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2000 Hyundai Accent
by Rick Smith
The "Hyundai Advantage" warranty includes limited bumper-to-bumper coverage for five years or 60,000 miles. When I saw other new Hyundai vehicles on the road in traffic, I asked the driver why they bought the car. "Warranty" was the first word out of their mouths.
24-hour roadside assistance is included at no extra charge for 5 years without a mileage limit. This assistance includes emergency towing, lock-out service and limited coverage for trip-interruption expenses.
Original buyers get a limited powertrain warranty of 10 years or 100,000 miles. It remains in force during ownership transfer to other family members.
If the vehicle is sold, the powertrain is backed by a 5 year, 60,000 mile warranty.
Anti-perforation ("rust through") coverage is provided for five years or 100,000 miles.
Coverages carry NO deductible.
Supercomputers were used by Hyundai engineers to make the basic structure of the Accent stronger and more rigid.
The reinforced A and B pillars are now stiffer and stronger for additional protection and have been injected with foam for additional protection and vibration reduction.
The cross cowl bar has been strengthened to prevent steering wheel vibration and the side sills, center panel and roof structures have been upgraded to minimize noise and vibration.
Doors use double seals to minimize wind noise and floor panels use special vibration absorbing materials to reduce interior noise level.
The 2000 Hyundai Accent is longer and wider than the previous generation Accent. The wheelbase has been increased by 1.6 inches (now 96.1 inches) and the width is now nearly 2 inches wider.
The halogen headlamps have been redesigned to project a wider, longer beam with a more uniform distribution of beam pattern. This makes nighttime visibility better.
The new grille and front air dam were designed to channel more cooling air into the radiator and engine compartment, as well as provide new styling.
The roofline is higher near the front of the car to provide more driver/front passenger headroom and a sportier look.
The slim A pillars provide increased visibility for the driver.
The driver's outside power mirror is heated and has been redesigned to reduce noise and improve aerodynamics. Both the driver and passenger mirrors are "fold away" - This is handy if you get a bit too close to the side of your garage opening.
A Bosch Seven engine management system is used to control the engine.
The 2000 Accent uses a revamped Hyundai 1500cc single overhead cam, 12 valve engine with a 10 to 1 compression ratio
Roller rocker arms, multi-port fuel injection and direct fire distributorless ignition are some of the engine's high tech features.
Two knock sensors are used to monitor engine performance.
92 horsepower @ 5,500 RPM and 97 lb.-ft of torque @ 4,000 RPM is delivered by this engine.
The engine cylinder heads are aluminum and feature pentroof style combustion chambers and maintenance-free hydraulic valve-lash adjusters.
The engine block has vertical webs and contoured surfaces for added rigidity.
The crankshaft has eight counterweights for smoother operation.
The engine is mounted to the chassis via hydraulic engine mounts.
Changes made to engine in the 2000 model results in a 3 decibel decrease in cabin noise from the previous model.
The exhaust manifold and catalytic assembly has a one piece welded construction for less "rattling" noise and greater reliability.
The gear ratios of the standard five speed have been revised from previous models.
The automatic transmission is computer controlled to allow the transaxle to adapt to differing driving situations and when necessary the transmission can skip a downshift which reduces the number of shifts when decelerating. The adaptive logic can delay upshifts and reduce "hunting" when going uphill. We reviewed the 5 speed manual transmission and it worked quite well in hilly, twisty terrain of western Pennsylvania, as well as the streets of New York and Chicago.
The 2000 Accent has advanced four-wheel independent suspension.
The front suspension has MacPherson struts and offset coil springs with an anti-roll bar.
The caster angle has been increased and the suspension geometry has been optimized to reduce "nose lift" while accelerating and "nose dive" when braking.
The new front sub-frame helps reduce road noise and improve safety in frontal collisions.
The rear suspension has a dual link design with coil springs and an anti-roll bar to provide improved ride quality and better handling.
The rear roll center height has been increased for 2000 to improve road holding capability.
Power assisted, dual diagonal braking system is standard in the 2000 Hyundai.
Ventilated disc brakes are in front and self-adjusting drum brakes are in the rear.
The brake booster size increases to 9 inches which improves brake pedal feel.
An anti-lock brake system with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) is an available option. The EBD acts like a brake booster and is highly effective for braking on wet or slippery road surfaces.
Power rack-and-pinion steering is standard and provides excellent road feel and handling capability.
The Accent has turning diameter of only 31.8 feet. This was a handy feature when navigating and parking on the side streets of Manhattan and in the Village.
The interior has been revised to provide more headroom, more legroom and more hiproom. With this added interior space, new seats are larger and offer more lumbar support.
The seat cushions and seat backs are made of special high-density foam to provide increase comfort on long drives. I was always quite comfortable while I test drove this vehicle for over 2,500 miles.
The driver's seat has dual height adjustment via 2 knobs - one for the front height and one for the rear height.
The upholstery fabrics have been upgraded.
The GS and GL models have a built-in, folding armrest. I didn't discover this feature until I was in New York City. On the return trip, it make driving even more comfortable.
Front seats include seat back pockets for the rear passengers.
Rear seats are 60/40 split and offer access into the trunk from the interior.
The instrument panel includes tachometer, speedometer, fuel and temperature gauge. They have white on gray markings, with red needle pointers, for easy visibility in a variety of lighting conditions.
The 2 spoke steering wheel is adjustable and was designed for optimal grip and comfort.
The 2000 Accent has an 88 cubic feet interior with full carpeting, front bucket seats, height-adjustable headrests, deluxe full seat cloth trim, carpeted side trim, retractable dual cupholder, remote fuel filler release, passenger vanity mirror and front door map pockets.
Standard Power equipment includes an AM/FM stereo cassette radio, rear window defroster and variable intermittent wiper system.
The revised and upgraded air conditioning is optional on the GL and GS making it smaller and more efficient. You can vary the level from a soft, cool breeze to a strong, powerful, nose-chilling blast. It worked great in the summer heat of New York.
The GS and GL trim packages include deluxe cut-pile carpeting, digital quartz clock, tachometer, tinted glass, built in driver's seat armrest and five-way adjustable driver's seat.
The GL sedan offers a remote trunk release.
GS or GL buyers can select and optional four-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter.
The GS and GL models have P175/70R-13 steel belted, all season radial tires as standard with deluxe wheel covers.
Aluminum alloy wheels are optional.
Second-generation, dual supplemental driver and passenger airbags are standard and they incorporate Hyundai's "one-box" sensor design for maximum reliability.
Seat belt pretensioners and load limiters tighten the seat belt in the event of a collision.
Three point seat belts are standard in the front, with lap belts in the rear.
Hyundai has eliminated the use of asbestos in gaskets, brakes and clutch pads.
All plastic parts are stamped with internationally recognized identification symbols of easier recycling.
All Hyundai air conditioning system and manufacturing process is free of ozone-depleting CFCS (chlorofluorocarbons).
All materials in the dashboard are made of environmentally-friendly recyclable materials.
Dated: September 15, 2000
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Copyright © 2000 Rick Smith
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