Hyundai Accent Hatch

On the inside too, the Accent Hatch borrows the entire interior cabin from its sedan version. However, due to model repositioning, a number of features and elements have been given a miss on the Accent Hatch, which somehow make the car look and feel dated from the inside.

The three-spoke steering wheel with silver accents is the same unit which we have seen on entry level Hyundais like the Eon. The steering wheel misses out on controls for audio and Bluetooth, making it look out of place in such a fairly sized car. The instrument console with its blue blacklit theme has a simple layout and provides ample of information.

The center console with its cascading theme looks nice, with silver finish on both of its sides as well as lower portion in continuity. However, the presence of a very basic 1-DIN music system sans Bluetooth makes the overall center console look very archaic. The upper portions of the dashboard have nice characteristic cuts and creases, which somehow manage to add some flair to it.

When it comes to space, the Hyundai Accent impresses one with its nice under thigh support as well as decent headroom and legroom. In terms of features, the Hyundai Accent Hatch misses out on a lot o features which are available as standard on its competitors, and covers up only the basics such as power windows, manual AC, remote central locking and a 1-DIN music system.

As the Accent Hatch in Philippines is based on the pre-generation model, it does not possess the flashy and uber-cool appeal of the new Accent sold globally. However, don’t forget that it was with this model with which Hyundai previewed its fluidic design philosophy, which somehow manages to give the Accent Hacth a timeless appeal on the outside.

The Hyundai Accent Hatch shares its front fascia with its sedan sibling, with a hexagonal shape for the front grille with a chrome strip on the upper portion and an air dam on the lower one. The car comes with the same sweptback headlamps as its sedan version, however, they do miss out on projector and LED units. Even the fog lamps have been given a miss here, making the overall front profile look a bit less swanky.

The Accent Hatch shares its side profile with the sedan version till the B-pillar. Post that, the car has been redesigned to accommodate a short hatch. The car possesses an aerodynamic profile, thanks to a curvy roofline and a sharp crease flowing all the way from the front fender to the edges of the tail lamp. Due to the redesigning process, the rear side glass areas have grown a bit bigger, whereas the roofline has become less curvier as compared to the sedan version. The presence of wheel caps in place of alloy wheels further strengthens its basic appeal in front of its sedan version.

It is the rear where the Accent Hatch shares the least similarity with its sedan version. The tail lamps are a bit re-jigged version of those of the Eon, and are larger and curvier from the outer sides. The slanted rear windscreen as well as spoiler above it gives it an athletic stance.

Underpinning the Hyundai Accent is the standard suspension setup of MacPherson struts at the front and coupled torsion beam axle at the rear. With the suspension being setup on a softer side, the overall ride comfort feels pretty decent. Coupling in the very light steering setup, the overall handling feels slightly bumpy for high speed driving, but very convenient while dodging in-city traffic.

For the Accent Hatch, Hyundai has plonked in its tried and tested 1.6 liter four cylinder VGT diesel engine, which we have already seen in its sedan sibling. The engine is punchy enough to produce a maximum power output of 136 and maximum torque output of 264 Nm of torque. The engine does provide you two transmission options – a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 7-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. With both the gearbox options, the diesel engine provides impressive mid-range and top-end power delivery, with sheer refinement levels.

As the Accent Hatch has been engineered with keeping budget in mid, the car has been equipped with only the basic safety equipment, with majority of them restricted for the automatic variant. While dual airbags and keyless entry are standard on both the variant, ABS and ESP are present only in the automatic variant.

With its cost cutting appeal, the Hyundai Accent Hatch doesn’t score much in terms of value for money and desirability, even after the fact that it is a fairly sized hatchback. While the car is based on the previous generation Accent, the severe lack of comfort, convenience and safety features further dent its appeal in terms of novelty. However, the car scores well in many practical aspects. It still manages to look good and modern from the outside, the performance from the diesel engine is massively impressive and it is a boon to ride in city conditions thanks to its light steering. Though, if you are looking for a premium hatchback with a modern appeal, you should steer away from the Accent Hatch – it badly needs a refresh.