North Georgia Ford Compares 2016 Ford Fiesta VS 2016 Hyundai Accent Near Avondale, AZ

The Fiesta Titanium has standard Reverse Sensing System to help warn drivers about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind their vehicle. The Fiesta Titanium also has a standard backup monitor to help drivers see any and all obstacles behind their vehicle. The Accent doesn’t offer any parking assist system.

Compared to metal, the Fiesta’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Hyundai Accent has a metal gas tank.

The Fiesta SE/Titanium has standard SYNC, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Accent doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Fiesta and the Accent have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Fiesta is safer than the Hyundai Accent:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Fiesta is safer than the Hyundai Accent:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

In a 31 MPH side-impact test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crashes a 3300 pound sled into the side of new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Fiesta Sedan is safer than the Accent:

There are almost 7 times as many Ford dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Fiesta’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Fiesta has a standard 500-amp battery. The Accent’s 410-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

On the EPA test cycle the Fiesta SFE 3 cyl. Manual gets better fuel mileage than the Accent Manual (31 city/43 hwy vs. 27 city/38 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the Fiesta Auto 4 cyl. gets better city fuel mileage than the Accent Auto (27 city/37 hwy vs. 26 city/37 hwy).

The Fiesta has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Accent (12.4 vs. 11.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Fiesta has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Accent doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Fiesta stops much shorter than the Accent:

For better traction, the Fiesta has larger standard tires than the Accent (185/60R15 vs. 175/70R14).

The Fiesta’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accent SE’s standard 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Fiesta has standard 15-inch wheels. Smaller 14-inch wheels are standard on the Accent SE.

The Fiesta SE/Titanium Sedan has a standard full size spare tire so your trip isn’t interrupted by a flat. A full size spare isn’t available on the Accent, it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Fiesta’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Accent doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Fiesta’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (59.4% to 40.6%) than the Accent’s (60.6% to 39.4%). This gives the Fiesta more stable handling and braking.

The Fiesta Titanium Five-Door Hatchback handles at .81 G’s, while the Accent Sport Hatchback pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Fiesta Titanium Five-Door Hatchback is quieter than the Accent Sport Hatchback (75 vs. 78 dB).

The Fiesta Sedan has .4 inches more front legroom and 2 inches more rear hip room than the Accent Sedan.

The Fiesta Five-Door Hatchback has 1.8 inches more front legroom and 2 inches more rear hip room than the Accent Hatchback.

The Fiesta Automatic offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Accent doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Fiesta and the Accent have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Fiesta is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Accent prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Fiesta SE/Titanium’s available driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Accent’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Fiesta’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Accent doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Intelligent Access Key standard on the Fiesta Titanium allows you to unlock the driver’s door, trunk and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Hyundai Accent doesn’t offer an advanced key system.

The Fiesta (except S) offers optional heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Accent.

The Fiesta (except S)’s optional automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Accent doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Optional SYNC AppLink for the Fiesta allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including reading text messages aloud, playing internet radio stations, searching the internet, following twitter accounts and other connected activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel. The Accent doesn’t offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is available on the Fiesta (except S). The Fiesta’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Accent doesn’t offer a navigation system.

With standard voice command, the Fiesta offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Accent doesn’t offer a voice control system.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the Fiesta, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the Accent.

Insurance will cost less for the Fiesta owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Fiesta will cost $660 to $1425 less than the Accent over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Fiesta is less expensive to operate than the Accent because typical repairs cost less on the Fiesta than the Accent, including $69 less for fuel injection, $15 less for front struts and $10 less for a timing belt/chain.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Fiesta third among small cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Accent isn’t in the top three.