The 2011 Hyundai Accent is a solid economy car choice that offers carbuyers seeking basic transportation a lot of bang for the buck. In addition to being one of the least expensive cars on the market, the 2011 Accent provides very good fuel economy, a fairly lively engine when paired with the manual transmission, a comfortable and relatively quiet interior, a surprisingly good sound system for the segment and a long factory warranty.
Even so, it's always a good idea to check out the competition in order to help make an informed final buying decision. Worthy rivals would include the Ford Fiesta and the Mazda 2 for their sportier looks and performance. And the Honda Fit offers a lot of cabin versatility and agile handling, while the Nissan Versa boasts a spacious and attractive interior with more upscale feature availability.
Trims, Standard Features And Options:
The 2011 Hyundai Accent is offered as either a two-door hatchback or four-door sedan. The hatchback is available in three trims: GL, GS and SE. The sedan is offered in a single trim, the GLS.
Standard features on the base Accent GL are quite sparse and include a 5-speed manual transmission, a 6-way-adjustable driver seat, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks, 4-speaker audio pre-wiring (no standard stereo), two front power outlets, a rear window defroster, halogen headlights, a tire pressure monitor, 14-inch steel wheels, variable intermittent windshield wipers and a rear spoiler. There aren't many options for the GL as well, but they do include air conditioning, a radio, Bluetooth and floor mats.
Update: Weak Economy Leads To Lower Accent Prices:
Car sales have been on the weak side historically for close to the past two years now. And Hyundai has recently been offsetting at least some of the market weakness through strong incentives and easier-to-get discounts. It remains a buyer's market right now, resulting in an excellent opportunity to get the lowest price.
The bottom line? Car dealers will "wheel and deal" bigtime right now if you know how to push their buttons to get the best price. Here's an article on the best negotiating technique to take advantage of the current slow car market (definitely read before ever going to a dealership): How To Buy A New Accent At The Best Price given current car market conditions.
Moving up to the Accent GS adds an automatic transmission, air conditioning, a 6-speaker stereo, satellite radio, USB/auxiliary audio inputs, a rear window wiper/washer, body-colored outside mirrors and door handles, and a tilt-adjustable steering wheel. Optional for the GS is a Premium package which includes full power accessories, keyless entry and an alarm system.
The sportier Accent SE hatchback comes standard with a firmer suspension tuning, 16-inch cast-aluminum wheels, cruise control, foglights and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, while the Accent GLS sedan is equipped similarly to the GS hatchback and with the same options.
Engines, Powertrain And Gas Mileage:
Powering the front-wheel-drive 2011 Accent is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 110 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque. It's paired with a standard 5-speed manual transmission on all models but the GS, which comes with a 4-speed automatic that's also an option on all models except the base GL.
One of the Accent's strong selling points is its strong fuel economy. The EPA-estimated gas mileage for the Accent with the 4-speed automatic is 27 mpg city and 36 mpg on the highway. Accents with the 5-speed manual have a rating of 28 mpg city and 34 mpg highway.
Safety:
Standard safety features for all 2011 Hyundai Accents include front-seat side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. In addition, the SE hatchback comes with standard antilock brakes, which can also be added as an option on GS hatchback and GLS sedan models.
Government crash testing had not yet been completed at the time of this writing. However, the 2010 model received five out of five stars for frontal-impact occupant protection and four stars for front occupant protection and three for rear passengers in side-impact testing.
Interior:
Intended as an inexpensive compact, the 2011 Accent's cabin is fairly basic and simple. Still, it's attractive enough overall, functional and comfortable. In fact, the standard height-adjustable driver seat is an unexpected plus.
The seating is comfortable and supportive, both front and rear. Legroom is also adequate and the rear quarters are large enough to accomodate average size adults, which isn't true of all compacts. Cargo capacity comes in about average for the segment at almost 16 cubic feet in the hatchback and just over 12 in the sedan.
Drive:
As a compact economy car with a small and fuel-efficient engine as a priority, driving performance will vary depending on the transmission. The 5-speed manual produces a drive that is surprisingly spirited, while the 4-speed automatic gets better highway gas mileage but is less lively. While overall handling is adequate but uninspired, it can be upgraded via the sport-tuned suspension on the SE. However, the softer suspension of the GL, GS and GLS models provides a smoother ride.
Although hard acceleration results in an elevated level of engine noise, under normal conditions the Accent provides one of the quieter rides in this class. Overall, drivers seeking basic and budget-minded transportation with good fuel economy will likely be satisfied with its performance.
Price:
2011 Hyundai Accent Hatchback:
GL, manual: list price: $9,985, invoice price: $9,899
GS, manual: list price: $12,695, invoice price: $12,338
GS, automatic: list price: $13,695, invoice price: $13,343
SE, manual: list price: $15,345, invoice price: $14,918
SE, automatic: list price: $16,145, invoice price: $15,682
2011 Hyundai Accent Sedan:
GLS, manual: list price: $13,695, invoice price: $13,343
GLS, automatic: list price: $14,695, invoice price: $14,298
Please note: The above spread between list and invoice prices is unusually tight. These numbers were supplied by Hyundai and, with such a small spread, true invoice prices could be lower. No inside knowledge here, just speculation.
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