New 2026 Hyundai Accent MSRP, Redesign, Interior
New 2026 Hyundai Accent MSRP, Redesign, Interior – At first sight, it appears like they downsized a Hyundai Sonata, which is perfectly good. The New 2026 Hyundai Accent is a little automobile (technically, compact), but it’s also rather attractive. It’s bold. Blocky. Edgy. Nobody is likely to claim it looks “precious”. It resembles a large automobile, but is smaller in size.
At the time of writing, the all-new-for-New 2026 Accent was the freshest, newest, and most recently redesigned car on the market in its class, and consumers looking for the latest from the vast broad world of inexpensive automobiles should put it on their test drive list.
New 2026 Hyundai Accent Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior and Interior
At low speeds, a feather-light steering feel and relatively small turning circle make Accent a cinch to manoeuvre around parking spaces and to zip through traffic in crowded areas. At highway speeds, your writer wished the steering was a touch heavier to help lock the car more firmly into place within its lane, and to reduce the need to issue corrections to its position. Engaging the “sport” drive mode recalibrates the steering (among other things), which seems to help.
A few other notes. The tested GLS-grade Accent flaunted some must-have upscale feature content. Favourites included (very powerful, like seriously) heated seats, a heated steering wheel finished in the sort of creamy-smooth leather that wouldn’t feel out of place in a twice-the-price ride, and Android Auto functionality, which effectively upscales key smartphone interfaces (including the “talk to Google” Android Assistant voice command system, and Google Maps), into the main screen. Elsewhere, the central command interface is straightforward, responsive, and highly logical to use. The Accent also heats up appreciably fast when it’s very cold outside, and I can confirm that it starts like a champ without being plugged in overnight, even at 25 below. New 2026 Hyundai Accent MSRP
New 2026 Hyundai Accent Specs
Brakes perform well in emergency stops. When engaged, the ABS system is a little noisy but smooth, and pulls the Accent down from speed quickly and with little drama or squirming. The action at the pedal is more precise than the norm in this segment – often a feeling like the braking system is made of wet shoelaces and cheese-whiz. Seems like engineers worked the brake pedal out to inspire confidence when a fast stop is required, and even on snow and ice, Accent pulls down from speed with appreciable urgency, in a straight line, and without making a scene.
Note that the tester was wearing quality winter tires. Without these, you’re about 734 percent more likely to skid into a bus or ditch during an emergency stop instead. There’s a similarly fine-tuned feel to the handling. Should drivers find occasion to push the Accent a little on some winding roads, it performs eagerly within a wide comfort zone. Again, and like the brakes, it’s a touch more responsive and fine-tuned than average. Drivers who appreciate tidy handling and an alert and eager feel will appreciate the setup.
Engine and Performance
Power comes from a 1.6L four-cylinder engine with a strong-for-its-size 132 hp. This year, some tweaks expand the range at which the bulk of the engine’s torque is available. From the driver’s seat, this means more responsiveness at lower speeds, and stronger, quieter responsiveness more of the time during gentle driving.
Punch it, and Accent is relatively peppy. Most shoppers will find performance to be adequate or better. Be careful with your speed on the highway: here’s one of those cars that can easily sneak past the limit on the sly if you’re not using the cruise control. The Accent has enough grunt, even if the sound doesn’t back it up: pushed hard, the engine sounds like it’s working harder than my heart after downing a family-sized bacon cheeseburger poutine. New 2026 Hyundai Accent MSRP
Most of the time, you don’t even realize the six-speed automatic transmission is doing anything, since shifts are velvet-smooth and typically occur at low revs, where the engine isn’t yet making much noise. That’s a good thing, since the transmission often toggles heartily between fifth and sixth gear on the highway. Sixth gear keeps cruising revs down in the interest of your fuel bill but is only available when the Accent is under very light load. As such, even a slight hill or headwind triggers a downshift. There’s a lot of shifting going on while you cruise, but if you’re not watching the tachometer, you’d hardly ever know.
New 2026 Hyundai Accent Fuel Economy
Accent’s mega-stiff structure enables a quieter ride, since the stiffened-up body resists deflecting over bumps which can pump air throughout the cabin and create a dull, drumming noise. It’s not Cadillac quiet, but head down a rough road, and it’s decently muted, with no rattles, and no sensation of flimsiness. Even at a good clip, it’s hush enough for front-seat pals to chat without voice raising.
On most roads, noise levels are kept nicely within limits. On the same rough roads that make some affordable cars feel like delicate rattle-traps, Accent feels hearty and sturdy, and ride quality remains fairly consistent. That’s because of another AHSS benefit: the stiffened structure allows engineers to more precisely tune the suspension that it rides on. So, for noise levels, and often ride quality, Accent typically feels like a bigger and heavier car. New 2026 Hyundai Accent MSRP
New 2026 Hyundai Accent Safety Features
By building this super-steel themselves, Hyundai can use more of it, on the cheap, in the construction of cars like the new Accent. There are benefits, relating to the fact that AHSS is strong and light. One of these is that, by building key parts of the car’s skeleton from it, you wind up with a car that’s stronger and more rigid, but without becoming obese and heavy like a prenatal rhinoceros who enjoys routine poutines. Actually, the latest Accent is loads stronger and more rigid than its predecessor, and bigger, but only about 10 kg heavier.
You can’t see the Accent’s AHSS, though you can feel some of the benefits on a test drive. Most of these relate to refinement, ride quality, and noise levels. (For a quick demonstration of how AHSS works, be sure to watch the introduction of our video review.) New 2026 Hyundai Accent MSRP
New 2026 Hyundai Accent Price and Release Date
his particular Accent is the “Sport Appearance Package” trim which includes all the features of the mid-range GL and adds sunroof, fog lights and 16-inch alloy wheels. The GL model’s base price is $17,799, the Sport Appearance Package is $18,849, a $1,050 difference.
We’ve already talked about the enormous changes small cars have undergone, in our recent subcompact comparison test, and in virtually every review in this segment for the last couple of years. Small vehicle segments have been exploding in popularity, and stiff competition has injected new levels of quality and innovation into manufacturer’s most basic offerings. New 2026 Hyundai Accent MSRP
