Ford Fiesta VS Hyundai Accent

**erj22** · October 20th, 2011 10:10 PM

i have my hyundai accent for almost 2 months now and i only experienced 1 bottom out, approaching a ramp in a parking building. since then, i changed my driving style to avoid that situation, and at the same time, continuous flow of smooth driving. (smooth daw o!).

recently, we went for the christening of my inaanak. i have 3 companions in my car. well, all at least 250 lbs each

never experienced bottom out issues in different types of ramp approach and humps.

**jhnkvn** · October 20th, 2011 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by dodongo

since you have no idea how to compare, I'll give you some points of comparison:
-Fuel Efficiency
-Reliability
-After market service
-Toys
-Space
-Aircon...

Seems like a very practical approach in buying cars ;)

I would base my assumptions that you are comparing a Hyundai Accent GL 1.4L A/T (688,000) versus the Ford Fiesta 1.4 Trend (685,000). Seeing how they're very close in price, I simply went along with this hypothesis.

Fuel Efficiency - TIE. Guys, don't make it any harder really. From my point, it's a 1.4L versus a 1.4L. I won't give crap if you say that X is more fuel efficient than Y. Just drive smarter like avoiding rush hours or roads notorious for high traffic.

Reliability - NOT RATED. Fact is, some cars are just more 'unfortunate' than others. If we base it both on their brands, both Hyundai and Ford have come a long way since 2006 in improving their image hence I would put them in equal standing when it comes to reliability.

After market service - Accent. Before people start thinking that I'm biased, we have 2 Fords at home and 1 Hyundai. Based on dealership numbers, you'll have an easier time looking for Hyundai dealerships in the country. However, I would recommend that you first drop by their respective threads and check out dealerships that are highly recommended. Your pleasant experience will always start with your choice of dealership.

If you want personal feedback, HARI (Hyundai) still haven't replaced my chrome strip that they previously damaged during my service. It's REALLY minor and just looking at it, you won't see the damage but it's still raised by 3mm nevertheless. I'm going to wait a week more and if they don't deliver, I'm pretty sure Hyundai North EDSA wouldn't like that. As for Ford, I find it utterly RIDICULOUS to wait for a wiper replacement for our Expedition. So much for having an inventory of frequently-replaced-parts.

At the end, it's

Toys versus space. Fiesta has the toys and the Accent has the space. I would go for the Accent as it's a more practical choice in all-round. The Fiesta drives better, looks better (hatchback model only.. the sedan is butt-ugly), and you get a ton of toys for the money. As a downside, you also have a non-existent second-row leg space.

Frankly, given a better budget, I would recommend the perennial favorite Honda Jazz. But seeing how Honda loves to price its cars at a premium, I'll choose the Accent.

And guys, keep the discussion simple to car newbies. I'm pretty sure my younger sister who's completely clueless about cars won't even care to know the difference between a shock absorber and suspension spring.

**andretti** · October 21st, 2011 12:48 AM

It really depends on your car's usage TS.
Another one for toys versus space, eto simple lang, you can buy toys for your car but with space....hehehe nahnah!!!

pick one which most suits you....

**turboride** · October 21st, 2011 02:09 AM

Choose something that fits your lifestyle. If you are more frequest to long drives, toys and gadgets would come in handy. If you drive on hi speed roads, a more powerful engine and better handling will be more enjoyable. If you carry passengers regularly, buy a bigger car. My perspective is not to get something you will not use 90% of the time. Otherwise, they will just be something you will fancy for one week then not use at all. Mas madami pang pagawain.

Pending the engine knocking issues, I would get the accent. Don't be bothered with the fact that these are converted to taxis. This just means parts are easier and these can really be workhorses.

**erj22** · October 21st, 2011 02:50 AM

Originally Posted by turboride

Choose something that fits your lifestyle. If you are more frequest to long drives, toys and gadgets would come in handy. If you drive on hi speed roads, a more powerful engine and better handling will be more enjoyable. If you carry passengers regularly, buy a bigger car. My perspective is not to get something you will not use 90% of the time. Otherwise, they will just be something you will fancy for one week then not use at all. Mas madami pang pagawain.

Pending the engine knocking issues, I would get the accent. Don't be bothered with the fact that these are converted to taxis. This just means parts are easier and these can really be workhorses.

That's right. It's your preference.

**niky** · October 21st, 2011 04:08 PM

For those who haven't experienced it... it really depends on road conditions. Simply going over a regular hump won't do it. Going over a slightly tall hump after riding over a rough road, which overloads the shocks, is when it's worst. On short trips it's better. On EDSA, no problem. On the wavy SLEX it's very noticeable. On the Skyway, it's downright irritating. There simply isn't enough body control, especially with the smaller wheels and taller Kumho Solus tires on the 1.4. (a partial solution is to overinflate the Solus tires by two or three psi).

Originally Posted by malcoxx

*niky, for the existing comparo - having a soft shocks and the bottoming out issue, is that a deal breaker? What are the implications of such maintainance wise? Appreciate it!

No, not really.

It implies that the shocks may wear out sooner, but "sooner" could be 10,000 kilometers sooner out of 100,000 or 5,000 kilometers sooner out of 60,000... not a big deal.

If it's a problem for you, some Accent users have installed O-Sulee with success... but this only stiffens the springs and doesn't solve the shock problem. Sometimes, stiffening springs can adversely affect shock life.

I'm pretty sure that eventually, there will be aftermarket gas shocks available for the Accent, which should fix the issue.

Personally, I'd buy the Accent despite the shock issue and the supposed gasoline issue (which is dealt with in the last ECU reflash). It's a very good car.

But if you don't need the space, the Fiesta 1.4 hatchback is more fun to drive, quieter on the highway and maintains that solid "European" feel that the Focus is known for.