 2011 Hyundai Accent Hatchback. Click image to enlarge |
2006 to 2011 Hyundai Accent Hatchback
What Owners Love: Most Accent owners rate the styling, spaciousness, ride quality and handling of their machines highly. Many report positively on fuel mileage as well. Headroom, in particular, is said to be generous, too. Performance looks adequate with the manual transmission on board, and good maneuverability and an easy-to-drive demeanor are also noted. Expect relatively low asking prices for this generation Accent three-door in the used marketplace. All will have a 1.6L four-cylinder with 110 horsepower.
What Shoppers Should Check: The consumables. Owners have reported faster-than-expected wear of the factory-installed tires, brakes and clutch. On models with a manual box, check for clutch slippage. A check-engine light is likely caused by a bad emissions-control sensor – but shoppers are advised to be sure that’s the case. A mechanic should check the underside of the Accent you’re considering for signs of a leaky transaxle, too. Confirm proper and quiet operation of the power windows, noting that any ‘chatter’ or ‘stalling’ of the window on its way up or down means a bill for a new window regulator is likely in your future.
Useful: A clutch can last the life of the vehicle in the hands of the right owner – or get burned up in a few months by a ham-footed klutz. Check the clutch on the model you’re considering with this simple test: shift into a high gear at a low speed and floor it (where safe and appropriate to do so without violating any traffic laws). At, say, 60 km/h in fourth or fifth gear, full throttle application loads the clutch up hard. If the clutch is worn, this little exercise will likely make it slip.
  Nissan Versa. Click image to enlarge |
2007 to 2013 Nissan Versa Hatchback
What Owners Love: Surprising levels of space and comfort were reported by Versa Hatchback owners – alongside great fuel mileage, easy entry and exit and generous headroom. Look for four-cylinder, front-drive on all models. Performance is even rated fairly highly, too. According to the Versa’s loving owners community, this is a machine that’s sized, equipped and powered ‘just right’.
What Shoppers Should Check: Nissan’s XTronic CVT seems fairly solid, but several issues have been reported. Be sure to listen to and feel the transmission on a test-drive, noting that any rattling or erratic behavior needs to be checked out by a Nissan mechanic before you buy. A handful of earlier units experienced piston slap, oil burning and even engine failure, which is no fun at all – so be sure the model you’re considering is healthy by noting any signs of burning oil or excessive noise or roughness from the engine. Pop the hood and listen to the Versa’s 1.8L engine idle, making sure its purring like a kitten, not clattering away like dryer full of wrenches.
Useful: Concerns about engine health on a high-mileage unit with no service records? First, ensure the seller doesn’t pre-warm the engine to conceal some smoking issue. Insist on driving the unit when it hasn’t been driven for a few hours. Second, budget for a compression test. This should take 20 minutes to complete on most four-cylinder engines and can provide vital insight on the health of the engine. Third, budget for a full tune-up and fluid change, just to be safe.
