Hyundai Accent vs Suzuki Ciaz - The new age sedan you should buy

The Ciaz is not the Accent’s age-old rival. We mean it has become one now. However, Suzuki never had anything worthwhile in this segment to rival the Accent. The Hyundai Accent as we all know has been soldiering on for ages. This particular generation that you see here was first launched in 2011.

The Suzuki Ciaz was launched in 2014 and now is the segment favourite. The new Hyundai Accent is playing catch up now. Which one of these two solid sedans should you consider and why? We play the role of a referee.

Space in the cabin

The new Hyundai Accent specifications read the exterior dimensions at 4370 x 1700 x 1457 mm for length, width, and height respectively. This is coupled with the wheelbase of 2,570 mm. It can seat five passengers and for the comfort of the rear passengers, there are AC vents. Compare this with the Suzuki Ciaz’s specifications and you realise that the Japanese car is bigger.

At  4,490 x 1,730 x 1,475 mm are the length, width, and height dimensions. The wheelbase too is proportionately bigger than that of the Accent - 2,650 mm. This translates to better space in the cabin. The Suzuki Ciaz is the one we will heartily recommend were it for the rear seat space one is looking for. The Ciaz will seat a six-footer behind another without any issues. Suzuki too has given rear AC vents with the Ciaz.

If you consider the boot space, then the Accent’s trunk will hold in 400 litres of luggage with all the seats up. In the meanwhile, the Ciaz can take in 495 litres of luggage.

Features

The Hyundai Accent was the top dog when it came to features in the segment. It even outshined its Japanese competitors by a huge margin. For the sake of convenience, we will be taking up the top variants of the Accent and Ciaz here. First up the Accent.It has got a manual air conditioner, all four power windows, vanity mirrors, a four-speaker audio system with Bluetooth compatibility, steering wheel with audio controls, multiple storage spaces in the cabin as well as power-adjustable mirrors. 14-inch steel wheels with caps are available across the range.

If you talk about the features of the Suzuki Ciaz, then it gets power folding for the mirrors along with adjustment, 6-speaker Android OS-based touchscreen music system, steering wheel mounted controls, rear AC vents, all four power windows, and a rear blind. We like the fact that Suzuki has given the Ciaz 15-inch alloys as standard whereas the top spec trim gets 16-inches. Suzuki also offers projector headlights, door request sensors as well as push-button start. The boot also opens electronically.

In terms of features, the Ciaz is one up on the Accent specifications.

Safety

We in the Philippines don’t look at buying the safest car in the category. What we look for instead is the best value for money and efficiency. However, both these manufacturer cars that we have compared here come with a global reputation.

The Hyundai Accent safety features include a driver airbag, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist and keyless entry on the GL DCT trim. Other trims don’t get any safety features.

If you take a look at the Suzuki Ciaz safety spec, you'll find dual airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear defogger and front seat belts with pre-tensioners.

Here as well, the Suzuki Ciaz trumps the Hyundai Accent. It is deplorable that Hyundai considers safety as optional.

Engine and transmission

The Suzuki Ciaz gets a lone petrol engine option. The K14B engine has four-cylinder and produces a maximum power of 94 PS at 6,000 rpm. Maximum torque of 138 Nm is made at 4,000 rpm. A five-speed manual transmission is standard while a four-speed automatic is optional. On the other hand, the Hyundai Accent engine options include the 1.4-litre petrol engine that makes 100 PS of power and 130 Nm of torque. There is also a torquey diesel engine on offer. This 1.6-litre turbo diesel is available with a different state of tune depending on the transmission specified. With the 6-speed manual, the power rating is 136 PS and the torque is 260 Nm. If you opt for the 7-speed dual clutch transmission, then the power stays the same while the torque rises to 300 Nm. It is appreciable that Hyundai offers powerful and enjoyable engine options with the Accent.

Price

The Hyundai Accent is available in four trims levels spread across the diesel and petrol variants. These include the GL 6MT diesel, GL 7DCT diesel, GL MT petrol and GL CVT petrol. The Hyundai Accent price starts from Php 678,00 and goes all the way up to Php 878,000.

If you are looking at the Suzuki Ciaz, then there are fewer trims to choose from. Three precisely. These include GL MT, GL AT and GLX AT. The Suzuki Ciaz price starts from Php 795,000 and goes up to Php 963,000.

While the Hyundai Accent may have a lower price tag and wide engine options, it is apparent that it's ageing. Hyundai has got the next generation Accent ready. However, given the fact that our market is relatively slow to embrace change, it may be a while in the coming. If you look at the Suzuki Ciaz, then it does everything better than the Accent. However, it has a lower power output and a lone engine in the fight. As with the Accent, even the Ciaz has a facelifted version available. It also brings in a more powerful motor along with fuel-saving SHVS tech. It is more feature-laden too.

For now, the Suzuki Ciaz is our pick amongst the two.