Hyundai rushed in the second generation of the Accent in 1999, and it was more than just a rebadged Excel; it was a different car.
The Korean carmaker had a growth plan, and it stuck to it no matter what the competition put against it. Hyundai was already known worldwide, and thanks to its strategy of well-built cars and acceptable pricing policy, it already started to be a significant player in a few markets. The 1999 Accent was an essential piece of the puzzle since it was an affordable car with a fresh look.

With a new design language that featured angular headlights and sharp lines, the car looked more aggressive. Moreover, Hyundai built a World Rally Car based on the 3-door version, and even though it wasn’t that successful, it was an excellent brand ambassador. The street model was affordable, but the Korean carmaker forgot to install pop-out rear side windows.

Hyundai heavily improved the interior over its predecessor with better materials and a roomier cabin due to the longer wheelbase. It was not a big difference. It was the difference between pressed knees and touching knees for the rear passengers. The split-folding rear seats was a standard feature. The Accent featured a standard AC-unit and power-windows at the front. For selected markets, such as the north side of Europe and Canada, the Accent was not just a cheap transportation device. It was a car.

For the powertrain, Hyundai installed Mitsubishi-sourced engines under the hood. The base model featured a 1.3-liter, while the upper trim level received a 1.5-liter unit. The latter was available with an automatic transmission as well.