The 2001 HYUNDAI ACCENT- A first new car for people is an exciting experience. However inflation has hurt that experience with prices of a new car getting well above the 15K mark. What are you to do? Buy a car that is reliable, good looking, safe, and very new. Introducing the new Hyundai Accent GL, whose low price gets you a lot of Brand-New Car. With a base price of under $10,000 for the premium GL sedan, there are not many people that can complain. And with a spectacular warranty accompanying that, even brand-new problems won't be a problem.

This car combines an impeccable price with a what-you-need attitude on performance. It boast an aesthetically pleasing style, with plenty of lee-way to give the driver confidence in every turn of the key.

A radical makeover for 2000 gave the Accent a 1.6-inch-longer wheelbase and almost 2 inches of extra width, making it roomier for front and rear passengers. Other changes, including a stouter cowl cross bar, hydraulic engine mounts, and a new front subframe, increase chassis stiffness, reduce vibration, and help quiet the passenger compartment. A restyle of the interior boasts a cleaner and more modern look, and firmer seats and ergonomic instruments only add to the pleasure.

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The list of the standards on this sedan rivals most others: Included are AM/FM/cassette sound system, rear window defroster, fold-away heated outside mirrors, and variable intermittent windshield wipers. The premium GL variant, available only in sedan, brings a tachometer, tinted glass, and remote trunk release. Top options include air conditioning, power windows/mirrors/locks, and an up-level stereo with compact disc player. Even this only bumped its $9699 base price to a still impressively low $11,493.

The spectacular price did come at a cost, however. With less-than-flashy performance capability, the Accent's SOHC 1.5-liter still makes only 92 horsepower. Even with an aggressive launch and rapid shifts of its five-speed manual, that translates to a sluggish 10.9-second 0-60-mph time. A stronger block and new crankshaft with eight counterweights does, however, add smoothness and quietness. With a ride you'd expect from an economy car, no one will confuse it for a sport sedan. Also, some disturbing brake fade on the way to a less-than-stellar 141-foot, 60-0-mph stop was noticed.

A Some might contend the Accent's leading feature is what Hyundai calls "America's best warranty". It consists of limited bumper-to-bumper coverage for five years/60,000 miles, 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage, and 24-hour roadside assistance for five years. Those numbers, coupled with its super-friendly sticker price, should go a long way toward putting this Brand-New Car within the aspiration-and financial reach-of virtually every American family.

This car combines an impeccable price with a what-you-need attitude on performance: It boast an aesthetically pleasing style, with plenty of lee-way to give the driver confidence in every turn of the key. The truth being there could be a lot to gripe about if you start to nit-pick, however let us not forget that this an economy car that provides a lot of useful features for a sticker price that less than some riding lawn-mowers. AZ/AutoNetDirect.com

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