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Road Test

While others heap the market with crossover upon crossover, Hyundai continues to meet the demand for the subcompact/hatchback with the 2018 Accent

Quebeckers count for close to 40 per cent of Hyundai Accent sales across Canada, which makes sense when a driver wants to negotiate downtown Montreal’s crowded, construction-laden streets.

The crowded, construction-laden streets of downtown Montreal may not seem like the best place to test a car's performance, but Hyundai had plenty of reasons to launch the all-new Accent sedan and five-door hatchback in this setting.

As the automotive market explodes with crossover upon crossover, Hyundai has taken a different approach by continuing to produce cars with lingering popularity, especially in Eastern Canada – the subcompact/hatchback.

Quebeckers count for close to 40 per cent of Hyundai Accent sales across Canada. Montrealers love a good little sporty hatch.

Launched in 1995, the Hyundai Accent has come a long, long way, from its exterior looks to interior amenities and driveability.

Keep in mind the original Accent's moniker was actually an acronym that stood for "advanced compact car with epoch-making new technology." They've gone back to that maxim.

The 2018 Accent is designed to appeal to the car’s main demographic, women between the ages of 24 and 40.

Auto makers are taking family features and splashing them across entire lineups. From the base econoboxes right up to the top-level models, they sport a familiar front grille, features and overall look. Hyundai helped start that trend a few years ago with the all-new Tucson and Sonata, then the brand-new Ioniq, the Elantra and now the new Accent.

Gone are the bubbly cutesie days. Here to stay is more sophistication and a more youthful Elantra look, complete with cascading front grille, that's designed to appeal to the Accent's main buying demographic, women between the ages of 24 and 40.

As the temperatures dropped drastically on drive day and we traversed more rural roads outside the city limits in Chambly, Que., I was oh-so grateful for seats that heated my bum and lower back, along with my hands that gripped the heated steering wheel – a Canadian exclusive feature and only available on the top GLS trim.

Hyundai's always had one of the more user-friendly on-board entertainment systems; quick and easy to navigate. That trend continues here with a system that's bright, easy to read, has little to no lag and is easily paired to your smartphone of choice.

The 2018 Accent is brought squarely into the modern car market with available LED headlights and a newly designed rear end with upscale-looking tail lights and standard rear-view camera, as well as an available smart trunk – it opens if you've got the smart key fob in your pocket and you stand behind the car for approximately three seconds.

Tech Specs

The Accent boasts modern features like a smart trunk, LED headlights and a rear-view camera.

  • Base price: TBA
  • Engine: 1.6-litre I-4
  • Transmission/drive: Six-speed manual; six-speed automatic/front-wheel
  • Fuel economy: TBA
  • Alternatives: Honda Fit, Chevrolet Sonic, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris

Looks

The redesigned Accent boasts more sophistication and a more youthful Elantra-inspired look, complete with cascading front grille.

The hatch will be a Canada-only model and will not migrate to the U.S. Seen as the more athletic version, all hatchbacks will feature a rear roof spoiler and will also have available two-tone interior colour options. The Accent is also available with 17" alloy wheels in higher trim levels.

Interior

The interior features a surprising number of features for a subcompact.

Slip into the driver's seat, and it's hard to imagine a subcompact car offering up so many interior features. While there are still a fair amount of hard plastics strewn about, the seats are comfortable – and heated.

Performance

The Accent sports a 1.6-litre four-cylinder GDI engine.

The Accent is not designed to be high performing or mind-blowingly quick, and that's perfectly acceptable. Equipped with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder GDI engine, it produces 160 horsepower and 119 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers put it on par with its main competition from Honda and Chevy. The same engine is found across all trim levels, and there's either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission available. The "sport" drive mode makes the throttle a bit jumpier and supposedly tightens up the steering (no discernible difference felt); the idea of the sport mode is definitely better than the application.

Technology

The Accent comes with a touchscreen infotainment system.

The Accent now comes equipped with a colour touchscreen infotainment system, regardless of trim level. Basic models offer up a five-inch screen, while upper trims see an increase to seven inches with available Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Cargo

The hatch offers more trunk space than a Nissan Qashqai orJeep Renegade.

Both the sedan and hatchback have increased in size over all, lengthening, thickening out, and growing in height. That means the hatch offers more trunk space (616 litres) than a Nissan Qashqai and Jeep Renegade – take that crossovers!

Verdict

8.0

Quebeckers count for close to 40 per cent of Hyundai Accent sales across Canada.

Hyundai's taking on a crossover-heavy market (and their newly revamped Tucson proves they fully understand the need for one), with a product that might just convert a few buyers based on interior space and amenities – at least in Quebec.

The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.

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