Revised Accent goes it alone for Hyundai

HYUNDAI Motor Company Australia (HMCA) has cut $600 from the price of entry to its range, to $14,990 plus on-road costs, as it shakes up the Accent light sedan and hatchback line-up to help cover for the demise of the Indian-built i20 in this market.

As GoAuto reported last month, the company has slipped its 1.4-litre Kappa engine into the Accent Active sedan and hatchback to create a new entry variant at the cheaper price point – cheaper even than the most affordable i20 that until now kicked off the range at $15,590.

The Accent was previously powered exclusively by 1.6-litre engines – a 91kW multi-point-injected Kappa unit in the Accent Active and the more sophisticated 103kW direct-injected Gamma engine in the Accent SR.

A switch to the 74kW 1.4-litre engine means Hyundai has been able to slash Accent Active prices by $2000, from $16,990 to $14,990, for the six-speed manual in both hatch and sedan guises.

As well, the automatic Accent Active comes down by a similar amount to $16,990, even though it is now equipped with Hyundai’s new continuously variable transmission (CVT) in a first for the brand in Australia.

The smaller engine has resulted in a seven per cent improvement in fuel consumption for the manual-equipped version, to 5.7 litres per 100km on the combined test cycle, with the automatic saving about three per cent (6.2L/100km).

The 1.6 GDi Gamma engine lives on in the Accent SR hatch that now starts at $16,990 for the six-speed manual and $18,990 for the six-speed auto flagship.

These SR prices are also $2000 cheaper than before as HMCA looks to protect its big slice of the Australian light car segment where, so far this year, the i20 and Accent combined, account for almost 20 per cent of sales in the class.

The decision to drop the i20 was forced on the company because it was not able to make a profitable business case for the new-generation, European-built i20. The answer was to split Accent into the new two-tier range.

Standard equipment across the range includes air conditioning, front and rear power windows, five-inch touchscreen audio system, AUX/USB audio input with digital iPod compatibility and Bluetooth connectivity.

The SR hatch adds 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights with projector globes, fog lights, LED daytime running lights, cruise control with steering wheel buttons, upmarket console and centre armrest with storage compartment, premium steering wheel and gear knob and roof-mounted spoiler.

2015 Hyundai Accent pricing*

Sedan
Active 1.4 MPi	$14,990
Active 1.4 MPi (a)	$16,990
Hatch
Active 1.4 MPi	$14,990
Active 1.4 MPi (a)	$16,990
SR 1.6 GDi	$16,990
SR 1.6 GDi (a)	$18,990

*Excludes on-road costs