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Used 1998 Hyundai Accent Consumer Reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
48 reviews

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We have a limited number of reviews for the 1998 Accent, so we've included reviews for other years of the Accent since its last redesign.

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4.38 out of 5 stars

Amazing car

andrewts, 10/24/2010
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
4 of 4 people found this review helpful

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 each.

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5 out of 5 stars

Great Car

Cyrus, 11/17/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful

no problems with 100000 miles on it

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4.5 out of 5 stars

100,000+ NO PROBLEMS ! Still Going!!

Drifus, 07/25/2003
1998 Hyundai Accent GSi 2dr Hatchback
3 of 3 people found this review helpful

This car has been no trouble. For less than 5 years old and 100000 + its been great. I have replace tires once, spark plugs once. Regular oil changes. This car has never been serviced other then what was mentioned. I have driven this car hard the whole time. (Shifting at 5500 rpms most of the time) If it can endure me like this car has I call it either a fluke or a great car. This car was in Minnesota for 4 years of its life and was wonderful in the snow.

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3.38 out of 5 stars

very reliable

slowlane, 07/25/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

My 97 GS has been ultra reliable. With 80K I can get 38 MPG on the highway with an autonatic! This car feels as though it can easily go another 5 yrs. Other than oil and filter changes, tires, and front brakes...just pads, there has been no additional costs. I could easily afford a $350 car note but can't justify it when my paid off little car won't give me a reason. This car has baan as reliable as any Toyota I have owned. I just wish for 30 more HP!

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3.63 out of 5 stars

Best car I have owned

ataylor13, 02/15/2014
1997 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I actually got this car from a friend due to my honda breaking down and I needed a car for school and work. It was completely not my style in a car, I would have never been interested in purchasing it before. BUT THEN I realized how amazing this car was after 6 months of owning it and not one problem/issue. Amazing on gas, never had to fix a thing in the car, the most reliable car I have ever owned. Even at 260,000 miles it commuted me 100 miles a day for over 6 months with NO ISSUES.

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4.5 out of 5 stars

great car

54, 12/03/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Love the car so much I have put two of my children into Hyundais. My son has a 2000 Accent and my daughter has a 2001 Accent.

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3.88 out of 5 stars

value for the bucks

santamc, 03/02/2003
1997 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

huge upgrade from the old "econo-boxes" of the '70's & '80's. biggest difference is the ride; comfortable seats, good suspendtion (sp.). no power steering is tough at times. I have over 135.000 miles on '97 and no oil consumption! good car for the money!

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4.38 out of 5 stars

my second one

sunshinedays, 11/28/2014
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

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 been cleaned up by a dealer. I have put 130,000 km on it in 3 years and haven't had to do anything except one front bearing. Parts are among the cheapest in the industry and I dont think I would buy anything not Korean for transportation unless I win the lottery. Better than any ford or chev I have owned.

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4.88 out of 5 stars

Unbelievable!

John, 06/08/2007
1997 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

When I read some of the negative reviews about this car, I think I must have linked to the wrong page. I bought this car brand new in 1997 for under 10K. I have driven it hard for 10 years, in all conditions and terrains. It has never once failed me or cost me more than miscellaneous maintenance money. The car handles great and is fun to drive. The interior and exterior look brand new after years, except where a kid hit a left fender playing street hockey. It now burns a little oil, but after 140K miles, it is forgiven.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

Great Value Car!

nevadahorn, 06/30/2003
1997 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Plain and Simple. This is a point A to point B car. No frills... but it's reliability has been tremendous. I have put 76K miles on my Hyundai in 6 years - and I have never had one mechanical problem with the car yet (knock on wood.) While friends have struggled at times with pricier and nicer cars, my Accent just goes and goes. And when you factor in that I paid 8K for it, it's been a great value.

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3.88 out of 5 stars

My First Whip

ace2tyte, 05/25/2008
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

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

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4.38 out of 5 stars

My first car, and 7 years later I may get another (99 accent)

thomson85, 05/09/2012
1998 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

My very first car, 1998 Hyundai Accent hatchback. I used an abused this car. Got it used with 80k and drove it up and down California; constantly going form Sacramento to San Diego and back and had 130k at the end. I'd rally, race, 130MPH on the freeway (downhill); I abused it. Only repair ever needed was a clutch replacement. I was a dumb 18 year old and at 19 I got rid of the car (junk yard) due to crashing it two times. My neglect, not the cars, it even drove to the junk yard. The hood wouldn't shut all the way from when I smacked into a curb doing 45mph, and the radiator was leaking due to rust from me never putting coolant in it, but just tap water. I wish I treated it better! :(

