What a pleasant surprise from Hyundai. If the latest Sonata hinted at the direction the company was to take in the future, then the Accent is an in-your-face declaration from this Korean manufacturer that the days of selling shoddy, inept vehicles in the United States are over. The Accent is one of the better subcompacts in today's market.

However, you've got to pay for excellence, and the Accent is among the most expensive of its peers. Only the Toyota Tercel and Dodge/Plymouth Neon twins have higher sticker prices for comparably equipped vehicles.

In contrast, a Geo Metro sedan is a tad less pricey than the Accent. There is a reason for this; the Metro doesn't come standard with such niceties as rear window defogger, cargo area lighting, remote releases for the fuel door and trunk, or digital clock. Additionally, the Accent benefits from single-piece side stampings, which contribute to stiffer body rigidity, and a 92-horsepower engine that far outranks the top-line 70-horse motor provided in the Geo. Is the Hyundai worth the additional money over the Metro? Absolutely! The Metro feels a bit roomier, but the Accent offers more equipment and feels more solidly constructed than the tinny Geo.

Unfortunately for Hyundai, another South Korean automaker has entered the U.S. market, expanding rapidly during the past couple of years. Kia builds the Sephia sedan, and it is larger and more powerful than the Hyundai. The Sephia can be loaded to the gills for little more than the Accent, and looks more expensive than it really is in top-level trim. Sephia is also powered by a proven Mazda powerplant.

Aside from the putrid seat fabrics, childish paint schemes and funky smell associated with all new Hyundais, we like the Accent quite a bit. It's a great set of budget wheels, without the budget engineering or the budget equipment levels. Still, we recommend the Kia to those who live in parts of the country where the Sephia is currently sold.

1997 Highlights

In the absence of truly ground-breaking improvement, Hyundai revises trim levels, adding GS hatchback and GL sedan midrange models.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the 1997 Hyundai Accent.

Overall Consumer Rating

3.627 reviews

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5(22%)

4(41%)

3(15%)

2(22%)

1(0%)

Most helpful consumer reviews

Amazing car

andrewts,10/24/2010

In the 70,000 miles since I got the car,(it's at 156,000 at the moment) I've had to fix nothing but an 02 sensor and the timing belt/water pump. It's completely gutless, and not much bigger than a Geo Metro, but I've ranged from 35-42 MPG overall, the turn radius is crazy small, and it fits in any parking space. Plus, tires are dirt cheap. I got Bridgestone tires from Costco for $38

my second one

sunshinedays,11/28/2014

I had one in Korea for one year with 285,000 m on it, and tried to kill it before leaving. Couldn't. Having such a good experience with Korean cars, I bought a daewoo matiz (1998?) and drove that 100,000 miles without any incident until the rear axle packed it in. When returning stateside, went looking for a cheap ride, and found my second accent, and grabbed it at 2000$ after it had

My First Whip

ace2tyte,05/24/2008

Point a to point b... Thats it. Ive owned this car since it first hit the market and as far as maintenance, ive had no problems with it. The interior could be a little softer and the size iz torture. I really don't think tall people are supposed to drive it. No back seat space and barely any trunk space... But it does have good mileage

Accent GL 4 door sedan

reddy,08/12/2002

I bought my Hyundai 1997 with 50850 miles from a dealership .i get around 36-37 mpg on regular highway driving. I had a bad crash with the car.. The water pump was faulty. This was within the first week of me driving my car. I had the dealer look into it and engine gas casket had melted due to the heat. After that I have put 4000 miles on the car highway city driving

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Features & Specs

MPG

24 city / 33 hwy

Seats 0

5-speed manual

Gas

92 hp @ 5500 rpm

See all Used 1997 Hyundai Accent Sedan features & specs

Safety

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Side Impact Test
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Not Tested
IIHS Small Overlap Front Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test
0

More about the 1997 Hyundai Accent

Used 1997 Hyundai Accent Sedan Overview

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Should I lease or buy a 1997 Hyundai Accent?

Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.

Used 1997 Hyundai Accent Sedan

Hyundai Accent years