2018 Hyundai Accent Photos and Info – News – Car and Driver
2018 Hyundai Accent: Say Hello to the Elantra’s Mini-Me
Now injecting its fifth generation as a two thousand eighteen model, the fresh Hyundai Accent sedan looks more mature than ever, taking styling cues from larger Hyundais. A fresh chassis, a revised four-cylinder engine, and several fresh tech features look to make the redesigned Accent a more formidable competitor to other subcompacts such as the Toyota Yaris iA and the Ford Fiesta.
The two thousand eighteen Accent sedan is making its debut very first, with the hatchback model to go after later this year. The car’s overall silhouette isn’t switched much, but fresh front- and rear-end designs give the Accent a look much like a shrunken version of the attractive Elantra sedan. The version pictured here likely is a higher trim level with its 17-inch wheels and LED lighting accents; thrifty shoppers should be aware that even more affordable models with hubcaps and less glitz surely will be available.
A wheelbase spread by 0.Four inch, along with a slightly broader stance, gives the fresh model a smidge more passenger volume and cargo space than its predecessor. A utter interior makeover ultimately brings the Accent into the 21st century, and the cleanly styled dashboard offers an optional 7.0-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. At long last, a backup camera, which wasn’t even available on the old Accent, is standard equipment.
A 1.6-liter inline-four with direct injection remains the only powertrain choice. Hyundai claims to have retuned the engine for more plasticity, albeit outright horsepower and torque numbers are down a bit, to one hundred thirty two hp and one hundred nineteen lb-ft. That should still be enough power for the toughly 2500-pound Accent. A six-speed manual is standard and a six-speed automatic is optional, and albeit official EPA estimates aren’t yet ready, Hyundai said fuel efficiency will rise by seven percent. For reference, today’s Accent is EPA rated for up to thirty seven mpg on the highway and twenty seven mpg in the city; opting for the optional automatic transmission drops one mpg from each of those figures. We suspect Hyundai is aiming for the magic 40-mpg mark with the fresh Accent.
As consumer expectations for in-car tech proceed to increase, even for lowly subcompacts, Hyundai rises to the challenge with optional automated emergency braking—a rarity in this segment. Keyless entry and push-button begin also are optional, and automatic-transmission models have a sport mode that adjusts the steering and shifting calibration.
The two thousand eighteen Accent sedan is scheduled to go on sale in the third quarter of this year, with the hatchback model following by a few months. Despite its numerous improvements, pricing shouldn’t increase too much from that of the current car, which starts at $15,830.