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4.88 out of 5 stars

Good 2nd car

indycolts, 03/01/2002
1998 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I bought this car for my wife 2 years ago. I've had nothing but good luck with this auto. The car averages over 28 mpg in town, the only complant I have is that I didnt buy one for her earler. Thanks, Ed

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5 out of 5 stars

The Green Monster

Edwin Ramos , 11/21/2019
1998 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I just had to get rid of my car due to some idiot in a pickup truck ran it to me when he didn't stop on time and also because it was raining. Best little car ever, I had it for almost 4 years and never gave me any problems at all. A real gas saver too, about 30 miles per gallon. Not built for speed but for economy, the only good thing about it is that now I might get me a new one. I would rather use my little old car than my wife's new SUV anytime. A lot of people put this cars down, don't know why but they're wrong. These cars are really good and dependable is you keep good care of them.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4.13 out of 5 stars

'97 Hyundai Accent GT

Toxa, 06/29/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GT 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

EXTREMELY RELIABLE: vehicle has over 100K now. The only things I ever had to change were battery, thermostat, battery cables and windshield washer pump. Very good handling and performance for the price. Very roomy inside. Durability of paint was very poor though, and the ride could be more comfortable. Also rather noisy, but it is normal for the class.

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3 out of 5 stars

Accent GL 4 door sedan

reddy, 08/12/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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 and not a single problem.. I wont recommend it or unrecommend. I yet have to drive it on the snow or test it on a long shot

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5 out of 5 stars

its been a pleasure...

oh-one, 10/06/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

My 97 accent manual hatchback L has babied me more than my mother. i owned good ole L-Swift Mckay from mile zero to mile 103,000. i reluctantly gave him up after 4yrs and 10mos of unadulterated dependability and perseverance.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

Value for Money

mkarias, 07/17/2003
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I bought my car in Sept 2002 with 33K. Although it will be a year, I only have about 37.5K. I mostly use it to drive to the bus stop. For a second car or commuter car, this is perfect. The only problems I had was the "check engine" light which the dealer had to replace the computer module. Had to go 3x before it was finally fixed. Great gas mileage. It is small so for a family, it is no good. I tried putting my 2 kids' child seats and it is tight. No power though when trying to accelerate especially if you have AC on.

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4.63 out of 5 stars

Accent is the best!

ELISSANB, 07/30/2003
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The 4 dr Accent was the best vehicle I have owned. It is so much fun to drive and has never given me any problems beyond routine maintenance. I have had my car for 4 years, and it will be hard to part with it.

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3.38 out of 5 stars

My 1st Car

Sweetiepie115, 02/17/2004
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I received my Hyundai as a graduation gift from high school. And in the 6 almost 7 years I had this car it has only had major work done to it 3x and I purchased it with 11k miles on it. The gas mileage is great considering this is my second vehicle. Overall I would buy another if they didnt depreciate value so quickly.

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3 out of 5 stars

You get what you pay for....

jbheath, 04/01/2004
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I bought this car close to two years ago, and I have yet to find a feature that stands out as anything special. If I were to drive only dowhill, or only in an area where the air conditioning was completely unneccesarry, I would enjoy the ride much more. Unfortunately, it sluggishly makes its way around, and it cannot take hills with the AC on. If you want to have fun on your way to work each morning, this car may not be for you.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

ok school car

rose2003, 05/23/2005
1997 Hyundai Accent GT 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The car was really fun to drive when i first bought it in 2002. I've had a problem with it eating tires. i have to put new tires on about every 3 months even when i buy expencive tires. i've had the alinement done and it still goes through tires. I've had to put an alternater in and replace a barring in one of the tires. Otherwise it has been fairly reliable i drive about 45 miles everyday for school and work. It gets about 32-35 mpg. so thats nice but it shakes really bad and there is a lot of noise when driving. it has 135,000 miles so i guess problems are to be expected.

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4.25 out of 5 stars

Not Bad

pjktj5, 07/15/2005
1997 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This is my first Hyundai, I bought it for me because I gave my wife my honda for the trade in value on it to use for a minivan since we are expecting our 3rd child in 11/05. The car runs great no major problems. Engine light comes on occasionaly, there is nothing wrong with the car it was a bad sensor an easy fix. It has 126k on it, with gas now over 2.30 a gallon this is a perfect car. NOT a speedy thing by any means but it does ride nice and smooth.

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4 out of 5 stars

Hyundai Accent 1997 GT

James from Boston, 03/15/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GT 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This is my third Accent(first was a 1997 hatch GS with 54,000 miles on it and no issues which later involved in an accident and totaled, second Accent owned a Hatch L purchased in 1999 with 40,000 miles on it...NO PROBLEMS AT ALL....still have it with 96,000mi), since then I have purchased a 1997 Accent GT. I owned a Grand Am in 86 & 92(when they redesigned it), and both cars had issues starting in the winter BRAND NEW...NEVER BUY ONE AGAIN.

