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Hyundai Accent

598 messages,  Last post on Sep 30, 2009 at 4:15 AM

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What is this discussion about? Hyundai Accent, Coupe, Hatchback


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#563 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [germancarfan1] by backy
Dec 19, 2006 (7:46 am)
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Replying to: germancarfan1 (Dec 19, 2006 7:39 am)

The puzzling thing is, since Hyundai has done pretty well in crash safety on their other "24x7" designs, particularly with the Entourage, it's really strange they didn't emphasize crash safety more with the Accent.
#564 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by germancarfan1
Dec 19, 2006 (7:50 am)
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Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 7:46 am)

Costs had to be cut somewhere and safety was the one to go on the Accent. But this should be no surprise to anyone that has test driven or even opened the doors on an Accent. They always felt thin and flimsy to me, far more so than the Fit or Rabbit, and even far more so than other Hyundai models (Sonata has nice solid doors).
 
If I was Hyundai, I'd drop the Accent line completely. They don't sell well and all the model does is hurt the reputation of the other models that are decent.
#565 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [germancarfan1] by backy
Dec 19, 2006 (8:01 am)
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Replying to: germancarfan1 (Dec 19, 2006 7:50 am)

Like other automakers, Hyundai needs an entry-level model to draw new buyers into the brand. And believe it or not, many of these buyers don't put crash safety anywhere near the top of their requirements list. I've seen that opinion stated many times in Town Hall.
 
Also, we don't know yet how Hyundai will respond to these results, or whether it's possible to improve them without major changes to the car.
#566 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [germancarfan1] by sonatabean
Dec 19, 2006 (2:13 pm)
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Replying to: germancarfan1 (May 30, 2006 1:56 am)

I see VW America's strident little web intern is back: I bothered to check out the IIHP results.
 
Here they are. Not far off what German Car Employee reports . . . but not exactly fully truthful (as usual), either.
 
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=586
 
#560 of 565 Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS by germancarfan1
 
Dec 19, 2006 (6:46 am)
  
Well, if you needed another reason not to buy the Accent, here it is: Awful IIHS scores. It's pretty much a death trap.
  
Side impact: POOR
Rear impact: POOR
Front impact: Acceptable
#567 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [sonatabean] by sonatabean
Dec 19, 2006 (2:14 pm)
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Replying to: sonatabean (Dec 19, 2006 2:13 pm)

In the interest of full disclosure, here's the full set of test results.
 
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=715
#568 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [sonatabean] by backy
Dec 19, 2006 (2:29 pm)
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Replying to: sonatabean (Dec 19, 2006 2:13 pm)

Actually, germancarfan1's post re the Accent's scores was accurate. They were Acceptable overall on frontal impact, Poor overall on side impact, and Poor on rear impact.
 
"Death trap" is hyperbole of course, but worst-in-class on crash tests is not a good thing--especially for a car company that touts the safety of its cars at every opportunity.
#569 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by micweb
Dec 19, 2006 (4:31 pm)
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Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 2:29 pm)

I think Hyundai has to build the Accent and Rio to be cost competitive in Asian and Latin markets; even low-end Euro. In Asian markets, they don't have much in the way of airbags, even front airbags (passenger front airbags are even extra cost options on Toyotas in Thailand!).
 
So to make the Accent/Rio "upscale" for America, Hyundai just installs the extra gear it's easy to leave out in Asian markets. But the cost of the basic "chassis" isn't increased across the board.
 
Honda uses high strength steels in selected areas of the Fit, and Subaru and Volvo do the same. VW does extra chassis spot welding on its Golf/Rabbit/Jetta series to increase body rigidity. I suspect Hyundai on the Accent/Rio, and Chevy/Daweoo on the Aveo, use cheaper steels, with fewer inventory tracking issues, and fewer welds. Thus the basic costs, which impact every market (including Asia and Latin America) aren't driven up. It's not a question of lacking technical expertise to build a tougher body structure, its the need to keep basic costs down.
 
In Hyundai's defense, and Chevy's defense, they DO give you side protection - side protection that will work a lot better in MOST side crashes. I question whether the Fit is actually that much more "survivable" than the Hyundai/Aveo if you up the crash speed or crash vehicle weight. The failure zone is very narrow indeed, and a vehicle that you can survive nicely at 30 might fail at 35 or 37 or 40...but it's not like there's going to be a BIG spread in survivability speeds/weights.
 
The Insurance Institute itself pretty much tells us you are better off in a larger car.
 
Yeah, death trap is hyperbole. BUT Hyundai is creating a serious perception gap by building tough minivans and fragile minicars - I wouldn't want my kid in one, even with all those airbags. On the other hand, it's getting harder and harder to imagine buying any vehicle without side curtain airbags these days, and I am a real car fanatic, it's taken the last 5 years for it to sink in how important these side curtain airbags are.
 
Meanwhile, a friend at work won't even upgrade to a post-1995 car with side impact beams; she's driving around in a beamless Camry, lot of protection there, huh, even less...much less... than the last ranked modern cars.
#570 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [micweb] by backy
Dec 19, 2006 (4:41 pm)
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Replying to: micweb (Dec 19, 2006 4:31 pm)

Hyundai does claim to use high-strength steel in the Accent. It did get Acceptable on the frontal crash, with the main reason it didn't get Good seeming to be the likelihood of a leg injury. Not great, but not life-threatening. Maybe not enough high-strength-steel got into the sides of the car.
 
It is a plus that the Accent has standard side bags and curtains. At least heads are protected well. The people sitting in front might get serious injuries, but at least their brains won't be scrambled. And it appears kids travelling in back would be fairly well protected also.
 
So I'd rather drive an Accent with its side bags than a Yaris or Cobalt or (fill in name) without them, but with small cars like the Fit, Civic, and Rabbit available with standard side bags and ABS--and very good crash test scores--and the Versa with very good crash scores and at least the promise of ABS, I don't see any reason anymore to plunk my money down on an Accent. Especially since this is a car my daughter will be driving in a few years.
#571 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by micweb
Dec 19, 2006 (4:50 pm)
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Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 4:41 pm)

I agree with you. I'd like to do another car change now, but with more cars soon to come standard with side curtain airbags, it would be foolish of me to get anything without them right now... the Versa definitely looks intriguing, but the Rabbit 2 door is better equipped and cheaper than the SL Versa. Of course the 4 door Rabbit IS way more expensive. Choices. Always choices.
 
The 2008 Focus, for example, will get standard side curtain airbags. Right now they have combo bags for the front occupants only. A ZX3 hatchback with standard side curtain airbags would be easy to shop for, at a big discount.
#572 of 598
Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [micweb] by backy
Dec 19, 2006 (5:08 pm)
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Replying to: micweb (Dec 19, 2006 4:50 pm)

I heard a rumor the Focus hatches were to be discontinued??
 
Anyway, on the Accent, there are a lot of good choices and more coming. Assuming that the new Elantra scores well in the IIHS tests (not a given of course), it's price compared to a comparably-equipped Accent isn't that much more. If Hyundai decides to put a general rebate back on the Elantra, it will be hard to move those Accent sedans.

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