2012 Hyundai Accent Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Hyundai Accent review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Accent, and includes Hyundai Accent safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 Accent is nothing short of a complete redesign of Hyundai’s popular subcompact entry. Now in its fourth generation, the Accent has been modernized with Hyundai’s “fluidic sculpture” design language like the Genesis, Sonata, Elantra, and Tucson. The flowing lines are bolder and more aggressive than previous models. Accent is all-new on the inside as well. Though the car is a subcompact in terms of exterior dimensions, it offers the interior volume of a compact. There’s also a new direct injection four cylinder that delivers more power and an impressive 18-percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the previous model.

The 2012 Accent is available in two distinct body styles; a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. Accent is offered in three trim levels, but not on each body style. The four-door sedan is only available in the GLS trim, but it is nicely appointed and should be a high-volume model. The five-door hatchback comes as either a well-equipped GS or a sportier SE model.

The four-door GLS can be ordered with two option packages. The comfort package adds air conditioning, satellite radio with MP3 input jack and USB port for iPods, cloth door inserts, power windows and mirrors, and body color exterior mirrors and door handles. A premium package is also offered for the GLS with the automatic transmission. It includes remote keyless entry, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, piano black interior accents, premium cloth seats, fog lights, and larger 16-inch alloy wheels.

The base five-door GS is well equipped with air, satellite radio with MP3 and iPod jacks, power windows and door locks, remote keyless entry, tilt steering wheel, 6-way adjustable driver’s seat, and intermittent wipers. The SE model adds sport-tuned steering, 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, Bluetooth phone connectivity, leather wheel and shift knob, fog lights, and a rear spoiler.

A new 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that uses gasoline direct-injection technology and dual-continuously variable valve timing for improved power and economy powers the 2012 Accent. The design is also 40 pounds lighter than the old Accent engine, yet delivers 138 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque. That’s more horsepower and torque than any other standard subcompact. By comparison, for instance, the 2012 Nissan Versa produces 109 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque.

Accent buyers have a choice of either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The manual offers an “EcoShift” indicator to encourage the driver to upshift for best fuel economy. Hyundai engineers incorporated a lock-up torque converter into the six-speed automatic to maximize fuel economy on the highway.

It also features a system Hyundai calls “Active ECO” that modifies shift points to create up to a 7-percent improvement in fuel economy. Active Eco can be turned on or off at the touch of a dashboard-mounted button to the left of the steering wheel. Both the manual and the automatic deliver identical fuel economy; 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.

The body structure of the 2012 Accent is made from a large percentage of high-strength steel. Body stiffness is said to be 22 percent higher than the previous generation car. The Accent’s body structure is also engineered to disperse crash energy in the event of a collision.

Standard safety equipment on both body styles includes six airbags—front, front-side, and side curtain airbags. It also offers a new vehicle stability management system with electronic stability control and traction control. The Accent is the only subcompact to offer four-wheel disc brakes as standard equipment. The new Accent also has anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution that adjusts braking force independently between the front and rear wheels depending on how the car is loaded. Accent also offers hill-start assist control, which is curiously only available on automatic transmission models. Active front head restraints that protect against head and neck injuries are standard.

As an all-new model, neither the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has crash tested the 2012 Accent. Initial quality and reliability ratings are also unavailable for the Accent at the time of this writing.

The first thing you notice after climbing behind the wheel is how truly spacious the Accent’s cabin is for a subcompact. It offers plenty of seat adjustability for a wide range of drivers to feel right at home in either the sedan or hatchback. At 6’2”, I had plenty of leg and headroom. We also like the fact that Hyundai designers didn’t get carried away with gadgetry and fancy controls. Common functions like changing the radio station or adjusting the climate control system don’t require the owner’s manual for instruction. That’s good since we drove the Accent in the Nevada desert in and outside Las Vegas with temperatures soaring well above 100 degrees and the air conditioning was cranked for maximum cooling.

Even at these high temperatures, the Accent’s power was notable. The car has a best-in-segment power-to-weight ratio so acceleration and throttle response makes the Accent fun to drive. We had a chance to sample both the six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions. Though we prefer the manual for spirited driving, the automatic is responsive and offers Hyundai’s Shiftronic manual shift mode if you feel the need to select your own gears.

The 2012 Accent didn’t disappoint on the twisty two-lane desert roads of Southern Nevada. Overall it’s a fun car to drive; handling is competent and predictable. Hyundai engineers did a great job with the steering feel on this car. The electric assisted steering delivers good road feel and feedback.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is how quiet and composed the new Accent is out on the road. Interior sound levels are quite low for a subcompact; partially due to the car’s slippery shape and attention to sound deadening in the cabin. Overall low noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels make the Accent a pleasant place to watch the miles roll by.

With the latest redesign, the 2012 Accent is sure to appeal to a wider range of people. It offers great styling, impressive interior room, solid performance, and fuel economy that’s hard to beat. The recently introduced Sonata and Elantra are packing new car buyers into Hyundai dealer showrooms. With the new Accent, expect the trend to continue.

By Todd Kaho