2003 Hyundai Accent Review

For 2003, the base single overhead cam 1.5-liter engine is dropped from the L hatchback; all Accents now come with the dual-overhead cam 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder. The 1.6 is rated at 104 horsepower -- a drop of only one horsepower following Hyundai's September 2002 announcement that it had misstated engine outputs across the board. Note that the engine itself is unchanged. In other news, all Accents get a facelift this year. In front, you'll see a new bumper, grille, hood and headlight assemblies, and in the back, the bumper, rear quarter panels and taillight units are new.

A decent buy for those determined to own a brand-new car with full-warranty coverage, though we'd encourage prospective owners to shop the used car market before closing the deal.