Driving Impressions: 2018 Hyundai Accent Limited

By: Mark Moskowitz MD

Pull up any of the multitude of online 'comparo's' and our Accent is included amongst the subcompacts. That's fair, with a 90.2 cubic foot interior it fits perfectly in its EPA designation. But it's a bit of a surprise to the casual observer. The Accent is big, measuring a foot longer than popular classmates like the Honda Fit and Kia Rio. And it's attractive. Newly designed for 2018, it's barely distinguishable from the popular well sculpted Elantra. My first drive took me to the Hyundai dealer.

Only there amidst the rows of product could I appreciate the difference in length and the subtle differences in styling and quality of trim. Typical Accent sales are a third or less than that of the Elantra. I can appreciate the stylist's attempt to simulate its popular façade, one so recognizable as to need little further discussion.

On to the drive. The Accent handles well. There's predictability and only modest body lean in the corners – sports car like. The steering is direct and agile at most highway speeds. Somewhere between 70 and 80 mph I found the car a bit 'darty' and had to make frequent minute corrections. At its lowest speeds, the Accent seemed to bounce when it encountered speed bumps, pot holes and other road imperfections; a stiff suspension seemingly a fair trade-off for its solid performance in the turns.

Motor Trend pegs the 0-60 time at 9.3 seconds. The IPAD stopwatch puts it closer to 10. It pulls better with a rolling start. Sport mode, engaged with a dash mounted switch, enlivens performance even further but causes the otherwise outstanding 6 speed to languish in 'mid' gears in any other situation than acceleration.

The Accent's interior is laid out well with a dashboard arrangement typical of most modern cars: a tach and speedometer border an info center that reports on any number of conditions including tire pressure. In the dashboard center are climate controls (single zone) and above those is a 7 inch touch screen mounted high enough and close enough for easy reach and rapid informational retrieval. Beneath are two 12 volt outlets, a usb port and a jack socket for auxiliary input. A single usb but no vents emerge from the rear of the console. Typical audio and cruise controls are found on the leather wrapped steering wheel.

Interior fabrics and plasticized surfaces look pleasant at first glance but fail to confirm the moniker 'Limited'. The interior seems spacious. Those who sit close to the dash and wheel might find knee discomfort from both console and door mounted armrest. The easily adjustable steering wheel and manually controlled front bucket put this 5'10' driver in a comfortable driving position with no knee limitation. The seat itself might benefit from more support and a lumbar adjustment. There was more than adequate headroom front and back and a very comfortable footwell in the rear. The back seats fold forward to augment a very generous (13.7 cubic foot) trunk space.

Voice touch and dial control of the infocenter was easily learned and consistently good. The Accent allows Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and avoids the redundancy of built in navigation. Those with a satellite radio contract can find stock quotes and sports scores on their info center.

Built into the Accent is a high tech forward collision avoidance system. An auxiliary mirror substitutes for electronic blind spot monitoring.

The Accent comes in 3 levels of trim. An SE with a manual is the least expensive at $14995 before shipping. The top of the line Limited boasts exclusives which include a sunroof, fog lights, and stylish 17-inch alloy wheels. The model seems well positioned as an economical local commuter or every day errand machine.

I understand the appeal of a subcompact. Less raw materials and if achieved better fuel mileage. The Limited fully priced with delivery lists for $19905. Spend $830 more and you can purchase the Elantra Value Edition. It's longer, faster and differs little in fuel economy. Its interior is a bit more attractive and the bigger sibling has such niceties as dual automatic temperature controls, a power driver's seat, and rear cup holders. The Elantra comes standard with blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. That's what I'd buy.

Photo credit: Mark Moskowitz MD

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