"Ike" (untitledcarshow)
03/25/2015 at 20:05 • Filed to: None
1
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"Ike" (untitledcarshow)
03/25/2015 at 20:05 • Filed to: None | 1
| 13 |
Full disclosure Hyundai wanted me to drive their 2014 accent so bad. They let me to rent one for $35 a day when I dropped off my wife's Ford fiesta for a brake service, under the local Ford dealership maintenance plan.
Exterior
The Accent is a very inoffensive looking car, some what better looking in this reviewer's eyes then it's competitors from Japan, and not quite as good looking as the American branded rivals. The accent is very similar to a nice summer dress, it doesn't stand out much in a crowd but it does have some revealing details you may enjoy once you get up close.
Interior
One of the first thing you notice when you get into the Hyundai accent is the spartan interior. For a mundane entry-level sedan I think the quality of the materials is above what you'd expect for a Korean entry-level car; but it's lacking some serious amenities that you come to expect now in days. There's no cruise control with that seems like a cruel joke on any throttle by wire vehicle and the lack of steering wheel controls (while not necessary given that the radio is in such easy reach) is unexpected for a vehicle built in 2014.
Cabin noise is lower then it's rivals (I'm looking at you ford). The engine noise is there when you want it to be, and disappears behind the road noise (of which there is only a little bit) at highways speeds. As I said earlier the quality of the materials used is surprisingly good, the dash and the top of the door panels is covered in a plastic that has nice resistance to it and doesn't feel cheap (although I'm sure it is). There are some very nice door inserts made out of the same sort of fabric you find in a kindergarten classroom's carpet but seeing as how this car will be used probably to the haul around small children that's probably a good idea. The seat inserts are made out of the same material and have a nice fabric trim.
All the tactile items such as buttons and switches and even the handles above the door feel well built, and unlikely to break any time soon even under heavy use.
Performance/Handling
I was surprised by how well the accent handles corners; while not a lotus Elise the accent is composed thru high speed corners and has decent braking. The problem with this car is there is a decent delay in throttle input, this kills the feeling of the car through the corners. That being said if a bump or pothole comes up the car handles them exceptionally well.
Living with the car.
The Accent has some weirdness to over come if your thinking about buying one. Firstly the lack of a standard cruise control is a killer for long trips, and the throttle delay (which I think is there to help out with the lack of a cruise control as it makes maintaining a constant speed on the highway a lot easier). Second the doors lock and STAY LOCKED over 15MPH, which is fine, but the car still lets you open any door even with the doors locked, which seams strange to me. The last bit of weirdness I don't like is the key has to be pressed in and turned to be removed. I hate this in cars, you may get used to it, but I never can.
Final thoughts
Would I buy a Hyundai Accent? The short answer is no. The reason is there are better cars for the same or less money on the market. A Ford Focus is the end all be all in this market space in my mind.
Now if your the type of person fearful of American branded cars, which there still are a lot of out there, I would look toward the Accent as it comes cheaper then it's Japanese rivals, handles better and has better standard equipment and I think looks better.
Ike is co-host of the Untitled Car Show ( untitledcarshow.podomatic.com ) he has owned 2 dodge challengers, a Volvo C30 / V70XC/ V70R / 740 and a Saturn Ion. He is a new father and loves driving and autocrossing. He can jerry rig with the best of them, and he wrote his bio in third person.
Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 20:09 |
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Fun fact:
In Indonesia this thing sold as a Hyundai Grand Avega. I think because the Accent, the very first one, really sucks.
Lets Just Drive
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 20:14 |
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Things I must say include:
This was awesome.
I feel like this should be obligatory for any true Opponaut; review any rental/loaner/miscellaneous one gets it's Oppohands on.
An important caveat to the mantra that all rental cars are the fastest cars - not when it's a dealership covered loaner/rental; they have your car as hostage, so you better treat theirs right.
The introduction made me laugh. Great parody.
The outroduction (is that really what "outro" was supposed to be short for?) made me giggle. Super parody.
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 20:16 |
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They didn't give you a loaner???
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Ike
>
03/25/2015 at 20:20 |
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it wasn't included in the complementary maintenance package for some stupid reason I have to call and complaint to ford corporate
JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 20:29 |
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Hyundai does well-made interiors. my 2011 Elantra touring had nary a rattle or squeak after 60k miles of Vermont back roads, but the FieSTa is far from silent after just over 20k :|
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Ike
> Lets Just Drive
03/25/2015 at 20:31 |
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thanks for the kind words I really appreciate that! It's my goal to make people laugh
yeah when they have you car as a hostage, it's much harder to treat the rental car like a whipping mule yet somehow I always seem to find a way
LTK
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 21:24 |
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Loaners are for warranty work. A dealer's own maintenance plan isn't covered in that warranty. Having brakes replaced is also only warrantiable (new word?) if their failure was a manufacturing defect. I don't think you'll gain much traction with corporate if it falls in those parameters.
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LTK
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 21:26 |
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Wait a minute. Accent is quieter than Fiesta? I'm calling shenanigans. I crawl over nearly every make and model of vehicles daily and have found every Hyundai to be louder and tinnier than just about any of their competitors not named Nissan.
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Ike
> LTK
03/25/2015 at 21:43 |
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I drove them back to back today and I can tell you the Hyundai is quieter for sure
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Ike
> LTK
03/25/2015 at 21:45 |
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Yeah but worth a shot in the past loaned was included
LJ909
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 21:46 |
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I gotta admit, it does look pretty weird to have a steering wheel with no buttons on it. Its weird we are used to that now a days.
NoneOfYourBiz
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 22:10 |
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Not sure what was available on the 2014 but the version you drove sounds like the entry level model, what in 2015 is the "L".
The GL and GLS come with steering wheel controls and cruise control.
Having driven the older Accents, this latest version is a huge leap forward, putting them in the same league as the Fit and Focus. They drive a lot more like an Elantra than they do the old Accent.
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LTK
> Ike
03/25/2015 at 22:25 |
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good luck!