2023 Hyundai Accent looks sharp in teaser photos

If there's one vehicle that made Hyundai a household name in the country (apart from the Starex) it's the Accent. Serving as the brand's B-segment sedan, this subcompact four-door had the distinction of being available with a turbo-diesel under the hood.

It first arrived in the Philippine market back in the mid-2000s (in third-generation guise) and put up a good fight against the likes of the Toyota Vios, Honda City, and other B-segment sedan stalwarts. The Accent lasted until the fifth generation before a new distributor took over. It never appeared in the lineup after that.

With the fifth-generation Accent being the last model we received, Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH) has now shifted its attention to crossovers, SUVs, and MPVs. With that, Hyundai has moved away from the sedan market. But could they return to the segment soon with the launch of the next-generation Accent?

Recently Hyundai India revealed teaser images of the new generation Verna which is called the Accent in our market. Based on the initial photos, the all-new sedan adopts Hyundai's latest design language which sees it get a more striking and aggressive design.

The front fascia dons a full-width LED daytime running light that appears similar to the Stargazer. Meanwhile, a large grille can be seen below which further accentuates the sedan's sportier nature. At the rear, the Verna/Accent comes with a new set of LED taillights complete with what appears to be fang-like garnishes on the rear quarters. Last but not least, the sedan features a more coupe-like profile which lends it to be flashier than ever.

Interior pictures are not yet available for the 2023 Hyundai Accent/Verna. However, the automaker did say that it will be available with two engine choices. First is a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated MPi inline-four which can be coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox or Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). Next is a slightly more powerful 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Output figures are not yet available but more than likely the 1.5-liter MPi is the same engine that powers the Stargazer and Creta which puts out 113 PS and 144 Nm of torque. On the other hand, the 1.5-liter turbo could likely produce 160 PS and 260 Nm of torque.

There's no announcement yet when Hyundai will actually reveal the model that will be branded Accent, we're hoping it will happen sooner rather than later. More importantly, we're curious if they will actually offer it in other markets as well given the Accent's reputation in the Philippines.

Do you think the Hyundai Accent will make a comeback in the country once the next-generation model is officially launched? Let us know in the comments.