limited and the centre seat position is less than comfortable, with a rounded cushion making it suitable for short-term use only. Seat cushions are fairly basic although reasonably comfortable
Luggage space has increased only in height, but is quite adequate for a car of this size. The rear seat is split 60:40 enabling a variety of passenger/luggage options, although the folded seat doesn't provide a flat floor space. The glovebox is of reasonable size and the front doors have good size pockets in the door trims. A double cupholder which glides out of the centre of the dash and an open console compartment make up the remainder of the storage space. Upper models also include front seat back pockets, and a vanity mirror on the passenger sun visor is now standard on all models.
Behind the wheel
From the driver's seat there are no surprises, as the layout is consistent with most Japanese and Australian vehicles. However the instruments and controls are vastly different from the Excel models. The centre dash vents, air conditioner controls, stereo and switch panel now reside in the centre section of the dash that extends down to the console. The instrument binnacle is similar in size and shape, however its appearance is totally different with a black background on all except the GS model which features a white background. The GS also has a leather covered steering wheel and gear knob. Base models are not fitted with a tachometer, power windows, central locking or power mirrors. However, these features and other comfort and convenience items are standard on GS and GLS models.
With the tilt adjustable steering column it is not difficult to find a position that gives reasonable comfort for driving under most conditions, and although quite basic, the driver's seat provides adequate support that should satisfy most physiques. All controls are clearly marked and are easy to reach and operate.
On the road
Hyundai's 1.5 litre engine for the Accent has been upgraded sufficiently to change its driving character. Whereas the Excel's engine required extra revs on take-off and early downshifts on hills because its maximum torque was achieved in the high rpm range, this latest version is much more flexible and therefore more pleasant to drive. In manual form, as tested, its performance is quite spirited, with smooth responsive acceleration under all conditions. The Accent is equally at home touring, as it is in commuting around the city and suburbs and its light and easy controls, manageable size and manoeuvrability, make it easy to park.
The manual gear selector is still notchy and while it is light and easy to use it does not give a smooth comfortable gear change. The manual transmission ratios are suited to the engine's performance adding to its overall driveability compared with the superseded Excel.
Hyundai has achieved an acceptable compromise between ride and handling and even when placed under duress, there was no sign of any undesirable under or oversteer. On test, the Accent's ride quality was quite comfortable for a car of its calibre and soundproofing was generally acceptable, except for the wheel arches that were noticeably lacking in sound deadening material when driving on gravel surfaces.
There was a strong tendency for the rear drum brakes to lock-up prematurely, resulting in increased braking distances. Considerable heat build-up was evident from the front disc brakes, however only minimal fade was experienced during our performance testing.
General vision from the driving position was satisfactory in the forward and side directions, although the large 'C' pillars on the hatchback model did restrict rear vision.
Servicing
The engine compartment in the Accent is unusual for a small low-priced vehicle where neatness and tidiness is not usually a high priority. The 1.5 DOHC engine gives the appearance that it was designed to fit into the Accent's under bonnet space, as there is adequate space around it, enabling service personnel easy access to all serviceable components. Service intervals on the Accent are set at 15,000 km or twelve monthly intervals and combine with the five year, 130,000 km warranty, to keep operating costs to a minimum. Further warranties are set in place to cover the battery for a period of two years or forty thousand kilometres and the paintwork is covered in the event of any durability problems for a period of three years.
The Accent is not the type of vehicle that lends itself readily to towing a trailer, however, Hyundai does specify a maximum towing capacity of 700kg, which would allow it to tow a small camper trailer with relative ease.
Summary
With the move from a contemporary bubble shape to a more conventional Euro style, the Accent has the potential to appeal to a much wider market.
The total package is certainly an improvement in many aspects and with only a minimal price rise, it still represents value for money in the drive-away-no-more-to-pay contest that appears to be very attractive to the average new small car buyer.
Test vehicle supplied by Hyundai Automotive Distributors Australia P/L.
