New Car Review: 2010 Hyundai Accent Blue

 

By Bob Plunkett

 

Well past the morning rush, traffic flows at a brisk clip along the I-90 expressway as we head eastward out of Seattle.

The objective of this jaunt is to assess the poise and capability of updated and enhanced 2010 editions of Accent, the teensy-weensy economy car  by Hyundai of South Korea.

 Out of the box with no frills attached, the new Accent Blue coupe rigged with a five-speed manual transmission lists for about $10,000.

The top model -- Accent GLS the sedan -- costs more, but its sticker figure still won't break $17,000.

 Most teeny-weeny compact cars in the price-conscious economy club can be a pain to drive due to physical and fiscal restraints which typically override concerns for car performance and passenger comfort.

    But that's not the way it feels to drive the Accent.

 Those riding up front do not feel squeezed together in a tiny compartment like you might in some other economy compacts, due to a tall wrap of windows and larger seats. The driver sits in a form-fitting bucket which adjusts to fit even a large frame.

 This small car contains an impressive list of mechanical components, and, as our drive quickly proves, Accent can hold its own in freeway traffic or out on the open road.

   

 For the 2010 Accent Blue the fuel figures reach as high as 36 mpg for highway driving using the manual five-speed transmission, or 28 mpg for city driving.

 

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