2008 Hyundai Accent

Kathy Renwald

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

The last couple of months some car reviewers, including yours truly, have been spending too much time in princely cars. We start to feel entitled and falsely important as we drive around like we own something in Dubai.

And then the bubble bursts, and the Audi R8s and Jaguar XKRs are called back to their feedlots.

The next assignment might contain alarming words, "subcompact," "entry-level," or "base model" and then it is our mission to dig deep to find the soul in unembellished sheet metal.

Is it possible, I wondered, to find fulfillment in a Hyundai Accent, a car that at "base" level starts at $13,595 – barely a memorable night's betting at the casino for some high rollers?

I picked up the $17,495 two-door hatchback Accent GL with Sport Package. Some of the sporty trinkets in my four-speed automatic tester include 16-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, fog lights and sport-tuned suspension.

Inside, there's a clean layout, panels fit snugly together, and the basic black surfaces were tasteful without being gloomy. There's a welcome lack of shiny plastic accent bits, which increasingly look hackneyed and cheap.

Gauges, buttons and switches are well-designed without being tarted up. The heating controls have a stylish circle of aluminum trim, helping them show up at night. And after driving cars that have more climate settings than an Airbus 380, it was refreshing to have big round dials – up for more, down for less.

Interior textiles seem durable if not luxurious. The cloth-covered seats are sensible. On the driver's side, the seat features a height adjustment peculiar to Hyundai: the seat bottom tips forward or back; I don't think it really boosts the driver much higher. No demerit points though: driver's position was excellent, even for me at 5-foot-4.

Good visibility is a big plus in the Accent. All the math adds up correctly, so that A, B and C pillars and mirrors don't block the view when turning. The generously sized side mirrors – when adjusted properly, à la "the Kenzie way" – eliminate blind spots.

A leather-wrapped wheel is a feature of the Sport Package. I think Hyundai must have used some poor sub-Saharan animal for the hide, because the wheel covering felt like an edible oil product – way too slippery. A tad of padding on the driver's left armrest would be thoughtful – it's as hard as a pine bench at the Listowel arena – but the flip-down centre armrest works well, in its minimalist way.

Hop in the back and there's agreeable room for two adults, including room under the front seats to tuck your feet. The sunroof (standard with Sport Package) lets light into the back, which is good because the tapered design of the rear windows, while stylish from the outside, crimps the view a bit.

Audio quality was surprisingly good for the cheapest vehicle in the Hyundai lineup, and the radio brought in scads of stations. An iPod plug-in is included. But it would be better if the centre console controls angled toward the driver for easier use.

Coupled with the niceties of the cabin is a driving experience that is beyond respectable for the class.

I drove the Accent between two, bigger, pricier and more luxurious cars, and I liked the Accent better because it communicates with the driver. Steering was direct, brakes solid feeling and capable, and the firm-ish ride was balanced. The petite Accent only gets jumpy on the most ragged paving.

In all models, the Accent comes with just 110 hp; that's practically praying mantis mode. It's not going to rock anybody's world but is it a deal breaker for someone who likes high voltage?

Not for this shopper. You can still coax it up to highway maximums, you can merge and pass with alert planning, and the car is quiet and free of wind noise at high r.p.m.

One caveat about living with 110 hp: you have to be vigilant when pulling out from a dead stop. Moving from a side street to a major artery requires careful judgment of the speed of oncoming traffic because there isn't spare power.

The Hyundai Accent is a car with many pluses: manoeuvrable, easy on gas, a snap to park, and blissfully quiet for a four-cylinder.

The exterior styling of the hatchback I drove was pulled together. Rounded edges keep it from being a tub on wheels, and the lack of unnecessary embellishments contribute to a cohesive package.

Eager to stop and go, willing to be jammed into tight spaces, cheap enough that a few dings don't make you mad – it's a great urban car for sleuthing, scavenging and shopping.

Folding the 60/40 split rear seats down opens up generous cargo room (Hyundai pegs it at 450 litres), but a poorly designed cargo cover will bug you every time you open the hatch to store stuff. When you close the hatch, the lid stays up and blocks the view out the back window. You have to get out of the car to close it.

Once you learn that quirk, load the hatchback up with sports gear and roll away for the weekend, likely spending less than $30 on gas.

Horsepower can be heavenly, but I could call this Hyundai home.

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