Hyundai Accent vs Toyota GR Corolla

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?

There’s something immensely appealing about a car that can play two roles. 

An off-roader for the weekend and a school pick-up chariot Monday to Friday? How about a race car/grocery-getter combo?

The latter is what the Toyota GR Corolla wants to be, a slightly bigger and more day-to-day alternative to the first GR hot hatch, the Yaris.

Both of these cars have now been updated and are arriving in Australia now, and Toyota hopes the Corolla becomes an even better car to rival the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R. 

But can it do it?

We tested Toyota’s hotted-up Corolla on road and track to see if it’s up to the task.