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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2010 Hyundai Accent

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Overview

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2010 Hyundai Accent Review

By KBB.com Editorial Staff

Introduced in 1994, the Hyundai Accent led U.S. entry-level car sales from 2000-2005, mostly due to its value for the money and an aggressive warranty. Now that fluctuating high fuel prices have this segment heating up, Hyundai's third-generation Accent will have tough new competition for 2010 – Korean partner Kia's Rio, Honda's Fit, Nissan's Versa, Toyota's Yaris and Chevrolet's upgraded Aveo – but it still should continue to be up to the task.

You'll Like This Car If...

If an ultra-practical and affordable subcompact is your next vehicle purchase, you'll appreciate the 2010 Hyundai Accent's value, which includes numerous safety features, a long warranty and unusual availability of accessories. If your driving aspirations are bigger than your budget, you should also appreciate the SE three-door's sporty look, astonishingly responsive handling and cornering capability.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If you want something a bit more expressive, especially in a four-door sedan, or prefer a Japanese or domestic brand, you should take a good look at the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and the surprisingly competitive Chevy Aveo.

What's New for 2010

For 2010, Hyundai introduces its new "Blue" Edition engine to the Accent lineup. The new engine is up to nine-percent more fuel efficient than last year's powerplant, providing mileage as high as 36 mpg on the highway. Other new features include iPod/USB ports on all radios; standard steering wheel audio controls, sunroof and cruise control on SE and the availability of ABS on the GS trim.

Driving the Accent

Driving Impressions Hyundai's 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine generates 110 horsepower, but it's hardly a strong performer. Driving the optional four-speed automatic in our test GLS sedan, it managed zero-to-60 mph acceleration in a...

bit over 13 seconds. By today's standards, that's on the slow side. The SE three-door with the manual five-speed transmission can do it in about 11 seconds. Also, like most small engines in inexpensive cars, it's a bit noisy and thrashy at high rpm. Otherwise, our GLS rode and drove fairly well and scooted through turns with surprising response. Despite its eight manual adjustments, the driver's seat did not provide a really comfortable position for us, and its rearward adjustment was insufficient for our longish legs. The cloth-lined trunk is relatively roomy and the rear-seat pass-through is handy, but the smallish rear seat is just par for the class.

Favorite Features

GLS Handling
We were pleasantly surprised with the steering and handling of our Premium Package-equipped test GLS on its available 15-inch tires and alloy wheels, and the sports-oriented SE three-door does even better on its 16-inch tire-and-wheel Package.

Hyundai Warranty
An extra-long warranty is one thing an automaker can offer to improve buyer confidence and Hyundai's is one of the best, with five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage that's matched with impressive quality improvements.

2010 Hyundai Accent Details

Interior

The Accent's interior materials are consistent with its price: Generally inexpensive but with attractive textures and two-tone trim. Among the least-appealing items is the central swing-open bin that's shaped like an ashtray but isn't; the actual ashtray is an odd removable cup that sits atop the console. The radio is an easy-to-use unit with large knobs for volume and tuning, while the three-dial HVAC controls are attractive and have a quality feel – except for a too-stiff temperature dial.

Exterior

While the SE three-door is sporty and expressive, we think the Accent sedan is pretty plain vanilla. Its design is clean, functional and fairly aerodynamic, but hardly exciting. The best part is probably up front, with large wide-eyed headlamps, a full-width lower air intake and distinctive grilles – a body-color bar across the three-door models, a black-out pattern on the four-door. Another nice touch is a body-color protective molding along each side to fend off shopping carts and help prevent door dings.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The modest GS standard-equipment list includes power steering, tilt steering column, eight-way manually-adjustable driver's seat, 60/40-split rear seat, cabin air filtration, tachometer, variable intermittent wipers and a rear spoiler. The SE adds air conditioning, power windows, locks and mirrors, 172-watt six-speaker audio system with CD player and XM Satellite Radio, remote keyless entry with alarm and panic alert, fog lights, sport suspension, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), cruise control, a power sunroof and 16-inch alloy wheels. The GLS Sedan has base GS equipment plus air conditioning and the 172-watt audio system. All models boast extensive standard safety equipment, including seat-mounted side airbags and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags, in addition to advanced front airbags.

Optional Equipment

The Popular Equipment Package for the GLS includes a tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio controls, premium cloth seats, driver's seat height adjustment and lumbar control. The GLS Premium Package adds ABS, cruise control, 15-inch alloy wheels, power windows, locks and mirrors, remote keyless entry and alarm. A four-speed automatic transmission is available on all three models, and there's a long list of (mostly sports-oriented) port- and dealer-installed accessories.

Under the Hood

Hyundai's 1.6-liter four has dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and CVVT (continuously Variable Valve Timing) on the intake side. It generates 110 horsepower and provides a very respectable – and wallet-friendly – 26/35 EPA miles per gallon when teamed with the optional automatic transmission.

1.6-liter in-line 4
110 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
106 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/34 (manual), 27/36 (automatic), 28/36 (Blue)

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2010 Hyundai Accent Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.1

Out of 10

Based on 250 Ratings for the 2006 - 2011 models.

Review this car

Value

8.6/10

Quality

8.3/10
Reliability

8.8/10

Performance

8.1/10
Comfort

8.0/10

Styling

8.2/10

Awesome tiny car!

By joeygerms (IN) on Saturday, February 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 76,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 7/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"I love my tiny car! I have asked a lot of it as volunteer fireman in the country. It has delivered every time! Bad on tires (could be my driving style). Replaced the tires three times, a battery, and fluids."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Horrible quality, not worth the price.

By mgar (MA) on Sunday, December 30, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 36,000

10 1.0

overall rating 1 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 1/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 5/10
Quality: 2/10
Performance: 4/10
Styling: 6/10
Comfort: 5/10

Pros: "good gas mileage"

Cons: "everything but gas mileage"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"Clutch went after 30000 miles, not god considering a 2006 Ford focus I had has original clutch after 111000 miles and I'd still going good.Windows rattle when rolled up or down. Burning smell through the vents. States that it gets 36 mpg on highway but that's at low speed 55, who realistically droves at that speed. Gets 32 between 60-75 mph because of the high rpm(3200). It is very noisy on the road, wind and in the rain. Overall the car, even for its cheaper price was not worth it, because of this I will never buy a Hyundai again."

3 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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see all 250 reviews