Hyundai Accent vs BMW I3

What's the difference?

While there are plenty of things that somehow improve with age (art, wine, the seemingly ageless Will Smith, to name but a few), the Hyundai Accent is sadly not one of them.

But then, neither does almost any new cars. With new technology, entertainment and safety features launching daily, and with engines that are getting cleaner, more efficient and smoother all the time, a once all-new model can be left looking positively antique in just a handful of years.

But it’s definitely even worse than normal over at Hyundai; the Korean manufacturer that continues to make great forward strides with every new model. From the members of its fast and frantic N Division to its polished SUVs, to the all-new i30 small car, Hyundai is going from strength to strength with neck-breaking speed.

All of which creates a little problem for the pint-sized Accent, which - having launched back in 2011 - is now starting to feel its age. And unlike the Fresh Prince, it isn’t holding up quite so well. 

So in lieu of an all new version, Hyundai streamlined the existing Accent family into one value-packed model in 2017, taking the axe to the Active and SR models and replacing both with a single, Sport trim level, which is available in sedan and hatchback guise.

And in creating the Sport, Hyundai aims to blend the best of the Accent range into one handy package. So have they taught this old dog new tricks?

It’s easy to forget BMW was paddling into the growing electric vehicle wave when it was only a gentle swell. It took off early with the i3 city car, which believe it or not has been in the Aussie new car market for six years.

While the German maker has long been developing the concept of electrified powertrains in existing models, the i3 was the result of a dramatically different approach, showcasing the use of exotic materials and innovative packaging.

Like its i8 supercar sibling, the i3 won’t be replaced with a new-generation version, but BMW says it will continue to develop this high-tech hatch before it departs, and we spent a week in the sporty i3s to see how it stands up in 2020.