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Cars Under $15,000: 2010 Hyundai Accent

 
3 2,233 views Jan 3, 2010
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Having once worked as a Service Advisor at a Hyundai dealership I can tell you one thing about the Accent sedan and hatchback. They are utterly and totally bulletproof. When you work in a service department day in and day out you see a lot of bizarre problems spring up but never once did I see one of these efficient subcompacts need a new transmission, engine, water pump or have much of anything that you would call a mechanical breakdown. Heck, we never even had to fix a radio. They are the definition of really low maintenance.

The Accent is powered by a 1.6 liter 4 cylinder engine that, while a bit buzzy at the top end, has a surprising amount of get up and go for most situations. It even works seamlessly with the automatic transmission which is not always the case with cars that have small engines.

I actually find the automatic preferable in the Accent as it is sometimes hard to tell which gear you are in with the manual. Do be aware that the automatic does add $1,000 to the MSRP so there is a relatively high cost for the convenience of an auto shifter.

One benefit of the 2010 Accent over the 2010 Kia Rio (which is essentially the same car underneath) is the fact that the Accent comes with standard ABS and Brake Force Distribution. All cars, in my opinion, should come with these life saving features as standard but both the Kia Rio and Chevy Aveo charge extra for them.

The interior of the Accent may not be swaddled in luxurious cow-hide or soft touch hoity toity plastics but it is solidly assembled and everything is neatly displayed and easy to figure out. There is also a convenient armrest attached to the driver's seat. (Why don't more cars have those?)

Taken as an entire package with its low sticker price, stellar reliability, low maintenance costs and the peace of mind offered by Hyundai's 10 year/100,000 mile warranty, the Hyundai Accent makes perfect sense as a first car. Heck, if you are just looking to save a few bucks the Hyundai Accent pretty much makes sense for anyone.

Prices: (Starting at $13,465)

Engine: (1.6 liter 110 horsepower 4 cylinder)

Economy: (28 city/34 highway)





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Comments (3)

  1. By mike Posted: 2/1/2010 10:27am PST

    Unfortunately, the ABS is not standard, but is included in the $1,500 premium package with power windows and locks. Also, the audio system featuring free 3-month XM is a nice feature. I bought a 3-door hatchback in a pretty Tango Red for $13,800. Better looking lines and more car then either the Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris.
     
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  2. By Gillette Posted: 2/4/2010 4:33pm PST

    I love my SE hatchback. It's cool looking in Ebony, with the alloy wheels. It's also fun to drive and pretty roomy. It had the B&M short-shifter at purchase, I just added the optional AEM short ram and then a Borla muffler. So, now it sounds sportier and has a few more ponies too. I am so glad to hear that the Accent is really reliable, especially coming from someone who worked in service station.
     
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  3. By FearTheVoices Posted: 7/3/2010 12:58pm PDT

    I have been looking at one of these on and off for the better part of a year. I currently own a full-sized truck, but with the thought of gas and taxes certain to go up next year, it just isn't making much sense to keep a 13 mpg commuter for the occasional trip to the home improvement store.
    My family has owned around 8 Hyundai's (Accents, Elantras, Sonatas, and an Azera) and none of them have ever suffered a mechanical breakdown or required an expensive repair of any sort; and this includes many that have gone up to if not 100k miles.
    With the equipment and reliability Hyundai has proven to this family, I may well be adding a new Accent to my garage to compliment my wife's '09 Elantra Touring. The Accent for all it is and has to offer is still a pretty hard to beat car, even if it's smaller and less of a Luxo/sports car than most people seek out.
     
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