2005 Hyundai Accent
Summary:
Wonderful good car
Faults:
Never had a problem.
General Comments:
I wouldn't trade this car for anything! It has proven absolutely reliable, gets excellent gas mileage (40+ mpg during the winter with A/C off, 33 in the summer with A/C on going 85 down the turnpike for 200 miles). I move a lot for college and the hatchback and folding seats let you fit stuff to the max inside, it's almost like the car is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. About the only thing that isn't perfect is that at interstate speeds in 5th gear, the car doesn't have a lot more acceleration to give, but the engine is really smooth at high revs so you can drop down to 4th or 3rd and 4000 or 5000 rpm in an emergency, so although the engine doesn't have the horsepower reserves of a larger car, you can indeed squeeze every last drop of horsepower that it does possess. Try going 5000 rpm in a pickup, it will sound like it's falling apart (and it probably will) ; when I take my Hyundai up to 5000 rpm when people won't let me merge on an on-ramp, it simply purrs. I wouldn't recommend doing it too much though.
The engine is very nicely designed and looks like it would be easy to work on - though I've never had to. The radiator has more surface area than you find on most cars this size; even in the 105 degree weather we get here in Oklahoma, this car will never overheat.
The transmission shifts smooth as butter; half the time I don't even bother with the clutch while driving because it just goes right into gear without it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 8th August, 2006
17th Dec 2006, 12:18
Well, you better hope your Accent doesn't break down, since the so called 100.000 miles warranty is of little use. It only covers major failures like a blown engine. Any brake problem (which are common on these cars), forget it. The warranty is mainly for marketing purposes. It's also a cash generator for the Hyundai dealers since you have to follow their tune-up program at outrageous prices, your independent garage down the street will be half the price. Don't be naive about this.
4th Jan 2007, 19:44
Had my '05 Accent since October of that year and nearly 20,000 miles later as of this writing in January '07, it continues to purr like a kitten. Still as tight and peppy as the day I took it home and it's never been in for a single warranty claim.
There is the slightest shudder of the brakes when decelerating for an offramp (a recent development) and one corner of the cloth trim has come loose on the driver's door. Very "nitpicky" little things compared to the tons of warranty claims I had with the '99 Escort ZX2 this car replaced. My brother's '02 Accent, recently lost in a wreck, rarely saw the dealer for warranty claims (I think the biggest claim was for a new battery) and the few tiny ones that he had were cheerfully addressed. His was the reason I bought mine. Lost about 40 horsepower to the ZX2, but I don't mind in the least.
25th Aug 2009, 18:46
My '05 Accent has 109,000 miles on it, and the original brakes are goin' strong with no sign of wear yet!
Great to really see how Hyundai has become a viable brand by owning and driving one for 4 years. Fun, little, dependable car!
30th Aug 2006, 18:37
I drove my best friend's 2006 Accent on a trip recently and was really blown away by the power, smoothness and quality. Why anyone would pay TWICE as much for a Corolla or Civic is beyond me!! Several of my friends have had Corollas and Civics and had lots of problems with them way before 100,000 miles. The Hyundai has a 100,000 mile warranty.