Proof that even car enthusiasts can fail to identify cars correctly came on my late 2022 trip to the US when I spotted the Hyundai Accent that was on my list of “cars to drive”, only to find when I had got back to the hotel that whilst I had indeed picked an Accent, it was the previous model, which I had already driven and not the one I was hoping to test. With 2022 being the last model year for the Accent, Hyundai’s entry level four door sedan, I was well aware that these cars in the generation I did want to test would start to disappear from the rental fleets, so the car was on my list for my Spring 2022 trip. Spotting what I was sure was an Accent in the far reaches of the massive Hertz LAX facility, I made trebly sure that it was the most recent version that I was looking at before deciding that this Admiral Blue Metallic car would be the one I would take for the day. It turned out to be a 2021 model year car in entry level SE trim. Effectively the fifth generation car to bear the Accent name, this one was launched in late 2017, and represented a considered evolution of the previous generation, with a very similar styling outline, even if the details especially at the front are different, so it is no surprise that I mixed them up. This is a global car, sold under various different names around the world, and there is a five door hatch version available in some markets, including the US’ immediate neighbours Canada and Mexico, but for the US market, the HC generation Accent comes only as a four door saloon, with all versions using the same engine, just trim and equipment levels separating the three models. Until recently there was a whole slew of entry level cars offered to American buyers, some as saloons and some as hatch models or both, but in recent years, many of these have been deleted with nor direct replacement, leaving just the marque’s close stablemate, the Kia Rio as well as the Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage as competitors. How would it fare against these?

I do seem somewhat fated with testing this version of the Accent. All had been well, and I was in the Palm Springs area, on the freeway when suddenly there was an alarming thumping noise that was coming from under the car. Suspecting a blown tyre, I pulled over and had a look, but the wheels were all fine and there was mothing obviously hanging under the car. Gingerly, I set off again and all appeared OK until I got to about 50 mph at which point the noise returned. Grateful for the fact that I was not that far away from a major city and, more importantly, a Hertz facility, I consulted my phone (there being no navigation in the car) and headed straight there to hand the car back. Quite what the issue was, I will never know. It does mean that not only was the test shorted than planned, there are also far fewer photos than ideal. But here we go with wat I was able to learn in my morning with this Accent.

A traditional key is needed to start the Accent. All models have the same 120 bhp 1.6 litre four cylinder engine. A six speed manual gearbox is standard on the entry level SE, where a CVT transmission is an option. As this was a rental car, it featured here. Performance is decent enough, much on a par with other US market entry level saloon cars, though to get the best out of the Accent, you need to give a hard prod of the accelerator, and noise levels increase accordingly. Acceleration is sufficient to not be an embarrassment in traffic and the car will cruise quite happily on the freeway at which point noise levels are pleasingly low. Or at least they were until the unknown issue manifest itself. As I was able to drive the car, albeit at under 50 mph, to avoid the thumping noise, I was able to refill it before handing it in. I had covered 198 miles and it needed 4.1 gallons which computes to a very creditable 48.29 mpg US or 57.7 mpg Imperial. Impressive! The Accent has been conceived to be easy to drive rather than necessarily that engaging. Accordingly, the steering is light and does not have much in the way of feel. This means that the car is easy to manoeuvre but not much fun on the twisty roads. Handling has been set up to the same parameters, so nice and safe with plenty of grip, a tendency to understeer if pushed hard, but for every day motoring, it will all prove suitably agile. The Accent comes on relatively small and high profile tyres, 195/65 R15, and the ride, accordingly, is pretty good. It is not overly soft, but it is far from firm, either, with the suspension doing a good job absorbing the jolts from sharp-edged bumps such as potholes or uneven pavement. There were no issues with the brakes. Nor were with visibility, even though this car lacks any o the aids that you get on most cars these days. There is a rear-view camera, of course, as these have been a legal requirement in the US since 2018.

The interior of this Hyundai is neatly finished. By modern standards, it is very simple, but that is not entirely a Bad Thing, as so many cars have become overly complicated with features none of us use or even want. The materials are of decent quality though not exactly plush. There is a plastic moulded steering wheel. The instrument cluster is very straightforward with two large dials for speedometer and rev counter with smaller fuel level and water temperature inset. A simple trip computer display area sits between them. There are two column stalks, with the lights operating by twisting the end of the left hand one. There is an integrated 5” screen in the centre of the dash, but in essence this only really offers up the audio functions, which are quite limited to AM/FM radio though there is Bluetooth support and there is a USB port. There are just four speakers for the audio. Beneath this are simple rotary dials for the air conditioning. It is all very easy to use.

Seat upholstery is in cloth. Adjustment is manual, and only the driver’s seat has a height adjuster on it. In the SE version, the steering column does not telescope in/out, so the only movement is up/down but even so it was not hard to get the position I wanted. There is a surprising feeling of space here, for a small car, with generous levels of headroom and thanks to the dash not being a massive moulding either, you do not really feel like you are in a small car. The seats themselves could perhaps have done with a more in the way of bolstering and side support, as they were rather flat, but I did not find them uncomfortable. Access is easy as the doors open wide. One of the selling points of the Accent is the amount of space in the back. Truly this is a car in which you could seat large-sized adults without them feeling like they were in the manufacturer’s smallest model. Even with the front seats set well back, there is sufficient leg room, and headroom should also not be an issue, though the sloping roof line means the tallest may have to duck a little as they get in. The Accent is not really wide enough for three big people to sit here in any comfort, but three children would be fine. The test car was in entry level SE spec which means no central armrest and not even any map pockets on the back of the front seats let alone luxuries such as USB ports, but there are pockets on the doors. As with a number of saloon models in the US, there is no external release for the boot. You either need to use the key or a lever inside the car to gain access. The boot itself is a decent size and access is good with a wide opening. The rear seat backrests are asymmetrically split and simply drop down but they do not go completely flat. Inside the passenger compartment there are plenty of places for odds and ends with a good-sized glovebox, pockets on the doors, a cubby in front of the gearlever and a small armrest cubby.

The 2021 Hyundai Accent comes in three trims: SE, SEL and Limited. Every model features the same 120 bhp four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, and a continuously variable automatic (CVT) is available. The SE lacks quite a few basic features, so you might want to go for at least an SEL trim. The SEL is available with several extra niceties, including a standard CVT and more infotainment features such as a larger touch screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The entry-level SE trim comes with cloth upholstery, a 5-inch touch screen, a four-speaker audio system, Siri Eyes Free, Bluetooth, a USB port and a rearview camera. Some models, such as this test car had the optional CVT. On top of the SE’s features, the SEL comes with the CVT, a 7-inch touch screen, a six-speaker audio system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, two additional USB ports and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.  The top-tier Limited trim has heated front seats, automatic climate control, a hands-free trunk lid, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking and Hyundai Blue Link, a telematics app that lets you access vehicle functions such as remote start from your smartphone.

Ignoring the unfortunate issue which curtailed this test, as I am sure this was a one-off associated with some previous rental driver activity, then this Accent struck me as perfectly acceptable, no-nonsense value transport which would serve well. It is spacious, well-finished and decent enough to drive, and whilst the equipment levels in SE trim are not what you would call luxurious, the Accent does not feel like you are driving one of the cheapest cars on the market. It has always sold in decent numbers, so it seems a little strange that Hyundai have pulled the car from their range and will not replace it, pointing entry level buyers to the SUV-esque Venue instead, but this seems to be the way of the market at present.