2017 Hyundai Accent review

What We Like:

Performance: No one will mistake the Accent for a sports car, but it’s a gutsy performer with a punchy four-cylinder engine that makes it one of the quicker subcompacts around. The engine makes just 137 horsepower, but responds quickly to the gas pedal (aided by an equally snappy six-speed transmission) and accelerates from zero to 60 mph in about nine seconds. There’s also a little zip to be gained by shifting your own gears with the manual transmission. The Accent’s composure and steady grip in corners is equally endearing, with confident, direct steering that makes fun work of a winding road.

Comfort: The Accent is surprisingly roomy inside. The dashboard angles away from front passengers and contributes to a spacious feeling. Tall doors and a low floor make for easy entry and exit, and there’s ample space in all four seats (the rear middle seat is best left unoccupied). Front seats offer plenty of cushioning for long drives, and ride quality is better than most rivals. Although the Accent is no Mercedes, it does an admirable job of muting outside noise.

Value: The 2017 Accent continues Hyundai’s tradition of offering exceptional bang for the buck. Standard features like keyless entry, heated side mirrors, and a six-speaker sound system are nice to have, especially at the Accent’s bargain price. Moving up the trim ladder adds larger wheels, rear disc brakes (many subcompacts at the time had rear drum brakes) and Bluetooth^® music streaming.

What Needs Improvement

Fuel Economy: Our lone gripe with the otherwise well-rounded Accent is that it fell short of its EPA-estimated fuel economy target in Edmunds testing. The Accent is estimated at 31 mpg combined with the automatic transmission (32 mpg combined with the manual).