For years, I thought the 3-door hatchback version of the MC (2006-2010) Hyundai Accent was an export market-only car. I’d only ever seen pictures and videos of the sedan model in South Korea...until two nights ago! While looking up things about my car on South Korean websites, I learned that there was, indeed a 3-door hatchback sold in the KDM market, though it was a lot less common!
In South Korea (and other markets), the Accent was actually marketed NOT as the Accent, but as the Verna. The MC generation was marketed, at the time, as the ‘New Verna’ as the older LC (1999-2005) generation had been called the Verna. The 3-door hatchback model in my car was, therefore, called the Hyundai New Verna ‘Sporty’.....the ‘Sporty’ denoting it was the hatchback model...no joke, that was it’s name!
Makes me really want to buy that badge for my car not only for the LEGIT KDM STREET CRED YO, but also because it’s amusingly cheesy as hell. :P
KDM Accents got a lot of other features that we never got here in North America...one of which was auto climate control. All we got here, as far as I know, is the usual 3-dials...fan speed, temperature, and air direction (which is my preference for an HVAC setup anyway!), BUT South Korean market cars (and possibly other markets?) got this auto climate control setup:
AND...if you’ll note the lower part of that picture....they got heated seats as well! Another option that I don’t think the Accent ever had a hope of coming with here in North America! Here’s the usual HVAC control layout:
Another feature the KDM ‘Verna Sporty’ got that we didn’t? DIFFERENT INTERIOR COLOR OPTIONS! On North American Accents, I believe your only choices were a two-tone beige/tan with dark gray/black interior, like this:
...or light gray with dark gray/black interior (as in my mother’s and brother’s cars)...like this:
...or, lastly, a dark gray/black on dark gray/black combo such as the following, like in my 2009 Accent hatch. All three interior options here also sometimes came with silver plastic accenting on the dash and center console (which my car does not have):
In the KDM market, though, to accentuate the Verna Sporty’s sportiness....THIS WAS AN OPTION:
Burnt-orange cloth inserts with matching stitching on the floor mats and rear seats! IT’S BEAUTIFUL...WHY DID WE NOT GET THIS HERE??? I wish I had it in my car as it would really be set off by the dark blue-gray paint! More cheap economy cars need interesting interior color combinations!
This has been another pointless edition of #Accentfacts with RallyDarkstrike! :P