GLS 4dr Sedan
2008 Hyundai Accent

2008 Hyundai Accent SE – Click above for high-res image gallery Dismal little car. That's what you'd hear 20 years ago when the conversation turned to Hyundai. The Excel wasn't as terrible as a Yugo, or even as horrifically unreliable as sneering Peugeots, but it wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms. Back then, even Japanese brands were still targets of xenophobia; who was this Korean company trying to fool? Hyundai persevered, and now the South Korean industrial giant is making vehicles that garner good recommendations and carry one of the best warranties in the business. Hyundai's Accent could be considered a spiritual successor to the unloved Excel, and it carries on that car's basic formula of delivering a comparable car for less money than the competition. What do you give up to get a car that's not stripped, yet still cheaper? %Gallery-31488% All photos Copyright ©2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc. Recent history has seen Hyundais roll off dealer lots as well-equipped, attractively anonymous cars that lack engaging driving dynamics. That's not so much the case anymore, as our time with the Accent has proven. The first check mark in the Accent's plus column is styling that's normal. It's even dull, and that's fine when faced with the ugly visages of any Scion, the ungainly proportions of a Versa, or the outright confusion of a Focus. Deliciously conventional, the Accent has clean flanks broken by a strong stroke carved across its middle and a mildly sporting hatch profile. The 3-door we sampled carried the top SE trim level, coming with body color mirrors and door handles, a rear spoiler, foglamps, and handsome 16-inch alloy wheels as highlights among the nearly all-inclusive package of goodies. It's base price was $15,280 with the only option being sporty floormats. The Accent SE runs with a pack of cars that includes the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, and Suzuki SX4 wagon. All are less conventionally styled than the Accent, and on virtually every measure, the Hyundai is competitive. Measuring tape doesn't tell the whole story, though. Like the exterior, Hyundai's not stretching to break new ground with the interior. Spend some time in the hell-box interior of an xB and you'll cry tears of joy the first time you plant your tukas in the Accent. Rather than be different for the sake of it, Hyundai delivers a clean, simply operated human-car interface rendered in decent materials. The radio sits up high, easily reached, and just below it are three knobs for the HVAC - no fiddly rocker controls here. Because we're lazy auto journos, we missed audio controls on the leather wrapped steering wheel, but the stereo is right there. The seats are econo-car fare, though bolstered halfway decently and supportive in the right spots. Cloth upholstery in two tasteful patterns should endure at least until the warranty runs out in a decade. There are touches of bargain bin inside, however. The seat brackets, especially for the rears, are right out in the open, …
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