2013 Hyundai Accent Preview

Introduction

The Accent is Hyundai's most affordable car model. It is a subcompact that is offered as a 4-door sedan or 4-door hatchback. Both Hyundai and Kia are owned by the same South Korean parent company and the Kia Rio shares the Accent's platform. The Accent was redesigned for the 2012 model year, with only minor changes for 2013. The main change is in the base sedan, which has more standard features than the previous model.

Aside from the Rio, the Accent competes with the Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, and Scion xD.

Exterior Features

The Accent sedan and hatchback share the same basic design structure and are fitted with the same 101.2-inch wheelbase. However, the sedan is 10 inches longer than the hatchback, and it comes with a rear defogger instead of the hatchback's rear wiper/washer. The hatchback also offers a sunroof, fog lights, and a rear spoiler that are not available on the sedan. The base hatchback and sedan come with 14-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, while 16-inch wheels are standard on the topline hatchback and optional for the sedan.

Interior Features

Standard interior features in the 2013 Hyundai Accent include cloth upholstery, air conditioning, interior air filer, tilt steering wheel, front bucket seats with height-adjustable driver's seat, split-folding rear seat, heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD stereo, auxiliary input jack, USB port, and trip computer.

Optional Features

The Accent sedan is available with a Premium package that includes cruise control, premium cloth seats, chrome inside door handles, piano black interior trim, Bluetooth connectivity, steering wheel audio controls, sliding front armrest, fog lights, 4-wheel disc brakes, and P195/50R16 tires on alloy wheels. Other options include a sunroof for the hatchback, iPod cable, auto-dimming rearview mirror with universal garage door opener, rear-seat cupholders, and a rear-seat cargo tray.

Under the Hood

The 2013 Hyundai Accent comes with one engine and a choice of two transmissions. The engine is a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that produces 138 horsepower and 123 lb.-ft. of torque. Transmission choices are a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. All Accents have front-wheel drive.

Fuel Economy

EPA fuel-economy estimates for the 2013 Hyundai Accent are:

• Accent sedan or hatchback with 6-speed manual transmission: 28/37/32 mpg (city/highway/combined)
• Accent sedan or hatchback with 6-speed automatic transmission: 28/37/31 mpg

Safety

Standard safety equipment on the 2013 Hyundai Accent includes dual front air bags, front-seat side air bags, curtain side air bags, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, traction control, electronic stability control, and a tire-pressure monitor.

In government crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Hyundai Accent received an overall rating of 4 (out of 5) stars for frontal, side, and rollover crash protection. However, NHTSA notes the interior door panel struck the rear passenger in the side-impact test, which leads to a higher likelihood of thoracic injury. In tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Accent received an "Acceptable" rating in the side-impact crash test, and "Good" ratings--the Institute's highest--in the moderate overlap front, roof strength, and rear-seat crash protection tests.