Hyundai Accent Hatchback 2000-2003

The Hyundai Accent is an entry level subcompact car designed to attract budget buyers and people who are not too meticulous about image and comfort level. In many aspects, the Accent is a direct descendant of the Hyundai Excel (apparently it was nothing to do with the word "excellent"), which was a rather basic car. However, thanks to the combination of a low price and good reliability, the Accent has occasionally topped best-selling car lists in several countries.

Pros and Cons:

• Good mechanical gearboxes
  Lots of space and reasonable comfort
  Good choice of engines (1.6-litre petrol or the diesel)

• Low quality of materials

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Exterior and Interior

The 1st generation Accent often received criticism regarding its curvy unfashionable shape. Well, with the 2nd generation they took the criticism in and came up with a much sharper design. The car received a longer body with simplistic but acceptable exterior design.

If you look at the plastic that's used in the interior, you know without even driving it, that the parts will rattle. Unlike other basic cars, this is actually quite comfortable. Thanks to an increase in the size, the driver will always manage to use the gear lever without causing bodily harm to the front passenger.

Although the 2nd generation Accent has never undergone a EuroNCAP safety test, similar independent safety tests have been performed and the results are not that bad. The car has reasonable rigidity and provides above average protection in case of frontal or side impact. Of course, it's not as advanced as a similar French or German car. The majority of trims on the Accent come with limited kit levels and no air bags. If possible, try to find a GSI Accent, not only does it have some creature comforts and extras, it will include two frontal air bags. Newer Accents can even include a side air bag.

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Engines

There are two petrol engines, a 1.3-litre 84bhp and a 1.6-litre 103bhp. There is also a diesel engine which is a 1.5-litre turbo diesel with 82bhp.

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Performance and Economy

Despite its small size and lightweight construction, it will take a painfully long time for the Accent to accelerate to a decent speed. If you're going to choose anything, better go with the 1.6-litre engine. In terms of fuel economy it is only slightly thirstier than the 1.3-litre engine (there's only a 2mpg difference) with the 1.6-litre engine delivering 41mpg.

The diesel can offer 51mpg, but just like the smaller petrol engine, it has limited power and enthusiastic driving should be forgotten. On the other hand, the diesel has a good amount of torque at low speeds and it is a good engine. You can also improve its fuel-economy by mastering the Hyundai's mechanical gearbox. The Accent isn't afraid to work hard. With the diesel or the larger petrol engine it becomes a good little tow-car.

The car depreciates very fast. Today it is cheap to buy and its price will fall with every mile you drive. Its resale value is well below the price of similar European cars. This is good news for the buyer, there were so many Accents made worldwide, that you can find one almost at any used car lot.

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What it's like to Drive

It's not the most exciting car to drive, but if you're a thrifty person you're bound to appreciate the mechanical gearbox. The low revving engines together with the short range gearbox enables you to switch up quicker than in other subcompact cars. If you become nifty you can even get into the 5th gear while still keeping within the 30mph limits.

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Faults and Repairs

Unless the car has been heavily abused, there shouldn't be any major problems with it. Hyundai's are quite sturdy and reliable. When it comes to spare parts, they are often sold by weight.

The older generation Accent used to rust a lot. The 2nd generation features resin coating on the surfaces that were affected the most. Occasionally, though, as the coating gets damaged, the car can still suffer from rust. So, when buying a used Hyundai Accent, inspect the wheel arches and the floor. If the coating looks too fresh, the car might have seen welding or substantial body repairs.

The Accent has earned a respectable position in many reliability surveys, but still there are some points that the owners should bear in mind: electric components and suspensions may require attention.

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