After years of looking at car prices, you grow immune to stick-er shock.
Then, one comes along that shocks you anyway.Not because the price is so high, but because it's so low.
At $9,899, the Hyundai Accent is holding its ground in a rising market. Even Toyota, the company that made its mark with small economy cars, is phasing out its entry level Tercel - not that $12,690 for the two-door is all that cheap.
An oil glut and a booming U.S. economy have erased fuel economy from consumers' radar screens, sharply reducing demand for subcompacts. Dealers are not clamoring to fill their lots with low-profit models when they can move pricier sedans and sport utility vehicles more quickly.
While the littlest cars have lost market share in the 1990s, they have actually been improving at the same time. The tinny little econoboxes of yesteryear have been replaced by quiet, comfortable notchbacks and hatchbacks with zippy engines and surprisingly high caliber furnishings.
All Hyundais are relatively inexpensive. But the Accent is the cheapest of the bunch. Available in three-door GS hatchback or four-door GL body styles, the Accent's trim levels also include the lowest priced L version or the $10,800 Gsi.
Standard equipment on the GS and GL include 5 mph bumpers, 13-inch tires, tinted windows, five-way adjustable driver's seat, 60/40 split folding rear seats, carpeting, tachometer, digital clock and center console with cup holders. Of the four trim levels, only the L lacks power steering.
The sportier GSI, which replaces the GT, features 14-inch tires, alloy wheels and a sport-tuned suspension along with power windows and mirrors. The rest of the trim includes spoiler, lower cladding, fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel and an optional moonroof.
The review model was a three-door GS with a $994 option package that combined air conditioning, floor mats, mud guards, cargo net and unnecessary spoiler. With freight and handling, the total came to $11,441, still a reasonable price.
For 1998 models, Hyundai updated front and rear designs and improved engine mounts and steering brackets to reduce vibration and noise.
Accent is surprisingly fun to drive. The 92 horsepower, 4-cylinder engine eagerly responds to the throttle and 5-speed stick transmission. You have to rev the engine pretty high to get brisk take-offs, but the process is not unpleasantly noisy. There is quite a bit of torque steer on hard takeoffs.
The 1.5 liter engine has three valves per cylinder - two intake and one exhaust valve. Even with the air conditioner running, power is adequate for passing on city streets. Like more expensive cars, the Accent comes with distributorless ignition and self-adjusting valves.
The manual transmission runs smoothly through the gears, but I had to struggle to get into reverse. If you're parking on a slope, make sure you left the car in gear with the parking brake on. A four-speed automatic is available as an option.
Fuel economy is excellent at 28 city and 36 highway miles per gallon for an estimated annual fuel cost of $585. The fuel tank holds 11.9 gallons of regular unleaded.
With a short, 94.5-inch wheelbase, the Accent corners briskly and whips easily into tight parking spaces.
The independent suspension includes front and rear stabilizer bars with coil springs on the corners. The wheels stay well planted even in hard maneuvers.
Brakes are power discs up front with drums in the rear. An antilock system is available as an option.
The hatchback comes with a rear window wiper to keep raindrops from obscuring vision. But the review car's rear wiper quit in mid-cycle for some reason. It's happened for me on other cars. It's more irritating when it's the front wipers.
When Hyundai first entered the U.S. market in 1986, the small cars looked just like the Japanese competitors and sold for noticeably lower prices. A lot of people probably did not realize that Hyundais came from South Korea, not Japan.
Total sales hit a phenomenal 168,882 in the first year, setting a record for an import buyer and making the company the first to score 1,000 sales per dealer in the 35 years tracked by Automotive News. But it did not take long for the wheels to come off, at least figuratively. Quality problems began to surface, and Hyundais began to take on a lemony tinge.
Now, Hyundai is fighting for respect with cars like the Accent and other new models. Consumer Reports magazine predicts average reliability for the 1998 Accent. The Car Book last year rated Accent's self-tuning engine as the lowest in maintenance costs in its class.
WHAT'S NEW: Bumper fascias, tail lamps, bodyside moldings, wheel covers, engine mounts, steering brackets.
PLUSES: Price, fuel economy, comfort, interior amenities.
MINUSES: Balky shift stick that resists reverse, rear window wiper that quit, Hyundai's past reputation.
BOTTOM LINE: Fun, cheap, comfortable transportation.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Facts and figures on '98 Hyundai Accent
INFOBOX: 1998 Hyundai Accent:
TYPE: Front-drive, 3-door, four passenger, subcompact hatchback.
PRICE: $9,899 base, $11,441 as tested.
WHERE BUILT: Ulsan, South Korea.
POWER: 1.5-liter, 12-valve, single overhead cam, 92-horsepower 4-cylinder engine with 5-speed manual transmission.
FUEL ECONOMY: 28 city, 36 highway mpg, 11.9 gallon tank, estimated annual fuel cost $585.
CHASSIS: Independent suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bars, power rack and pinion steering.
BRAKES: Power discs/drums.
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 161.5 x 63.8 x 54.9 inches.
WHEELBASE X TRACK: 94.5 x 55.9 inches.
CURB WEIGHT: 2,150 pounds.