This car looks and feels “class above,” and nothing about the SE model’s interior instantly identifies the Accent as the cheapest vehicle in the Hyundai lineup.

On the surface, the Hyundai Accent is an impressive little car. It is stylish inside and out, built to unusually high standards using materials that are uncommonly good at this price point, and contains one of the most powerful engines in its class. Dynamically, though, the Accent is dissatisfying, and the car is unavailable with the kinds of infotainment and safety technologies that are becoming increasingly common in the entry-level class.