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5 out of 5 stars

Hyundai is great buy!

coolpop, 04/01/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I was very lucky with my Hyundai Accent that I bought in 1997. Never had a single problem, only regular oil changes and maintenance. Now I am selling it for $3000, I think it's very reasonable. It has 60,000 miles on it. Gets great mileage, inexpensive tires, etc. Very reliable.

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3.38 out of 5 stars

Winter Beater

EricXJR37, 12/06/2009
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I bought this car at 284 000km , it has done its time , i paid 400$ only as a winter car. I have a RWD 320hp car in the summer , but i really like driving the Accent , there's no performance to it really , i have it as a 5spd manual and i really love it , it heats quick , handles corners well , so overall for a 1998 and the kms that's on it it doesn't burn oil and its tough.

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3.63 out of 5 stars

Decent little car

redfraggle, 06/17/2002
1998 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I had this car for 3 and a half years and overall had a good experience with it. It did have some annoying quirks (like the check engine light going on all the time when I first got the car), but overall it was a good value. Between 60 and 70000 miles I did have to bring it into the shop a few times for some pricey repairs, but I got over it. I had the car until recently when I hit a deer, and surprisingly walked away from the accident without a scratch. This was a great little starter car.

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4.25 out of 5 stars

great car

steelmonkey, 12/05/2002
1998 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I bought this car in 1998 with less than 2000 miles on it. I am a construction worker and I have to travel a lot. It held up for the whole 4 years without a problem. It started every day without fail. It has sure seen a lot of construction sites that were not to favorable. Old faithful made it thru everything!! It gets 33 mpg without fail. I am very sad to have to part with it. It now has 85000 miles on it. The only reason I have to sell it is because I have outgrown the car. Too many tools now. The daughter is driving it now. Then it will go to my son to drive. Thanks Hyundai for a great little car.

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5 out of 5 stars

My Review

Tony Bonelli, 12/28/2002
1998 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Stylish yet economical. The engine has guts on the road yet gets almost 40 mpg. I drive long hours and find it extremely comfortable. The sound system is great.

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4 out of 5 stars

A Good Car for a Great Price

yaconjo, 02/24/2003
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Hyundai Accent is a great little car for the price. It has a secure, relatively quiet and comfortable ride, is great on gas mileage, and has a solid feel and construction. A great second car for local commuting.

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3.63 out of 5 stars

Good fuel economy. Bad parts

Adriana, 07/11/2003
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Nice design and economy with bad quality parts. After 56K miles, the (automatic) transmission went out and the resale price is too bad, so it is not worth to fix it. I am now looking for a more reliable vehicle (not a Hyundai). Maybe later models are better or at least the warranty will cover something like this.

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4.25 out of 5 stars

best bang for the money

trig514, 12/05/2004
1998 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Love my accent, Great mileage and fun to drive

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4.88 out of 5 stars

Great car with good economy

Petr Bastar, 06/29/2005
1998 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Bought it new, runs great, never a breakdown. Still gets 30+ MPG and has no mechanical problems. The manual trasmission is great, only wish it was synchronized, sometimes hard to get into reverse. Love the rack and pinnion steering as I have a great feel for the road conditions and traction that way. A Hyundai customer for life now.

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3.75 out of 5 stars

riding an accent

dumzhit, 07/25/2006
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This is the second time I have hyundai, and basically they are worth its value, specially this one. still there are some flaws like in every car. I liked it. it's not a powerful car, it's more like for a smooth ride, going to the shopping center, or somewhere where you will not be in a rush. it does has space in there, I fitted a lot of things by just pulling the back seat down. the lights are good looking. my point is that the car is worth the money I spent.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

Good first car

Bullah, 10/18/2004
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I bought my Accent brand new in 1998. I crashed in 2000 and brought it back to life. Since then I have changed the transmission, but I later found out after 2 other transmissions gave the same problem that the problem was electronic. All in all it has been a good car with fairly decent gas mileage and a lot of speed when it gets going on the island roads.

