The previous generation Accent didn’t elicit much of a wow-factor response for its design or for its power, which came from a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that delivered 110 horsepower and 106 pounds- feet of torque. As an all-new entry, the 2012 version gains looks and pep. The safety list on the new Accent includes such standards as six airbags (including curtain airbags for front and rear seat occupants), four-wheel disc brakes, and front seat active head restraints to help prevent whiplash. The five-door Accent has an overall length of 162 inches, providing the vehicle with scads of interior space. Accent’s wheelbase jumped from 98.4 inches to 101.2 inches, and its body is now 22 percent stiffer than the prior vehicle.

With a new 1.6-liter gasoline direct injection engine, the Accent puts an accent on power. Instead of the 2011 model’s lackluster 110 horsepower, the new engine’s output is 138 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 123 pounds-feet of torque at 4850 rpm. The new engine is also 40 pounds lighter than the last engine. Accent’s powerplant is paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The five-door Accent SE whether equipped with the manual or with the automatic transmission collects estimated mpg of 30 city and 40 highway. (That 40 mpg is 18 percent higher than the manual transmission-fitted 2011 Accent’s estimated 34 mpg highway rating.) The 2012 Accent SE with the manual transmission has a MSRP of $15,795.