2006 Hyundai Accent Preview

Redefining Value in the Subcompact Sector

As hard as Hyundai is trying to stretch into all other areas of the automotive landscape with SUVs and luxury sedans, the heart of its business still lies in producing simple, basic transportation to get people from A to B.

Hard work and perseverance has paid off. Hyundai is currently basking in the success of winning multiple awards, including J. D. Power and Associates and Consumer Reports kudos for quality. Having just introduced the all-new Azera/Grandeur luxury sedan and Sonata midsize sedan, Hyundai was long overdue to update a car true to its roots, the evergreen subcompact.

The Excel was a name synonymous with Hyundais earlier and less-than glamorous days. Inexpensive

Hyundai has a goal along with its sibling company, Kia, to become one of the top five automobile manufacturers by 2010. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)

and plagued with dozens of problems, it was a model that most people, especially Hyundai marketing types, would rather forget, but nevertheless it is what helped South Koreas biggest car manufacturer get its foot in Americas door.

Hyundai has come quite far since those days, and as youve now probably heard many times, it has a goal along with its sibling company, Kia, to become one of the top five

Hyundai knows it has to continue building value-packed, affordable and reliable transportation, and the all-new 2006 Accent fits the bill. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)

automobile manufacturers by 2010. To get it to this point, Hyundai knows it has to continue building value-packed, affordable and reliable transportation. This well-worn but never old sales pitch now includes safety, practicality and performance for the all-new 2006 Accent.

Competition in the subcompact sector has grown remarkably over the past few years, with an entry from GM-DAT (Chevrolet Aveo), and Toyota (Echo, but soon to be dropped), plus the Scion xA, all direct competitors

Increases in dimensions make for best-in-class interior volume, with more headroom, legroom and shoulder room for both front and rear passengers. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)

to the Accent. In order to get the upper hand and to maximize the amount of money put into the project, the new Accent and Kia Rio are mechanical twins, sharing platform, engine, suspension and the majority of major components. This isnt any recent business model either; Hyundai and Kia have shared general architectures for quite some time now. The Elantra and Spectra, Tucson and Sportage, and the Sonata and Optima are all sets of twins under the skin.

Compared to the outgoing Accent, the new car is 1.8 inches longer, 1.0-inch wider, and 3.0 inches taller, and rides on

The Accent uses a basic strut-and-torsion beam suspension layout to deliver solid handling with decent response. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)

a wheelbase thats 2.3 inches longer. Overall, that means that the 2006 Accent sedan is 168.6 inches long, 66.7 inches wide, 57.9 inches tall and has a 98.4 inch-long wheelbase. These increases make for best-in-class interior volume, with more headroom, legroom and shoulder room for both front and rear passengers. Trunk space has also grown significantly to 12.4 cubic feet, which can be attributed to the better structure and to Hyundais decision to switch to a space-saving torsion beam instead of a fully-independent rear suspension.

Like the Rio, the Accent uses a basic strut-and-torsion beam suspension layout to deliver solid handling with decent response. It will be interesting to see

For the time being, Hyundai will only be offering the new Accent in one body style, and one trim level - the four-door GLS sedan. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)

how Hyundais engineers have tweaked the springs, dampers and power steering to make the car drive differently from the Rio, but seeing as both cars are pitched towards an audience that seems impartial to the way a vehicle performs at the limit, its unlikely that the Accent will be able to charm its drivers like the Mazda3 or VW Golf. As for stopping power, Americas smallest Kia comes standard with front discs and rear drums, but if it is equipped with optional ABS brakes the rear brakes are upgraded to discs.

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