Hyundai announces Accent pricing, adds a hatchback
Hyundai will add a hatchback accent to its lineup for 2007, coming in at just a smidge less expensive than the sedan. The hatch starts at $10,415 (plus destination) for the GS with a standard five speed manual transmission, and the SE, which is tricked out with ABS, more airbags, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, power windows and locks, and a stiffer suspension, starts out at $14,495. The GLS sedan starts at $12,565. Automatic transmission is $1,000 extra on all models, and the hatch, as well as the sedan, comes standard with front, side-impact and side curtain airbags.
The move may help put Hyundai in the running with the likes of the new Nissan Versa, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris, ideally pulling the Accent out of the hole that has its sales down 34.9 through May over the same period in 2005.
[Source: PRNewswire, Automotive News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jonathan 2:02PM (6/13/2006)
Let's just hope it doesn't earn the moniker James May (of Top Gear) gave the earlier model: the Hyundai Accident.
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Howard Kerr 2:19PM (6/13/2006)
"Hyundai will add a hatchback Accent to it's lineup for 2007."
EVERY previous model of the Accent has had a hatchback, what's the news here?
What cereal box did Erin Mays get her credentials out of?
Accent sales are off 35% over the past year. Well duh, it's an old/on it's way out model that doesn't look all that attractive, no wonder newer, flashier cars are eating into it's customer base.
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Jay 2:31PM (6/13/2006)
>EVERY previous model of the Accent has had a
>hatchback, what's the news here?
Technically, the 2006 model did not have a hatchback version. When the Accent was redesigned for the 2006 model year, it was 4-door only. The hatchback soon followed, but it's being brought out as a 2007.
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Michael Karesh 2:32PM (6/13/2006)
The hatchback was on hiatus for 2006. It's return for 2007 is probably big news for, well, for somebody.
I'll try to get the 2007 pricing into the database this afternoon. Once it's posted you price the 2007 and compare it to others here:
http://www.truedelta.com/models/Accent.php
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Frank Zappa 3:12PM (6/13/2006)
The post says that the SE will come with more airbags, but all models are standard with with dual front airbags, front side-impact (seat mounted) and front and rear side curtain airbags (roof mounted).
The SE does add ABS, EBD, 4-wheel disc brakes, 16" wheels, fog lights, heated side mirrors, AC, 172W stereo, some leather and metal interior trim, convenience features and a rear window wiper/washer.
And yes, the '06 was only a 4-door so this is a hatchback re-introduction. Pretty soon it will have XM radio standard as well. Not to shabby for the price.
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Mike 3:38PM (6/13/2006)
For the extra $3500, the SE should also have gotten a comensurate bump in power.
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Jay 4:04PM (6/13/2006)
>For the extra $3500, the SE should also have gotten a
>comensurate bump in power.
Agreed. As good as it is to see them so successful, they still have shortcomings when it comes to drivetrain options. They have some better engines now, but they still have some trimlines that try to give the impression of improved performance (Accent SE, Elantra GT) that need more oomph to be taken seriously.
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PJ 4:35PM (6/13/2006)
I recently drove one of these, and power feels surprisingly robust for having just 110 horses--with the manual transmission, at least. Hyundai has gotten quite good at making Fours with a nice tug of torque right off idle, so the Accent feels more than adequate for gentle commuting.
I would imagine a greater obstacle to this hatchback's sales is Hyundai/Kia's own Rio SX five-door. Better-looking, roomier, firmer in steering and suspension, and only a couple grand more.
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Ryan 4:39PM (6/13/2006)
"They have some better engines now, but they still have some trimlines that try to give the impression of improved performance (Accent SE, Elantra GT) that need more oomph to be taken seriously."
-I think Hyundai know the Accent is there "Yaris" and therefore, they know it's not taken seriously. So in other words, I doubt by adding some better power options will really make people take the accent more seriously, why bother if they don't have to?! Especially with autobloggers, they could cram a v-8 into this thing still no respect.
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Frank Zappa 5:19PM (6/13/2006)
The Accent's 110 bhp is positioned to beat out the Aveo, xA, Fit and Yaris. The Fit is the closest with 109 bhp, but the others are all around 100-106 bhp. That would be considered "class-leading" power.
They are also going for more room and standard features. It does have CVVT which some of the others lack (Aveo, xA).
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Jay 7:43PM (6/13/2006)
>-I think Hyundai know the Accent is there "Yaris" and
>therefore, they know it's not taken seriously. So in
>other words, I doubt by adding some better power
>options will really make people take the accent more
>seriously, why bother if they don't have to?!
>Especially with autobloggers, they could cram a v-8
>into this thing still no respect.
They don't HAVE to, but if they really want to stand out from the rest of the pack and not just thought of as a "me too" company, it's the kind of thing they should consider doing. Shoppers in this segment would probably appreciate a higher performance option so that they don't feel like they're getting an econobox that they HAVE to buy, but rather a car they WANT to buy. Even dropping, say, the 1.8 L World Engine into it would be a decent bump in power for such a small car and still be good on fuel economy (though the 2.0 L would be nice too :D ).
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Tim UF 11:15PM (6/13/2006)
109,110 hp will feel strong in a 2100lb car, just like it does in the yaris. howard kerr, stop trolling and tring to pick a fight. these autoblog folks are the best source of car info ive found yet. keep it up Erin!
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MikeW 11:12AM (6/14/2006)
The accent engine is 1.6 liters, compared with the 1.5 of the Fit, Yaris.
110hp@6000, 106ft-lbs@4500 is decent, especially with intake camshaft phasing.
The fit doesn't have camshaft phasing, it uses its cam swithching system to change from ~1 valve (the other still opens partially to prevent fuel from pooling) for swirl, to both valve for filling at ~3400 rpm, for 109hp@5800, 105ft-lbs@4800.
The yaris is very like the accent, 106hp@6000, 103ft-lbs@4200, thanks to intake camshaft phasing.
The fit has the best torque/liter 70ft-lbs/liter, the yaris @ 69, and the accent @66.
The fit has 73hp/liter, the yaris 71, and the accent 69.
The fit is the only car with a 5 speed automatic, the fit manual's top gear is so short, highway mileage is worse than the automatic.
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tio 1:02PM (7/15/2006)
Oh, and the US Hyundai site lists the price of the SE hatch at 13,985 or about that. so about $500 less than stated in the blog.
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tio 7:19PM (7/16/2006)
I really like that hatchback. Looks great in person. As for sales numbers for this past year I would say it is a pricing problem. Looking in the sunday news paper ad's shows a hundred dollars less in sale price than the Elantra. The Elantra gets one mpg better and has more items standard. I hate to say it but the American idea of size to price is probably playing here. Also a lot of people will take the bigger car if all things are equal.
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