Hyundai has taken the wraps off the 5th generation Hyundai Accent at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The Accent 4-door sedan will begin to arrive in markets globally from the third quarter this year, followed by the all-new Accent 5-door the next quarter.
The all-new Accent boasts bold design, a sophisticated interior, a more efficient powertrain, noticeably reduced cabin noise, and significantly enhanced driving dynamics. On top of that, it is also equipped the latest in safety technologies and convenience features.
In terms of styling, the all-new Accent features Hyundai’s signature cascading grille where the grille is flanked by wrap-around headlights and signature LED daytime running lights.
A sweeping roof profile, and a sharp character line running the length of the car where it meets slim and sporty rear combination lamp sat the rear, set above a slim and modern rear bumper. Features such as 17-inch alloy wheels and side mirror LED turn signal indicators add to the premium feel of the car.
The underside of the car is sculpted for aerodynamic benefit, and a new front lip spoiler, together with reduced ground clearance of 10mm, contribute to the Accent’s new design.
Compared to the previous generation, the Accent is now 29mm wider and the overall length is increased by 15mm, while its height remains unchanged. The wheelbase is now 10mm wider, pushing the wheels further to the corners and improve interior roominess.
The Accent 5-door has also grown its key measurements, notably to its length, increasing a substantial 70mm. Width and wheelbase are also up by 29mm and 10mm respectively, while height remains unchanged.
Inside the cabin, a driver-oriented layout with intuitive controls adds to the improved interior roominess. There’s a wide instrument panel that houses a reversing-camera system as standard with options of either a 5- or 7-inch colour TFT LCD instrument display. The 7-inch display will also include both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and aside from that, the Accent also offers dual iPhone/USB and auxiliary input jacks.
The seat frame is engineered to be lightweight but extremely strong to help keep occupants safe in collisions, while the seat firmness is adjustable to help reduce driver fatigue over long distances.
For added comfort and convenience, front-seat passengers get heated seats, while the rear seat folds 60/40 in both the sedan and 5-door. The Accent also boasts bigger cabin space where the new car’s total passenger volume is up 36 litre, while the Accent 5-door’s passenger volume is increased by 38 litres. The trunk space also boasts additional 16 litres of space, partly due to the extended overall length.
The all-new Accent receives a revised powertrain tuned for improved fuel efficiency and every day drivability. The 1.6-litre Gamma four-cylinder Gasoline Direct Injected (GDI) engine produces 132hp and estimated 161Nm of torque. Compared to the previous generation Accent, the engine’s powerband has improved with a 4.6% increase in torque from 1,500rpm to make every day drivability easier. Specifically, the acceleration performance for 40-80km/h and 80-120km/h has been improved over the previous model by 0.2 and 1.3 seconds, respectively.
The 1.6-litre Gamma four-cylinder GDI engine is paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission, while fuel efficiency has also been improved by 7% overall.
The Accent offers a wide array of advanced safety technologies to provide another layer of protection for passengers. As a segment first, the Accent offers Autonomous Emergency Braking, which utilizes a front forward-facing radar to detect a vehicle and warn the driver of a potential collision. If the driver does not react to avoid the impact, the system will apply emergency braking. Aside from that, 6-airbag along with Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management, Traction Control, and ABS are available as a standard feature in the all-new Accent.
The all-new Accent uses 54.5% Advanced High-Strength Steel – up from 41.5% in the 4th generation – from the company’s affiliate Hyundai Steel plant. In addition, the Accent’s chassis has improved torsional rigidity by 32% by using 98.5 meters of structural adhesivesto enhance rigidity. This new, rigid chassis improves quality perception, noise isolation, and driving dynamics. The application of Advanced High-Strength Steel improves collision performance without adding unnecessary weight, which helps reduce fuel consumption and deliver better driving feel.
