Hey Hyundai owners and fans,
I'm considering in the next six-seven months replacing my 2005 Ford Focus hatchback. It's been a fantastic car; stylish in bright yellow (which I love!), roomy, comfy, mostly reliable (from a Focus!!), and drives so nicely with great handling and good power. It's just getting to the age that a few things are wearing (mainly power equipment) and it could very well be a slippery slope to endless repairs. I feel, after having it for the five years since I bought it used, that I've gotten good use out of it.
Since I live in LA and only drive about 4k miles a year (work is in walking distance), I am just looking for a small car that is somewhat quirky, has a manual transmission, comfy for my 6'4 frame, affordable, fuel-efficient, reliable, handles well, and am excited to own my first new car!!! . I do plan on keeping this next car for at least 10 years. After lots of research and a few dealer visits, I've narrowed it down to three cars.
I'm considering also the Mitsubishi Mirage and Chevy Sonic- I really like the Mirage for its honest-to-goodness simplicity (I love little three-cylinder cars, and own a Daihatsu, as well as a Justy and Metro in the past), excellent fuel economy, features for the money, and long warranty. There's just an unexplainable charm to the car that draws me to it. However, Mitsubishi's questionable future, the Mirage's driving dynamics, and overall refinement are a concern.
The Sonic seems like a good overall package with comparable pricing and specifications as the Accent, plus the fact that it's made in the US and helps the local economy gives it big bonus points. I've rented one and it turned out to be a good little car that felt similar to my Focus. However, I'm very hesitant in buying a Chevy and don't feel confident in its reliability. I had an almost new Aveo back in 2004 and it was dreadful. Not only did it break down often, but Chevy's customer service was awful and I'm unsure of giving them a second chance.
I've had a lot of experience with Hyundais, having owned a 2000 Elantra back in 2002 and a 2002 Elantra GT back in 2003-2004. At that time they were still the punchline of jokes but both were bulletproof and proved to be the most reliable cars I've owned. I even recommended Hyundai to my skeptical parents back in 2003 and they bought a new Santa Fe. Eleven years and 140k miles later, they still have it and it has never given them any trouble (a contrast to the Pontiacs they owned before) and now they swear by Hyundai for life. Naturally for my next purchase, I looked the Accent and like it's roominess, styling, power, fuel economy, even the odd blue backlit buttons, pricing, warranty, and of course, piece of mind. I continually heard stories at the recent LA Auto Show at the "Hyundai Lounge" and owners all were so excited to say how well their cars have held up.
My main concern with the Accent after test driving one is that the rear visibility is bad in the hatch, and a near deal-breaker for me is that the spare tire is not offered. I would never own a car without a spare as I do drive occasionally to my parents in a remote mountainous area with rougher roads and no cell phone reception. Getting a side puncture or shredded tire could be dire out there. I almost crossed the Accent off the list, but since I like the rest of the car so much ,thought it was worth a try to go on here and hear your stories and possibly find out if a spare can indeed be added.
I've already got my ideal Accent pictured; an SE hatch with manual in either marathon blue, electrolyte green, or boston red. I love having cruise, so the SE is the way to go if I choose the Hyundai
I guess my hopes from this is to hear your ownership experiences so far and see how problematic (if at all) your Accent has been. Also, did any of you face the same decision when looking at the competition? I think it's a great car, but its got some worthy contenders and needs a spare tire.
Ryan
I'm considering in the next six-seven months replacing my 2005 Ford Focus hatchback. It's been a fantastic car; stylish in bright yellow (which I love!), roomy, comfy, mostly reliable (from a Focus!!), and drives so nicely with great handling and good power. It's just getting to the age that a few things are wearing (mainly power equipment) and it could very well be a slippery slope to endless repairs. I feel, after having it for the five years since I bought it used, that I've gotten good use out of it.
Since I live in LA and only drive about 4k miles a year (work is in walking distance), I am just looking for a small car that is somewhat quirky, has a manual transmission, comfy for my 6'4 frame, affordable, fuel-efficient, reliable, handles well, and am excited to own my first new car!!! . I do plan on keeping this next car for at least 10 years. After lots of research and a few dealer visits, I've narrowed it down to three cars.
I'm considering also the Mitsubishi Mirage and Chevy Sonic- I really like the Mirage for its honest-to-goodness simplicity (I love little three-cylinder cars, and own a Daihatsu, as well as a Justy and Metro in the past), excellent fuel economy, features for the money, and long warranty. There's just an unexplainable charm to the car that draws me to it. However, Mitsubishi's questionable future, the Mirage's driving dynamics, and overall refinement are a concern.
The Sonic seems like a good overall package with comparable pricing and specifications as the Accent, plus the fact that it's made in the US and helps the local economy gives it big bonus points. I've rented one and it turned out to be a good little car that felt similar to my Focus. However, I'm very hesitant in buying a Chevy and don't feel confident in its reliability. I had an almost new Aveo back in 2004 and it was dreadful. Not only did it break down often, but Chevy's customer service was awful and I'm unsure of giving them a second chance.
I've had a lot of experience with Hyundais, having owned a 2000 Elantra back in 2002 and a 2002 Elantra GT back in 2003-2004. At that time they were still the punchline of jokes but both were bulletproof and proved to be the most reliable cars I've owned. I even recommended Hyundai to my skeptical parents back in 2003 and they bought a new Santa Fe. Eleven years and 140k miles later, they still have it and it has never given them any trouble (a contrast to the Pontiacs they owned before) and now they swear by Hyundai for life. Naturally for my next purchase, I looked the Accent and like it's roominess, styling, power, fuel economy, even the odd blue backlit buttons, pricing, warranty, and of course, piece of mind. I continually heard stories at the recent LA Auto Show at the "Hyundai Lounge" and owners all were so excited to say how well their cars have held up.
My main concern with the Accent after test driving one is that the rear visibility is bad in the hatch, and a near deal-breaker for me is that the spare tire is not offered. I would never own a car without a spare as I do drive occasionally to my parents in a remote mountainous area with rougher roads and no cell phone reception. Getting a side puncture or shredded tire could be dire out there. I almost crossed the Accent off the list, but since I like the rest of the car so much ,thought it was worth a try to go on here and hear your stories and possibly find out if a spare can indeed be added.
I've already got my ideal Accent pictured; an SE hatch with manual in either marathon blue, electrolyte green, or boston red. I love having cruise, so the SE is the way to go if I choose the Hyundai
I guess my hopes from this is to hear your ownership experiences so far and see how problematic (if at all) your Accent has been. Also, did any of you face the same decision when looking at the competition? I think it's a great car, but its got some worthy contenders and needs a spare tire.
Ryan