ACCENT has grown up. The one-time entry-level Hyundai has had a complete model change, bringing in improvements to safety, space, performance, refinement and driveability. But at $16K for the hatch and $17.5K for the sedan, the Accent’s competition is formidable. And even though it is now classed as a ‘light’ rather than ‘small’ car class contender according to VFACTS, the public’s perception of cheapness – a legacy of the old ‘driveaway’ days – is still an issue. One thing’s for certain though – this Hyundai deserves to make new friends.