Affordability is “becoming more and more of an issue” in the South African new-car market, “especially if the interest rate goes up between 0.5% and 2% before the end of 2014”, says Hyundai Automotive South Africa (HASA) marketing director Stanley Anderson.
Consumers counting their money is one of the reasons for the introduction of the new Accent hatchback onto the local market. The other is that the new model allows customers denied finance on the more expensive Hyundai i30 hatchback to consider the Accent hatchback as an alternative.
“Previously, the offering down from that was the i20, which is too small, if you looked at the i30,” says Anderson.
“We saw a gap in the market we could fill through pricing and size,” he adds. “New models also keep the momentum going in the network.”
HASA currently sells around 350 to 400 Accent sedans a month.
Pricing for the Accent hatchback starts at R234 900, and Anderson expects it to compete with the likes of the Toyota Auris, the Kia Cerato and the Honda Jazz.
The two derivatives – the 1.6 Fluid manual, with six-speed gearbox, and the 1.6 Fluid, with four-speed automatic trans-mission – are powered by a four-cylinder 1.6 ∙ Gamma engine, which is transverse-mounted to drive the vehicle through the front wheels.
The petrol-injection engine delivers maximum power of 91 kW at 6 300 rpm and peak torque of 156 Nm at 4 200 rpm.
A combined fuel consumption figure of 6.4 ∙/100 km has been recorded for the manual Accent hatchback, while the automatic delivers average fuel consumption of 6.8 ∙/100 km.
Features on the hatchback include steering wheel audio remote controls, air conditioning, a rear park-assist system, central locking, electric side mirrors, electric windows and iPod/USB/Aux ports in the centre console that allow multimedia devices to be connected and played through the audio system.
Integrated Bluetooth functionality enables the driver and passengers to make phone calls and stream music wirelessly though the audio system.
A 60:40 split rear seat back makes it possible to extend the standard luggage area of 370 ∙.
Driver and passenger airbags, complemented by side and curtain airbags and seatbelt pretensioners for the driver and front passenger, provide passive safety for the occupants of the Accent hatchback.
Active safety is provided by an antilock braking system and electronic brake-force distribution.
The vehicle is sold with a five-year/150 000 km warranty, a five-year/90 000 km service plan and a five-year/150 000 km roadside assistance package.
Service intervals are at 15 000 km.