HYUNDAI Accent

LOOKS . Weird
PERFORMANCE . Hardly
HANDLING . Wobbly
AMBIANCE . Pleasant
COMFORT . Short
QUALITY . K-Martian
STEREO . Perky
FUN TO DRIVE . Almost
GADGET FACTOR . Standard
HEADS TURNED . Mods
EMOTION . Spunky
CACHET . Purple Cocoon

SPECIFICATIONS

Martian Cart

Gotta chuckle at this one, trippy, space car styling, ovoid and morphed and a super purple paint job. A funny, friendly face if I ever saw one. Fun colors rarely appear these days in committeethink corporate rainbows, so right off I started liking this metallic extrovert. Kind of "Hello Kitty" in a car. Hyundai has taken a turn for the Toyota in the quality department, after failing to Excell in this area with earlier models. The Accent feels solid and the bits, pieces and materials set a high standard for this price class. So we start the hand with 2 aces, personality and value

The rest of the cards come more lowly. Right off, there is no get off, as it were, since the 92 horses are tiny ponies. Strangled by the bridle of the automatic to boot, this cute little bug really crawls up the steeper slopes of the city by the bay. Not cool. Cornering is not boring, I can assure you, but not very reassuring either so we settle on a snails pace. Not for the racer. That's it for the bitchy side

For the patient among us the Accent can be a more pleasurable experience. It is loaded with nifty extras and safety features, has a comfortable ride and a cozy interior. Set up with a 5 speed, the power is probably adequate and the economy a steady positive. Parking is easy and your friends won't mind the back seat, cross-town shuttle. The Accent is a carnival ride, bright, alive and exhilarating. A not-imposing mini machine that stresses the visual, if not the physical feeling of sportiness inherent in the compact car. If you enjoy the whimsical looks and don't mind the modest performance, put the Accent on spontaneity.

REXX TAYLOR