2006 Hyundai Accent Brea CA

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We learned everything we needed to know about the new Hyundai Accent in thirty-one minutes. That's how long it took us to fight our way through downtown Chicago on a busy weekday.

With the Dan Ryan Expressway, the major artery through Chicago, under construction and wait times of up to ninety minutes, we were all ears when the Accent urged us to take surface streets instead. After all, this flyweight sedan is much more suited to stop-and-go traffic than the open road, thanks to its compact dimensions and urban-biased transmission gearing. Still, we were surprised to discover just how adept the Accent really is when it comes to high-density traffic.

Redesigned for 2006, the Accent picked up more mature styling this year. A stretched wheelbase and wider body improve the car's dimensions visually, and a lack of cheap gray plastic trim makes it look a bit less like a college-student special. As we dove into the city, the Accent's petite dimensions enabled it to slip through the narrow gaps afforded by lumbering buses and overzealous Chevy Tahoe drivers.

cubby kept our orange juice and maps in place as we navigated unfamiliar city streets. Hyundai goes the competition one better by offering a long list of standard equipment in the Accent, including front, side and side-curtain airbags.

Efficient power is provided by a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine. With continuously variable valve timing and 110 horsepower, this is not one of those crude four-bangers you might have come to expect from a low-end car, however. It's a smooth engine, thanks to dual overhead cam construction. Our Accent responded quickly to a gentle prod on the gas, and was up to the challenge of out-accelerating Chicago's aggressive taxicabs from light to light. The optional four-speed automatic transmission is geared to provide maximum acceleration from a stop up to about 45 miles per hour. This works great in the city, but isn't quite so successful on the freeway, where the large gap between second and third gear leaves the engine gasping for breath at just the time that you're reaching the end of the on-ramp and a Freightliner is bearing down on the Accent's stubby tail. Freeway speeds are possible, but take patience and a vigilant eye on the rear-view mirror. At least it's efficient; the EPA rates the Accent at 28/36.

Our tussle with Chicago traffic ultimately brought us to Lake Shore Drive, a winding, four- or five-lane beast that's not for the faint of heart. The Accent's MacPherson strut front and semi-independent rear suspension handled the high-speed curves without complaint, however. Rack and pinion steering makes this little car surprisingly communicative. Anti-lock brakes are also standard on the Accent despite the low price. Given the unpredictability of urban traffic, the Accent's four-wheel discs got tested more than once.

The race through traffic wasn't nearly as difficult as it could have been, and in just thirty-one short minutes, we made it through the city. The Accent proved to be a friendly and willing companion. This subcompact commuter is easy on the wallet as well, of course. Starting price on the Accent GLS (the only trim level offered) is $13,305, making it a more mature counterpoint to the similarly-priced, youth-oriented Scion xA. Hyundai's five-year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and ten-year powertrain coverage ensure factory support for a good many miles of commuting.