The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 27, 2008 - 19 Hyundai puts the Accent back on subcompacts By Jim Robinson OAKVILLE BEAVER For years Hyundai owned the subcompact segment, after the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla vacated the arena for more lucrative pickings in the compact market. But with rising fuel costs and clogged commutes, there has been a noticeable switch back among Canadians to subcompacts. The arrival of the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Suzuki SX4 with their jazzy, youth-oriented advertising caught the attention of Hyundai as much as it did the target audience. Hyundai countered in the 2007 model year with the new Accent four-door sedan and three-door hatchback. To counter the competition, the Accent was enlarged with a 60 mm longer wheelbase and slightly wider track. It's also 20 mm wider and a noticeable 75 mm taller. The aim was to make the Accent Hatch the biggest car in the class and with, critically, more passenger and cargo room than its competitors. Hyundai engineers literally looked at every aspect of this car because buyers in the subcompact segment already expect reasonable cost, stingy fuel consumption and interiors with every square centimeter carved out for passenger room. But on top of that, they also expect content and lots of it for their loonies. The 2008 Accent remains available as a four-door sedan and a three-door hatch. Most of the engineering and trim is the same. There is one engine, a 1.6-litre twincam inline fourcylinder driving the front wheels through either a five-speed manual or optional ($1,000) four-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 110 hp and 106 lb/ft of torque. In terms of gasoline use, the 1.6-litre with standard five-speed manual transmission is rated at 7.4L/100 km city and 6.2L/100km highway while the optional four-speed automatic gets 8.5L/100 km city and 5.9L/100 km highway. Suspension is MacPherson struts with stabilizer bar at the front and a torsion beam, also with stabilizer bar, at the rear. Front brakes are ventilated discs with drums at the rear. All Accent Hatchbacks come with an air conditioning (except the base L) and air filtra- tion system, a rear window defroster with timer, rear spoiler (3-Dr only), tachometer, 12-volt power points, 60/40 split rear seat, eight-way adjustable driver's seat and a AM/FM/CD/MP3 player. But it's the little things that count like three-nozzle windshield washers that are a blessing in winter. Also, all interior body pieces are crimped and sealed where they are joined to stop water and salt from wreaking havoc five and 10 years down the line. Three-door pricing starts with the L at $13,595, the GL at $15,295, the GL Sport with sport package at $16,495 and as tested with the automatic at $17,495 not including a shipping fee of $1,345. What makes the GL Sport is the model-specific 16-inch alloy wheels, sport tuned suspension, power sunroof and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. When it comes to driving, the little Accent Hatchback is a blast. Entry-level it may be but not when it comes to adding some verve to the daily drive. Around town, the Accent is nippy and steering and turning response is remarkable for a front-driver. The interior on the hatchbacks is only offered in black (the sedan has beige or grey), but the seats are firm without being hard. There's nothing worse than a "pillowy" seat cushion under your bottom to bring on lower back fatigue. This is a small car in which you can cover moderately long distances and not be worn out when you arrive. The back seat is supposed to seat three, but they had better be kids, as three adults would be a serious squeeze. There is, however, a handy back seat centre armrest with one holder for a round beverage and a square one for another. The engine-speed RPM sensitive power steering is light at low parking speeds but beefs up nicely at about 50 km/h. Passing with the automatic and 110 hp on tap is not a "white knuckle" experience, but you have to make sure there is adequate room to make it. I was happy to have a real coolant temperature gauge not a light, something that was lacking in another subcompact I recently drove. In terms of cargo, my son's tenor saxophone case fit with ease so a bunch of golf Continued on Page 20 The 2008 Accent Hatchback 3-door GL Sport shown offers a sport tuned suspension and other extras like special 16-inch alloy wheels to add a touch of panache to Hyundai's popular sub-compact lineup. BAD CREDIT Everyone Deserves A Second Chance. We Can Re-establish Your Credit And Get You In A Vehicle And On The Road Today. Instant Approval www.hawleypbc.com BANKRUPT DIVORCED Call Wally-905.330.1104 NO CREDIT 225 Dundas St. East Mississauga At The Same Location For Over 60 Years