Hyundai premieres next-gen Accent/Verna in China

It's a known fact now that Hyundai is on a roll, of late. Most of the hype surrounding this Korean brand, in recent times, is due to a term called "Fluidic Sculpture." Hitherto known for dishing out bland and unimaginative designs inspired by other brands, Hyundai took a U-turn on it's design philosophy by incorporating the Fluidic Sculpture design elements in it's models. We saw how it has been put into good effect in the recently launched Sonata and Tucson  models. And the car-buying public seem to love it too, with both the above models becoming instant hits and raking in unprecedented volumes for Hyundai.  Now the same concept has been watered down into Hyundai's sub-compact Accent model.

With the recent global premiere of the next generation Accent (Verna in most parts of Asia) in China, Hyundai has made it official that it's models are going to have a family look incorporated into them. Up front, the new Accent has two creases in the bonnet which makes it's way through to end at the bottom of the grille. The grille itself carries a slightly squished look corresponding to the  creases in the bonnet. Huge, swept-back headlights dominate the front end and the mirrors now have turn signals in them. The profile is dominated by the strong character line that starts from the front fender and ends just above the taillights. The wedge in the bonnet that starts from the headlights and merges into the side doors is sure to be noticed. All these are design elements found in the Sonata sedan too and it surely lends an upmarket look to the Accent. In short, it looks like a mini Sonata with all the striking design elements slightly toned down to suit the tastes of this segment.

One look at the interiors will prove that there is a sea change in the interior design department too. While the current model's interiors is as unimaginative as it's exterior design, the new model has a much nicer look to it's interiors. The steering wheel seems to have been lifted straight from the i20 hatch and the center console, with it's combination of colors and contours, looks quite good. Personally, I like the satin silver and black finish of the center console and Hyundai will be hoping that the interiors are well-received by the public too (though not to the extent of the exterior design). The new model is expected to be powered by Hyundai's Gamma 1.4 and 1.6 gasoline engines and also, the much-loved in India and eagerly awaited Common Rail diesel engine. Though the exact specifications of the engines are still not clear, we Indians know how the CRDi mills of Hyundai are and this will be no exception. When Hyundai finally launches this model in India sometime next year, it will have it's task cut out, competing with models such as Honda City, Toyota Etios, VW Vento (Polo sedan), Fiat Linea and the Indigo Manza.

Now that the Sonata and Accent are out, will Hyundai take the wraps off the next-gen Elantra soon?