Hyundai accent GLS. Review on Hyundai Accent

I bought a second hand accent GLS 2001 model.I could short list few cars after an indepth research and review on the internet. They were Honda City, Hyundai Accent, Ford Ikon and Maruthi Suzuki Esteem.I visited almost 15 used cars outlets and drove around 40 cars.Ford Ikon and Hyundai Accent were on my final list as Esteem seemed to be a very outdated model and the old honda City is quite different from the new one, so both were not worth investing 3 to 4 lakhs. Where as Ikon and Accent are still in producion and sold out with the same shape and interiors with very minor changes.

The interiors of old Honda city and Esteem are outdated and not quite intersting, one will definetely feel the age of these cars when you sit inside. Performace wise both these cars are good and also give good mileage compared to ikon or accent but are not very convincing when it comes to outer looks, interiors, suspension, seating comfort and gear shift, note I am talking about second hand cars.On the final list were Accent and Ikon as they still look modern and you will be happy to own one as they still carry a modern image. Ikon has a very responsive engine and you can enjoy this car a lot if you are one among those speed devils, it has a very good and balanced chasis with stiff suspension and a perfect steering, so this makes it a perfect drivers car, (performance wise ikon 1.6 is far better than ikon 1.3)

There are few negative aspects on Ikon's chart which matter a lot and are also the reasons behind me not buying it. The service centers are not good as per many owners of this car, frequent changes in engine parts is a must, low mileage, cramped cabin, rear view in not at all good so problem while reversing or parking, headlights do not make you feel strong in the night time driving, A big no no for those who are tall (almost 6 feet), you have to crawl in and out of the drivers seat. I finalised on Accent as I could really find it worth when compared to rest of the three.The greatest part of this car is the suspension as this car is wider and the shocks are absorbed so well that the passengers can hardly feel any.

A/C is very good and chills the corners in not more than 3 mins. The driver gets a very good view around the car while driving which is very important. Bonet can be seen clearly in this car and helps a lot while driving in traffic, Engine is resposive and the cars moves very swiftly and smoothly when the accelerator is used appropriately, you dont even feel any vibration or engine sound once you cross 40kmph, a decent mileage of 10 to 12 in the city traffic with A/C is plus point, gear shift is very smooth and does not hinder your concetration at all. All the switches are very well placed and are handy, Plastic used inside is good and looks good. Driving position is best in class, Head lamps are very well positioned and the focus is also good. company fitted fog lamps are usefull and add on to the looks.

Rear seats are comfortable for aged people and mid size adults, not very good for tall people as the leg room is a bit less. Boot space is enough to take a lot of luggage. Very less maintanance, spares are not very costly. Service centers are good with good service advisors who have good technical knowledge. They do not fool around with you and give you the correct details and estimates. Accent has a big car feeling and does not look like a mid segment car at all.As a whole Accent GLS is a good buy, no matter if it is a new one or a well maintained and used one. All you need to do is take a good mechanic and get it checked before buying(used one), take it for a drive on long patches and also on bad roads to get an idea of the condition of the suspension, steering, engine response and body vibraions. If you like to cruise on highways then Accent is a great car and would make you feel good every second of the drive. it performs very well in the city traffic as well.