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Hyundai Accent

624 messages,  Last post on Oct 11, 2012 at 7:51 PM

You are in the Hyundai Accent Forum.

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

Messages Page 58 of 63

#569 of 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by micweb

Dec 19, 2006 (5:31 pm)

Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 3:29 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 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [micweb] by backy

Dec 19, 2006 (5:41 pm)

Replying to: micweb (Dec 19, 2006 5:31 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 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by micweb

Dec 19, 2006 (5:50 pm)

Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 5:41 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 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [micweb] by backy

Dec 19, 2006 (6:08 pm)

Replying to: micweb (Dec 19, 2006 5:50 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.

#573 of 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by backy

Dec 19, 2006 (7:12 pm)

Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 9:01 am)
Sorry to reply to my own post, but I saw something in today's NY Times article on the IIHS tests that reinforced my statement of:
And believe it or not, many of these buyers don't put crash safety anywhere near the top of their requirements list.
 
Here's what the NY Times article said:
 
But dealers say their customers rarely are willing to pay more for side air bags or wait longer for a vehicle equipped with them.
 
Brett Younger, general manager at Champion Toyota in Philadelphia, said most shoppers wanted a Yaris "as inexpensive as we can get it in an automatic." Parents buying the vehicle for a younger driver child often request side air bags, which have been in short supply in parts of the United States since the Yaris went on sale, Mr. Younger said, but other buyers see the $650 add-on as unnecessary.
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/19/automobiles/19auto.html?ref=business?8dt&emc=d- - t

#574 of 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by sonatabean

Dec 19, 2006 (7:23 pm)

Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 7:12 pm)
That sort of news creeps me out.
 
Ever spent any time in a head-trauma unit? The kind where people will spend the rest of their days on a positive-pressure tracheal vent, drool off their chin, and no sense of anything-whatsoever-at-all?
 
Good old coup-countercoup brain injuries will do that.
 
Give me the airbags: I have no desire to have my brain popping around the inside of my head like Jiffy-pop in does the pan.

#575 of 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [backy] by micweb

Dec 20, 2006 (4:41 pm)

Replying to: backy (Dec 19, 2006 6:08 pm)
I'm not sure what's going on with the hatches in the Focus line. Production has already ceased on the slow selling wagon, and the 5 door hatchback is a slow seller.
 
The question is, don't they need more than just the sedan? They are admittedly introducing a 2 door coupe, and that could potentially threaten the 3 door hatch, but I have a coupe now (Cobalt) and can assure you and every other reader out there that you can't beat a hatchback for versatility - it's a "mini wagon."

#576 of 624 Re: Another nail in the Accent coffin: IIHS [micweb] by backy

Dec 20, 2006 (4:49 pm)

Replying to: micweb (Dec 20, 2006 4:41 pm)
I have a hatchback too and love it. I'd rather get a hatch for my next new car (the Accent SE was in the running, but not anymore!), but I don't absolutely have to have one because we also have a minivan. But maybe this is a good thread for the "Which Hatchbacks?" discussion...

#577 of 624 ... by muffin_man

Dec 24, 2006 (6:27 pm)

The new Accent and Rio are dead to me! (and I really liked that stupid Accent 3-dr...)

#578 of 624 Re: Edmunds Coverage [mononeo] by trendmonger

Oct 17, 2007 (8:58 am)

Replying to: mononeo (Mar 25, 2005 8:00 am)
How does 15 to MPG CTY sound. When this car gets anywhere near to a 10% differential to the reported 32MPG CTY I will only then consider stating anything positive about this vehicle.
 
The car is getting between 30 and 31 MPG HWY. I would not complain too much there but 15 MPG CTY.
 
We have performed Hyundai Service Center Oil/Filter Changes every 3 months and the 15/16 MPG CTY is just unacceptable.
 
DO NOT BUY unless you like poor gas performance.
my 2006 6 CYL Hyundai Tuscon AWD SUV has performed exactly the same in CTY driving since day 1.
 
I wish we bought a Toyota, Nissan or Honda in this car class for day today CTY driving.

Messages Page 58 of 63

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