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Compact car; Built in South Korea
  • 2-door hatchback
  • 4-door sedan
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,500 – $4,200*


2000 Hyundai Accent 4-door sedan


2000 Hyundai Accent 2-door hatchback


2001 Hyundai Accent 2-door hatchback


2001 Hyundai Accent 4-door sedan


2000 Hyundai Accent 4-door sedan

Pros:
  • Fuel economy
  • Visibility
Cons:
  • Acceleration
  • Noise
  • Rear-seat entry/exit (2-dr)
  • Ride

Affordable without seeming cheap, an Accent is worth considering as a bargain-basement commuter car. Because it trails most non-Korean brands in resale value, used-car prices can be appealing. Most rivals offer better performance and refinement for a little more money.

Overview

Redesigned and slightly enlarged for 2000, Hyundai’s smallest and least-expensive model also featured fresh styling. Wheelbase grew by 1.6 inches. The new Accent was about 5 inches longer than before, almost 2 inches wider, and up to 192 pounds heavier. Interior and cargo volumes were little-changed. Hyundai’s front-drive subcompact competed against the Chevrolet Metro, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Echo, Daewoo Lanos, and Kia Rio.

Two body styles were offered: a two-door hatchback in base or GS trim, and a four-door sedan that came only in top-level GL guise. The 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine produced 92 horsepower, with a standard five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic transmission, optional in GS and GL models, featured Hyundai’s Adaptive Logic, which was designed to limit unnecessary gear changes on grades or while decelerating.

Hyundai claimed that the new-generation Accent was less noisy, smoother, with a better transmission. Reinforced A- and B-pillars were installed, and the cowl crossbar was strengthened. Double-sealed doors also were installed.

Head, leg, and hip room were said to be improved. Accents got a 60/40 rear seat, new instrument panel and gauges, and a new steering wheel. GS and GL models included a tachometer, tinted glass, clock, and five-way adjustable seat. Options included air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, and CD player.

Accent was one of the few mainstream passenger cars that did not offer antilock braking. The low-end L edition didn’t even have power brakes as standard equipment, but all models had power steering.

Hyundai offered one of the industry’s longest warranties: 5-years/60,000-miles bumper-to-bumper, and 10-years/100,000-miles for the powertrain.

Yearly Updates

2001 Accent
Some Accents got a bigger engine this year. Supplanting the GS two-door hatchback, the base Accent L kept the previous 92-horsepower, 1.5-liter four-cylinder. GS and GL models got a twin-cam, 1.6-liter engine that produced 105 horsepower. Topping the line was the GL four-door sedan. An automatic transmission was optional in all but the L model, which came only with manual shift. Power brakes now were standard in the L.
2002 Accent
Air conditioning became standard on GS and GL editions and optional for the L this year. The Accent lineup again included the base L two-door hatchback with its 1.5-liter engine and manual shift, plus the GS hatchback and GL four-door sedan with a 1.6-liter four and either manual or automatic transmission.
2003 Accent
All models got a mild facelift with revised front and rear styling. Base hatchback now uses the same 1.6-liter 4-cyl engine as other Accents. It comes only with manual transmission. Side airbags were added to some models late in the model year.
2004 Accent
The accent is unchanged for 2004.
2005 Accent
Accent gets available antilock brakes for 2005. For ’05, ABS is offered in a $1685 option package that also includes air conditioning, power windows and locks, and a CD player.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

Two four-cylinder engines were originally available. A 1.5-liter that produced 92 horsepower went into all models in 2000, and was retained by the L hatchback later. Hyundai’s dual-overhead-cam, 1.6-liter four, rated at 105 horsepower, went into GS and GL models for 2001. That engine could mate with a five-speed manual gearbox or optional four-speed automatic transmission, but the Accent L came only with manual shift. For 2003, all models got the larger engine.

dohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.6/98
Engine HP 105
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 106
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		27/37
25/35
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.5/91
Engine HP 92
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 97
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		28/36
25/35

Road Test

Acceleration is barely acceptable with the 1.5-liter engine, even with manual shift. A test model took 11.2 seconds to reach 60 mph.

The optional automatic transmission performs well and does a nice job of resisting erratic shifting on hills. Passing with either transmission will require noisy, full-throttle operation. An automatic Accent struggles quite hard on significant upgrades, succeeding only after considerable huffing and puffing.

Economy is a plus. A 2000 GS hatchback averaged 29.6 mpg, while a similar sedan reached 30.4 mpg.

Small bumps are absorbed acceptably well, but like most subcompacts, the Accent can be a rough rider at times. Large potholes transmit jolts, and the going gets jiggly on washboard surfaces.

Cornering grip is modest, thanks to underachiever tires, but the Accent handles with predictable assurance. Body lean is moderate. Simulated panic stops without ABS are passable, despite some rear-wheel lockup. Hyundai keeps noise and vibration to competitive levels, but engine and road sounds do intrude.

Front seats are comfortable and supportive for everyday commuting, though longer trips may prove tiring. Taller drivers might feel crowded, as the seat does not offer much rearward travel. The back seat is too narrow for three adults, too flat to provide good support, and too cramped to give anyone six feet tall much leg or head room. Rear-seat entry/exit is tight, even in the four-door model.

Clearly marked controls are within easy reach. A rather high rear deck pinches the view through the back window, but visibility is good otherwise. Trunk space also is good, beneath a short, narrow lid. On the whole, the Accent is solid, well-detailed, and decently built.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2002 Hyundai Accent L

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 2
20%
Fuel Economy - 8
80%
Ride Quality - 2
20%
Steering/Handling - 3
30%
Quietness - 3
30%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Front - 4
40%
Room/Comfort Rear - 2
20%
Cargo Room - 5
50%

Other

Value - 2
20%

Total: 36

Specifications

2-door hatchback
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
96.1 166.7 65.7 54.9
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
16.9 11.9 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.9 38.0 42.6 32.8
4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
96.1 166.7 65.7 54.9
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
11.8 11.9 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.9 38.0 42.6 32.8
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: N/A

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Dashboard lights
Description: The check-engine light may come on and the diagnostic code may indicate a lean fuel condition requiring mass-airflow sensor replacement. (2000-01)
Hard starting
Description: The engine may not start (but starter cranks) due to a shorted overdrive-switch wire. (2000)
Poor transmission shift
Description: Transmission may not shift out of park due to blown fuse, bad brake-light switch or transmission shift-lock solenoid. (1999)
Transmission slippage
Description: Poor shifting, slippage or a transmission that will not shift out of third gear can often be traced to corroded connectors or other problems in the wiring, which may require replacement of the wiring harness. Other shifting problems may be caused by a problem with the transmission-fluid temperature sensor or pulse generator. (2000-01)
Transmission problems
Description: If transmission sticks in 3rd, shifts poorly, or has harsh 1-2 shift, the pulse generator may need to be replaced. (2000-2002)

Recall History

2000
Description: Ball-joint connection can disengage rendering the windshield wipers inoperative.
2000-01
Description: Throttle valve may not close fully due to steady driving in cold temperatures, causing the vehicle to idle at higher than normal speed.
2000-02
Description: Head injury may result from contact with the A-pillar in a collision.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 16, 2014.
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