
The Excel won Australia's heart with price and style. The Accent is more expensive and more conservative - but shows Hyundai has learned from its mistakes. It has closed the gap on its Japanese rivals and is now a worthy contender.

The Accent continues the Excel's ability to provide the space of a larger (read, $20,000-odd) hatchback at a much lower price.
There is also a huge improvement in refinement and on-road manners, with the singular exception of the gearshift quality.
In GS trim the Accent is well-equipped for the extra $3000, but opt for the cheaper $14,990 drive-away version and you'll still be buying a better Hyundai hatch than history indicates was ever likely to happen.

Cheap price, cheap drive is the usual proposition in small car territory.
Mitsubishi's Mirage has held the top spot for quite a while because it defies this maxim - on the road, it feels like more than $14,990's worth. The Excel didn't - but the Accent certainly does.
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