2006 Hyundai Accent Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the first, second and third generation Hyundai Accent from 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 as a used buy.

Hyundai Accent arrived in Australia in June 2000 to replace the extremely successful Hyundai Excel. Hyundai attempted to push it a bit more upmarket than the Excel and that included a price rise that took it out of the cheap-and-cheerful category. The lower cost Hyundai Getz also stole sales from Accent.So sales of the Accent have never been as high as the Korean importers planned, but there are plenty on the used-car market and if you shop around there are some excellent buys out there.Hyundai’s build quality, which was a bit hit-and-miss in the company’s earlier years, had improved noticeably and the Accent benefited from being an all-new design. The later the car you buy the better it’s likely to be. The main structure of the Accent generally holds up well when subjected to the rigours of rough Aussie roads. Anything that squeaks and/or rattles, particularly inside the cabin, during your test drive should be treated with suspicion.There's good interior room in this small-medium Hyundai and buyers with pre-teen children can use the Accent as a full family car. The boot is roomy and easy to use and has a good shape that’s reasonably easy to load.Hyundai's Accent has good handling and the feel through the steering is better than average for an Asian import. There's some understeer if you push hard but the car is reasonably neutral until then. A good set of tyres can markedly improve things in the handling department and won’t set you back a huge amount of money.Model choices are quite limited because slow sales meant that the upmarket Accent hatchbacks, and all sedan variants were pulled off the Australian market in 2002. The sedan made a return in May 2006 with the introduction of a virtually all-new Accent.In September 2003 the Accent received a facelift to move it away from the somewhat bland look of the original model. This facelifted version is more popular on the used scene and it’s worth paying the extra if you’re looking for a bit of pizzazz in an affordable car.At the time of the 2003 body revamp, the Accent’s engine was increased in size from 1.5 to 1.6 litres. Performance from the new 78 kW unit made the small-medium Hyundai reasonably zippy on the road. It’s still not really sporting, but the car became more pleasant to drive, with shorter overtaking distances and the ability to climb hills with fewer gearchanges.Gearbox options are five-speed manual and four-speed automatic. This means it’s lagging behind more recent competitors with multi-speed manuals and autos. The manuals are generally good in their gearchanges but can bind up at times for no obvious reason. Automatics do sap a fair bit of engine power in a car of this size and are probably best left to those who do a lot of heavy-duty commuting in serious traffic.These days Hyundai is a fully established as part of the Australian automotive scene. The dealer network is large and widespread, though as is often the way in a car in this class, representation in the bush can be on the sparse side. We have heard of no real complaints about the cost of servicing or spare parts.The Accent is a simple design and has good underbonnet space, so it’s easy enough to work on. A lot of routine work can be done by a good home handyperson, though safety related items should be left to the professional. It’s always a good idea to have a workshop manual on hand before starting your own servicing and repair work.Insurance charges are moderate and there doesn’t appear to be a great deal of difference between companies as to the premiums they charge. Shop around but, as always, make sure you are doing a full apples-with-apples comparison before making your final choice.WHAT TO LOOK FORWe have seen Accents reach 200,000 km without any real problems. These cars had obviously been driven sensibly and serviced by the book - ask to see the full service records. Look over the interior, including the boot, for signs of rough usage. This may be a sign that other out of sight areas have also been mistreated.Rust isn't normally a problem, but look at all the lower body areas and around the front and rear windscreens to be safe. Any cars we have seen with rust in their bodies have been poorly repaired after crashes.Do an engine check for easy starting and smooth idling. Where possible this should be done with the engine cold, preferably after it has been sitting overnight.Feel for a manual gearbox that baulks during fast gear changes, especially during the three-two down change.Turn the steering wheel all the way from one side to the other whilst travelling at a very low speed and listen for clunking noises near the front wheels. These probably indicate the universal joints are worn.CAR BUYING TIPSellers will ask more for cars with a full service history, but it’s generally worth the extra outlay. Having paid the higher price it’s smart to keep its logbooks up to date. That way you can get most of your added investment back when it’s time to trade up. 

Hyundai Accent replaced the Hyundai Excel in Australia in June 2000, but didn’t achieve the outstanding sales success of that model.

The hatch is aimed at young buyers who want something remotely sporty and good looking, despite their limited funds.The sedan, says Hyundai director of sales and marketing Theo van Doore, "is more suited to small families and older and more conservative buyers".And it shows.While the sedan boasts a host of new features, being bigger and offering more interior space — including a good-sized boot — than the previous model, it is not going to win prizes for its looks.It is definitely suited to more conservative buyers who are looking for a steady and comfortable car to get them about town with a minimum of fuss, reasonable economy and a maximum of reliability.The new Accent is powered by an upgraded version of the 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that now has Continuously Variable Valve Timing for improved performance.It does 0-100km/h in 10.2 seconds, which is respectable for such a car but is not intended to break records. All-important fuel economy is good in the Accent, as would be expected for a car of this size.The manual sedan tested has a combined claimed economy rate of 6.8 litres per 100km, the best of all the Accent variants.It has a 45-litre tank that should equate to up to 660km travelling. And with the Sydney price for unleaded hovering around $1.35 a litre it will cost about $60 to fill.Safety is also becoming a major issue for small car buyers. The new Accent gains ABS with electronic brake force distribution and improved brakes. The discs are bigger on the front and the old rear drums have been binned to make way for rear disc brakes.The previous model Accent rated an overall three stars (five is the best) for crash safety in Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) testing but the new car has not yet been tested by them. The most seriousproblem noted with the previous model was a high risk of chest injury for the driver in a side-impact crash.Hyundai says the new car has a stronger and stiffer cabin cell structure along with stronger doors including strengthened side-impact beams to reduce impact injury.Inside, the Accent is well-equipped with a leather steering wheel and gear knob and power windows on all doors, although the plastic finish is plain.The CD-player/radio system is MP3- and WMA-capable and plays through six speakers.A lot of work has gone into improving storage space inside the car, which includes a larger glovebox, a sunglasses storage area overhead, four cupholders, storage space in the door capable of taking bottles and even a recess area under the steering column that is designed to take a folded-up umbrella.However, it could do with more space and is particularly let down by not having a centre console. Leg room is good in the front and the rear will seat two adults or three children fairly comfortably.Accent handles city driving pretty comfortably. The manual gearbox is a smooth shifter with light changes and clutch movement.Wind and road noise levels are reduced from the previous model but are still quite noticeable. The manual sedan is priced at $17,490 with metallic paint an extra $350.It will cost an extra $2000 for the auto, which will account for more sales.In comparison, the three-door hatchback starts at $15,990.A big plus for Hyundai buyers seeking minimum-fuss motoring is the warranty, which stands at five years/130,000km.

Hyundai's small-medium Accent is what's known in the trade as an honest car. It’s not particularly stylish and doesn’t have a lot of character, but has all the things that sensible people want in a car. Meaning it’s reliable, well built and performs day in and day out without any fuss or bother. The Accent is a