Used 2020 Hyundai Accent

Starting at $16,125, the 2020 Hyundai Accent is the cheapest new Hyundai. It’s a subcompact sedan, so it competes with cars like the new-for-2020 Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris and Kia Rio. How the Accent makes its case is with generous passenger space and a refined ride quality. It also offers automatic emergency braking and smartphone integration.

This low price is dependent on being able to work a manual transmission, since a 6-speed stick shift is standard; it’s $1,100 for the automatic option. The Accent is supposedly aimed at younger drivers, whose ability to learn is (fortunately) greater than the more mature among us. It’s no bad thing getting to grips with a manual and finding out what gears do. But for the hellish commute, an automatic means one less thing to worry about.

A Sport mode enlivens responses of the throttle, transmission and steering, but don’t get your hopes up. There’s only so much excitement 120 horsepower can muster. For something more dynamic and engaging, consider a pre-owned Mazda3. However, as a cheap-to-run commuter car or a college student’s first set of wheels, the Accent will provide sterling service.

The engine has a passable amount of zip for the class. The main complaint about it is that it tends to drone under hard acceleration. And with such modest power, the accelerator tends to get used more than in a gutsier car.

With seating for five (well, four and a bit), the 2020 Accent enjoys a cabin that’s well laid out and comes across at first glance as classier than its value-oriented price might imply. There are hard plastics, though, and the seats are far from over-cushioned.

We’d prefer to see more bolstering up front and a center armrest for the rear seats. Also, stretch to at least the SEL trim because its steering wheel adjusts for height and reach, as opposed to the SE’s tilt-only setup.

Speaking of stretching, there won’t be much of that in the rear seats. Subcompact sedans can’t help being a little cramped somewhere. Even so, the Pros column contains easily reachable climate controls, plus a touch screen in the center console to control audio and phone functions.

Trunk area is 13.7 cubic feet, which is pretty good, and the rear seats split and fold in 60/40 fashion for extra versatility.

Even the base 2020 Accent has the ornate chrome grille of the higher trims. Upscale items like LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, chromed door handles and a hands-free trunk lid operation, however, require spending extra for the Limited trim.

Overall, the Accent has an arguably pleasant look. The Audi influence (imagine that grille with a 4-ring badge) can only be a good thing.

ANDROID AUTO AND APPLE CARPLAY
These two smartphone systems are quickly moving from “nice to have” to “absolutely essential” in cars. Once their seamless integration has been experienced, it’s hard to go back. Other automakers are implementing them in larger and more expensive models; Hyundai makes them readily available in its least expensive car.

AMERICA’S BEST WARRANTY
A headline like that might come across as marketing bluster, but Hyundai is serious, offering five years/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, with the powertrain covered for 10 years/100,000 miles. That’s reassuring, and not just for the budget-conscious.

When buying a new Accent, trim choices are SE, SEL or Limited. The most complex factor is probably how much to spend, since everything else is kept simple.

The SE comes with air conditioning, power windows/locks, cruise control, dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera, manual transmission, 5-inch infotainment touch screen, Bluetooth, USB port, auxiliary audio input, AM/FM radio, and a 4-speaker audio system.

Like all new Hyundais, the Accent has an excellent warranty: a 5-year/60,000-mile transferable new-vehicle warranty, plus a powertrain guaranteed for 10 years/100,000 miles.

The main way to spend more money on a 2020 Hyundai Accent SE is to order the automatic transmission. But if that’s possible, it would be better to consider the SEL. This comes with the automatic as standard, along with several things that make the Accent a better car. Such as rear disc brakes (the SE has drums), heated side mirrors, alloy wheels, 7-inch infotainment touch screen, voice recognition, smartphone integration, full adjustable steering column, and automatic headlights.

The range-topping Limited model adds a sunroof, LED daytime running lights and taillights, automatic climate control, heated front seats, keyless entry/ignition, plus a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. It also has forward-collision mitigation with automatic braking, and the Blue Link smartphone-enabled connected services system (a 3-year subscription is standard).

The 2020 Hyundai Accent comes with mixed engine blessings. On the plus side, fuel economy improves significantly over last year’s already impressive consumption figures thanks to a new drivetrain that consists of a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This setup can average out at around 36 mpg. The new engine links with the 6-speed manual transmission in base SE form, and consumption (or lack thereof) is still remarkable.

The downside is that output drops to 120 horsepower and 113 lb-ft of torque. And it’s not as if the previous engine was particularly lively. The Accent is front-wheel drive (FWD) only.

1.6-liter inline-4
120 horsepower @ 6,300 rpm
113 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 29/39 mpg (manual), 33/41 mpg (automatic)