The Hyundai Accent or Hyundai Verna in South Korea, is a subcompact car produced by Hyundai. In Australia, the first generation models carried over the Hyundai Excel name used by the Accent's predecessor. The Accent was replaced in 2000 by the Hyundai Verna in South Korea, although most international markets retained the "Accent" name. The Hyundai Verna is marketed in the U.S. as the Hyundai Accent.
The Accent is produced for the Chinese market by Beijing Hyundai Co., a joint venture with Beijing Automotive Industry Corp. For Russian market it is assembled by TagAZ plant in Taganrog. In Mexico, the Accent is marketed by Chrysler as the Dodge Attitude, previously Verna by Dodge. In Venezuela, Chrysler marketed them as Dodge Brisa until 2006. The Brisa was assembled by Mitsubishi Motors at its plant in Barcelona, Venezuela. Since 2002, the Accent had been the longest-running small family car sold in North America. In Puerto Rico, it has been sold as the Hyundai Brio.
The Hyundai Accent (X3) was introduced as a replacement for the Excel for the 1995 model year. It continued to be called Dodge Brisa in Venezuela or Hyundai Excel in some markets, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia. In France, it was called the Hyundai Pony.
In Australia, the X3 proved so popular (due to its low price) that it was the third best-selling vehicle in the country in both 1996 and 1998. In the latter year, it achieved more than 44,000 sales (a 5.5% share of the total market), a record figure at the time, for an imported car. Between 1994 and 2000, some 200,000 X3s were sold in Australia, making it arguably the most successful imported vehicle in the country's history.
Also in Australia, from 11/97 onwards, these model were fitted standard with a DOHC 1.5L. The G4FK was a replacement for the tired G4EK SOHC. The new engine produced 74 kW (101 PS; 99 hp) at 6000 rpm and a max torque of 134 N·m (99 lb·ft) at 4000 rpm. This engine was available in America in the Accent GT.The Accent was sold in saloon (sedan), hatchback, and coupé form in the UK, with a choice of three engines for each: a 1.3 12v (85 hp), 1.5 12v (92 hp) and a 1.5 16v (105 hp) petrol. There was no diesel option (until the 2003 redesign). A GSi spec car was the top-specification Accent with front power windows and a radio/cassette player.
The MVi-spec coupé version won particular praise for its handling agility in the UK. Although the Accent was cheap to buy and insure, its engines were quite thirsty; the 1.5-litre returned 33 mpg-imp (8.6 L/100 km; 27 mpg-US) average according to list figures.Though manuals exist for Accents before and after 1999, a manual for 1999 Hyundai Accent has not been published. Additionally, owners of the 1999 model were informed by their dealers that the power output of the 1.5 L engine was in fact rated at 88 horsepower
(66 kW).
In 1999, Jeremy Clarkson used a Hyundai Accent in a banger race, competing against Tiff Needell amongst other competitors, in his video Head to Head. After the race, Clarkson had the Accent crushed in a junkyard.The 1998 Hyundai Accent was crash-tested by Euro NCAP and showed rather poor performance, scoring only 4 points out of 16 for frontal impact.