- Willing 1.6-litre petrol engine
- Spacious interior
- Large boot
- Generally comfortable ride…
- … though suspension lacks body control
- Steering is vague around centre and lacks feel
- Cabin lacks sound insulation
- Front seats lack support
Review: Hyundai MC.I Accent (2006-07)
Overview
Released in May 2006, the Hyundai MC Series I (MC.I) Accent was available as a three-door hatchback or sedan. Manufactured in Ulsan, South Korea, the Accent was powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that was mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. Furthermore, the MC.I Accent range consisted of range consisted of an unnamed, entry-level variant and the FX Limited Edition.
G4ED ‘Alpha’ engine
The 1.6-litre G4ED ‘Alpha II’ engine had a cast iron block, an alloy cylinder head, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, continuously variable intake valve timing (Hyundai’s CVVT) and a compression ratio of 10.0:1.
Dimensions and suspension
Compared to its three-door LC Accent predecessor, the MC Accent was 155 mm shorter (at 4045 mm), 15 mm wider (1695 mm), 75 mm taller (1470 mm) and had a 60 mm longer wheelbase (2500 mm). Compared to the hatch, the MC Accent sedan was 235 mm longer (at 4280 mm), though all other measurements were the same. The MC Accent chassis achieved a 39 per cent increase in bending stiffness and had a new front-end perimeter sub-frame, vertically-braced firewall and additional ribbing of the floor pan pressing. Furthermore, the MC Accent had MacPherson strut front and coupled torsion beam rear suspension.
| Variant | Body | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Unnamed] | 3dr hatch, 4dr sedan |
1.6-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
82 kW at 6000 rpm | 145 Nm at 4500 rpm |
| FX Limited Edition | 3dr hatch |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the MC.I Accent included dual front airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, anti-submarining front seat steel pans and rear seat ramps and front seatbelts with load limiters and pretensioners; the Accent was also fitted with front and rear disc brakes.
Brakes
The MC Accent had 256 mm by 22 mm vented front brake discs and 262 mm by 10 mm solid rear discs.
ANCAP crash testing
In ANCAP crash testing , a 2007 MC.II Accent S sedan – equipped with dual front airbags – received a three star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 21.21 out of 37. This rating, however, was applied to all MC Accent sedans (i.e., including the MC.I Accent) that were fitted with dual front airbags. In the offset crash test, protection from serious chest and leg injury was marginal for the driver and chest protection was marginal for the front passenger. In the side impact test, chest protection for the driver was also rated as poor.
Features: Accent
Standard features for the Accent included a six speaker sound system with CD player and MP3/WMA compatibility, air conditioning, tinted windows, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift, remote central locking, power windows and heated mirrors, a tilt adjustable steering wheel, a height adjustable driver’s seat, 12 volt power outlet, an alarm and immobiliser.
For the hatch models, the rear seat cushions had a 60/40 split and could be separately folded forward (i.e. behind the front seats) and the backrests then folded down to lower the loading platform.
Accent FX Limited Edition
Compared to the standard Accent, the FX Limited Edition was differentiated by its 16-inch alloy wheels and front fog lights.
Review: Hyundai MC.II Accent (2007-09)
Overview
Released in October 2007, the MC Series II (MC.II) Accent introduced a revised range consisting of ‘S’ and ‘SLX’ variants. However, the S variant was introduced as a price-leader and omitted equipment and features which were standard on the MC.I Accent. A limited-run ‘A-League’ hatchback was also released to coincide with the introduction of the MC.II Accent.
| Variant | Body | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-League | 3dr hatch | 1.6-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
82 kW at 6000 rpm | 145 Nm at 4500 rpm |
| S, SLX |
3dr hatch, 4dr sedan |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the S variant included dual front airbags, anti-submarining front seat steel pans and rear seat ramps and front seatbelts with load limiters and pretensioners. Beyond this, the SLX and A-League variants added front side (thorax) airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS and electronic brake force distribution.
Features: Accent S and SLX
Standard features for the Accent S included air conditioning, four speaker sound system with CD player and MP3-compatibility, rear fog lights, a multi-function steering wheel, remote central locking, power windows and heated mirrors, height adjustable driver’s seat, tilt adjustable steering wheel, 12 volt power outlet and an immobiliser.
The Accent SLX was further equipped with a six speaker sound system, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift and an electrochromatic rear view mirror.
Accent A-League variant
The limited-run ‘A-League’ variant was based on the SLX but distinguished by its 16-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with 205/45 tyres, contoured sports seats with orange cloth upholstery and black leather bolsters, front fog lights and ‘metal grain’ centre console.
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