Road Test: Fuel-efficient Hyundai Accent

Apologies and all due respect are in order to a certain German automaker, but it seems the term "the people's car" has been appropriated by the 2012 Hyundai Accent.

The new bearer of the people's torch takes all the metrics that the auto-buying denizens of the world actually need and rolls them into one not-so-giant ball of pragmatism.

The car is affordable and efficient with both space and gas, and it manages to sprinkle in a bit of fun, though it could use a little more.

Aside from that, and some minor ergonomic issues, this subcompact ride for the masses is a good one.

Available in both sedan and hatchback versions, the Accent is the latest model to come from a company experiencing a white-hot 2011 in terms of sales, and Hyundai says its cynosure is its cars' fuel economy.

The Accent continues that trend with its potent and clever 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine. Vastly outmuscling competitors including the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris, the Accent puts out 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque.

And it does so while getting the best gas mileage of its class -- no small feat for this fuel-averse crowd.

The Accent is able to do this by being lighter and more aerodynamic than most. But it also wrings more miles per gallon out of its engine by using something called direct injection, a nifty technological update that makes fuel injection more precise and efficient.

The effect is noticeable at the pump. Whether Accent buyers choose the standard six-speed manual transmission or the six-speed automatic, the Accent's fuel economy stands at 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, according to estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency. Over almost 300 miles of testing a $17,685 Accent SE, I averaged 26 mpg.

That chunk of change nets you a loaded Accent hatchback (or five-door in car-speak) for at least $1,000 less than a similar Ford Fiesta or Honda Fit. This includes the automatic transmission that's a $1,000 option, a flaccid six-speaker stereo system with MP3 playback, XM satellite radio and steering-wheel mounted controls, Bluetooth, alloy wheels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

One rung below is the Accent GS, also a five-door, that starts at $15,355 with the manual transmission. At the basement level is the Accent GLS, a sedan that starts at $14,995.

Although Hyundai deserves credit for the Accent's value proposition, it's in how they put it all together that the automaker really earns the people's respect.

The inside of the Accent is wonderful because of its simplicity. The dashboard layout is straightforward.

Some might call it boring, but after one drives a Ford Fiesta or Honda Fit, which have interiors that push style over substance, the Accent is a welcome reprieve.

The construction and materials are also impressive; inexpensive cars are the raison d'être for hard plastics, yet they're largely banished from this Hyundai. Think Chipotle assemblage on a Taco Bell budget.
 

Specs: 2012 Hyundai Accent SE

Base price: $16,555 (includes destination charge)

Price, as tested: $17,685 (includes destination charge)

Powertrain: 1.6-liter dual overhead cam, four-cylinder engine with direct injection and dual continuous variable valve timing; six-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting

Horsepower: 138 at 6,300 rpm

Torque: 123 pound-feet at 4,850 rpm

Curb weight: 2,496 pounds

Wheelbase: 101.2 inches

Overall length: 162.0 inches

EPA fuel economy: 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway

Bottom line: An Accent on necessity