1999 Hyundai Accent review from North America

Burns through all lights

Narrow tires not suited for winter (or even rain)

Lost what little ability it had to accelerate at a reasonable rate

Odd noises that come and go

Body seems to be made of aluminum foil.

I bought a 1999 Accent about a year and a half ago for $3500 and even though completely killing it is a rough task the problems it gave me made me want to push it off a cliff.

First off it is the slowest car I have ever driven it takes forever to get up to speed and I beat it's quarter mile speed with my 1989 civic DX which had bad rings, bald tires, and no exhaust. On the highway it shakes over 60mph and passing is almost impossible due to the under powered engine and laughable transmission. Now gaining momentum has been even more of a task because instead of acceleration if you push harder on the gas the engine starts to rev and you accelerate at the same rate you were before.

Handling is atrocious. The body rolls horribly around corners as if the shocks are gone completely (which to my surprise they weren't) and the tires have horrible grip seeing as they are about 4 to 5 inches wide. During the winter with studded tires stopping from 35 mph causes it to slide like I am trying to roller-skate on an ice rink. This has gotten me into an accident that pretty much totaled the car (over $4000 worth of work) but it still runs to my amazement.

Performance wise it's like driving a go kart to work every day as people in Geo Metros pass me and laugh. Mechanically it has not failed me majorly other than the battery dies quickly and it uses brake fluid at an alarming rate. It always starts up just doesn't deliver.

Overall it is reliable if you don't mind eventually getting to where you need to be in dry weather only. I won't buy another one.