Hyundai Accent: 5 Things we like

While going through the Hyundai’s pavilion at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2018, we were a bit surprised to see Hyundai Accent being showcased. This wasn’t what we were expecting to have a look at the show. It was the fifth generation of the Accent that was put up on the display. Although it looked quite familiar, we think it is still a handsome car. So, here are the five things that we like about the Hyundai Accent.

Styling

As we said, the Accent looked a bit familiar and that’s because of the fact that it is a toned-down variant of the highly popular Hyundai Elantra. We can see the similar shape of the front grille along with the smart projector headlamps. We can also spot the inclusion of LED DRLs within the headlight assembly. The use of chrome around the fog lamps is a nice touch.

The rear features two-piece combination tail lights that are of the right size considering the overall dimension of the car. It is a neat design at the back. The side profile looks good, too, but we would have liked to see larger wheels. Again, there is a chrome treatment on the door handles that looks quite premium.

Interior features

The model that was showcased featured an all-black interior. However, we doubt that Hyundai would use the same quality material that we have seen in the Elantra. Anyway, moving on, the 3-spoke steering wheel has got a lot of buttons for controlling various functions like audio, cruise control, etc. Behind it is a large instrument cluster with a 3.5-inch TFT LCD colour display in the middle. The layout of the dashboard is very Hyundai-ish. We like the use of piano black or glossy black finish around the single-zone AC controls and on the side of the gear lever.

Interior space and comfort

The Hyundai Accent measures 4,385 mm in length, 1,729 mm in width, and 1,450 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,580 mm. This means that there should be a good amount of space in the interior. Hence, the comfort level would be decent. Talking about comfort, the seats are available in both fabric and leather finish. We think that the higher-end variants would get leather upholstery.

Engine and transmission

The model of Hyundai Accent showcased at the KLIMS 2018 featured a 1.4-litre Kappa MPI 4-cylinder petrol engine that has been tuned in a state to churn out 100 PS of max power at 6000 revs and the peak torque of 132 Nm kicks in at 4000 revs. The transmission in duty is a 6-speed automatic unit which sends the power to the front wheels.

Safety features

In the past, we have seen that Hyundai provides a good number of safety features in its products. And the Accent is no exception. It comes with a total of six airbags to provide protection to all the occupants. It also has Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Hill-start Assist Control. We are anticipating that other features like Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), etc would be included as well. To help ease the parking actions, Hyundai has provided the Accent with a rear view camera and front and rear parking sensors.

At this point in time, we don’t know what’s going on in Hyundai’s mind regarding the Accent. Hyundai has not released any kind of information related to the availability of this car in the country. But if launched, the Accent would compete with cars like the Honda City, all-new Toyota Vios, and Mazda 2 Sedan. It would carry a similar price tag with it.

We think that if Hyundai brings the Accent in Malaysia, it would be better for the customers as they will have one more good option to choose from in the segment. Also, this would increase the competition and would again result in better deals for the end users. What are your views about the Hyundai Accent? Should it be launched in our country? Would you be willing to buy it?