Test-driven: '15 Hyundai Accent Sport 6MT

In my never-ending quest to find a new car worth buying, today I test-drove a '15 Accent. The Sport trim has a bunch of options I don't want, but it's the only way to get stick and cruise in an Accent. Two dealers have leftover '15s, and they're selling them for about the same price as a 2016 GS (strippo) trim. This one was $17k OTD.

So... um... it's a car. It is very nice inside, FAR nicer than the EB Focus I recently tested. The plastics are nicer, the fit and finish is nicer. In general, the feel is a whole lot less "Playskool" than the Focus was.

The Sport model comes with 195/50-16 tires on alloys. In theory, that should make the car handle better and ride worse than the base model's 14" wheels. In practice, it doesn't ride as poorly as a car on 50-series tires ought to, but neither does it have confidence-inspiring feel like 50s ought to give. A good balance of ride and handling, I'd say.

Performance? Not bad for a 1.6 NA engine. Road tests put the 0-60 at 8 seconds - it sure doesn't feel like it, but it does feel quicker than both the EB Focus I drove as well as the Honda Fit I drove. Gearing is, well, I guess common practice for modern economy-minded cars. First through third have some grunt. Fourth is useful for around-town cruising at 45mph, but a downshift is on order to shoot that gap. The only use for fifth is highway downshifting, because sixth gear is only usable on a dead flat or a downgrade. The upside of that super-tall sixth gear is that cruising at 70mph gets you to a very relaxed 2800 rpm. Highway cruise becomes unexpectedly quiet for a subcompact.

Honestly, if I buy anything, this will be the car I buy. It is very clearly the best new car (for my needs) that $17k (OTD) will buy.

Sounds like a good deal and you like the car. A friend has the Sonata and loves it. Hyundai is making some quality rides.

I have a 2013 Focus Sedan. If you decided on a Focus, I would expect at least $4k off list. They depreciate faster than the Hyundai's.

In reply to EvanR:

A cheap eBay "warm-air" intake really wakes up the 1.6L. It's surprising, quite honestly.

skip the cheap warm air intake, remove the airbox snorkel and drop in a higher flowing filter, k&n or whatever you prefer. same performance for less $$ likely.

Have had an Accent since 09. Super super reliable car, easy to work on.

If those oem tires are kumho touring type tires, I would blame them for the less than confidence inspiring road feel. The oem ones that came on mine were complete garbage and didnt last to 30k miles. FWIW the various high performance all seasons I have run since then have all lasted in the 50-60k mile range and driven much much much better in all conditions.

failboat wrote: If those oem tires are kumho touring type tires, I would blame them for the less than confidence inspiring road feel.

To be fair (and I should have put this in my review) the TPMS light was on the whole time. The car only had ~22 miles on it and has been on the lot a LONG time. The tires could have been at 10psi for all I know.

Anyhow, since I'm not in a rush, and since I'm obviously the only person interested in the car enough to test-drive it in all this time... I'm going to play a waiting game. The $1000 rebate on this car expires next week, and I'm going to gamble that the December rebate goes up another $500 to help clear out the '15 models.

In reply to EvanR:

Car dealers like month-end, they'll possibly match the $500 extra in order to get the sale on this month's books.

Know what car dealers like more than month-end? Year-end, that's what! Perhaps I shall offer $16k OTD on December 26th.

Did you look at an Accent hatch or sedan?

The sport is hatchback only

It's such a shame they don't make a two door anymore.

Nick (LUCAS) Comstock wrote: It's such a shame they don't make a two door anymore.

Aside from the Golf (which is special-order only in a non-GTI 2-door) does anyone make a 2 door hatchback aka 3-door any more? I'm not talking about fastback hatches, like the Scion tC, but the more vertical hatch, like a Golf.

I can't think of one.

In reply to EvanR:

Not in the USA.

Edit; MINI???

Yaris?

Ya both got me there! I rented a MINI for two weeks a couple years ago, and was not impressed.

The current Yaris is made in France. 'Nuff said.

I liked that car. The shifter is kind of rubbery, but overall it's an honest little car. Over the summer, I was assigned to review that entire segment as well as the subcompact micro cars. They're not the crapboxes they once were, that's for sure.

Agree that the shifter is a bit like stirring pudding. Fortunately, there's a Genuine Hyundai Accessory shifter that's made by B&M. I think I'm going to make that part of the deal.

The b&m used to be standard on the older accents, mine has it. I never tried a stock one but those who upgrade say its a huge improvement.

I have to say it feels nice but I have no basis for comparison. It's precise and clicks into each gear nicely.

I had a two door yaris hatch with some trd sport springs and a big fat rear sway bar. One of the more entertaining cars i've driven.

Well, I made a lowball offer and was told that their original offer ($17.5k OTD) stands.

Let's see if they re-think their position on December 30th.