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4.75 out of 5 stars

One of the Best Cars I've Owned

Chad, 03/16/2005
1998 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great Car - yes it had minor problems with cheap pieces of plastic breaking on the cup holders, etc. As long as you keep the oil changed and maintain the car it will treat you well. At 120K miles the transmission went out. For a couple years I lived in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains - I think it was too much strain on the car.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

Fun to drive, reliable if taken care of

GyroVorbis, 01/25/2007
1998 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Accent was my first car. It has been through tons of abuses. It recently started acting up, so we took it into the dealer to find that the spark plug wires had been wrong and the transmission fluid was wrong for over a year. The car had held up pretty well for quite sometime even with all this crap wrong with it. It's pretty impressive actually. It's a small car, but it delivers plenty of power for the fuel economy. I have no problems going over 100mph in this rig. It's one of the most fun cars I've ever driven. I just hope to god my transmission issues will get fixed.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

A Love Affair

Cherry, 01/28/2007
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I bought my 1998 Hyundai Accent hatchback in 1999 with 11k miles on it. I wanted something compact,with good gas mileage, and above all, reliablity. If you don't care too much about bells and whistles, this is the car for you. No, you won't be impressed with highway performance or torque. No, you won't be impressed with the plasticy look of the inside. But, you will be impressed with the reliability of the car. I've now owned it for 8 years, it's at 192k miles (I use to do delivery jobs), and it's become the old beat-up teddy bear that I can't seem to part from. I've had only 2 bigger repairs on it. I waiting for it to die but it doesn't seem to want to do it any time soon. Love this car!!

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1.5 out of 5 stars

NEVER AGAIN

April, 01/19/2008
1998 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
1 of 2 people found this review helpful

This car is not worth the gas you put into it. At 70,000 miles, it totally fell apart. It would have cost more to fix it than what it was worth. The axles needed to be replaced. The engine block cracked. The exterior door handles broke off of it. I mean, really, the door handles?! The list goes on, but I don’t have enough characters to tell about each one. When it was working, it could barely go up the freeway ramp. It didn't like going above 50 mph. All around a piece of junk!

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1.88 out of 5 stars

Never again

almerinda00, 08/16/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Nothing but problems. This car really put a bad taste in my mouth toward all Hyundai vehicles. I would never buy another one.

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2.25 out of 5 stars

bad car

Kitty, 10/29/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Vehicle skids awfully .Brakes dont work when you are starting off down a slope. Cannot climb upslopes or hills. Engine starts to heat up . Other things are ok except when u put it to test for extremems.

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2.25 out of 5 stars

What a piece of junk

bultaco, 02/09/2003
1997 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Constantly breaking down. Water pump, clutch, power steering, window seals, window cranks. You get what you pay for!

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2.25 out of 5 stars

eh, it was cheap at least!

Hyundaiguy, 04/14/2004
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
0 of 2 people found this review helpful

sux, period. What else can you say. We needed a car and this was the least we could spend on 4 moving wheels at the time.

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1.88 out of 5 stars

Hyundai is a big mistake

redsphinx, 03/11/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 2 people found this review helpful

I made the mistake of buying a Hyundai Accent brand new with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. At 40,000 miles, the entire car just fell apart.I spent over $2,000 repairing the car in six months.A go-cart is more powerful and reliable than any Hyundai. Plus the resale value of this car makes it a horrible investment. I recently purchased a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am and am very satisfied.I feel sorry for anyone that just bought a Hyundai.

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2.25 out of 5 stars

bad car

kitty, 10/29/2002
1997 Hyundai Accent GL 4dr Sedan
0 of 2 people found this review helpful

Vehicle skids awfully .Brakes dont work when you are starting off down a slope. Cannot climb upslopes or hills. Engine starts to heat up . Other things are ok except when u put it to test for extremems.

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2.63 out of 5 stars

A good car at first

pebbles, 10/09/2002
1998 Hyundai Accent L 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

A good car at first, but then started to have major problems after 3 1/2 years of having it. The transmission went out. Right now I am looking to get a more reliable vehicle. My advice to whoever buys this car is to buy the new ones that is "1999 and up with the warranty of 100,000 miles for 10 years, whichever comes first. Do not buy this car that does not have that warranty because you will be in the same sort of situation I am currently in.

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2.88 out of 5 stars

I like it, but my son and girl dont'

doctor ed, 01/04/2003
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

I inherited this car from my elderly mom. I've put a good 35,000 miles on it. I like it, but my son calls it the "clown car" because it's small and purple. The engine died at 59,400 miles, only 600 miles before the warranty expired. The sheet metal is pretty thin. I removed some dents with the palm of my hand! My experience is good enough to seriously consider a new Santa Fe soon.

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1.75 out of 5 stars

Not Happy (Throw away car)

Not Happy, 06/11/2006
1998 Hyundai Accent GS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

This car only lasted me a year. I bought this car for $2,500 on a payment plan and on my last payment the transmission went out. It went forwards but not backwards. I wasted money. When I go to car menchanics they tell me it's not worth fixing because the parts are too expensive and hard to find. I got oil changes and tuneups regurlary and it still broke down on me. It's hard to try and trade this car in because the dealerships want to only give you a couples of hundred dollars for this piece of garbage.

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