The small car segment lost more members on Thursday, with Hyundai announcing the end of production of the entry-level Accent compact car and the N vestige of the Veloster hatchback. The original Ioniq hybrid also ended production this year, ceding ground to a suite of electric vehicles with an Ioniq sub-brand. The three cars will not be back for a 2023 model run.
The changes reflect the ever-changing tastes of car shoppers. The Accent served as Hyundai's entry-level point into the brand since 2008 as a solid budget car with a great warranty. Its $17,500 starting price left it with a tiny touchscreen and it lacked the driver-assist features Hyundai makes standard across the rest of its lineup. In place of the subcompact car is the Hyundai Venue small crossover launched in 2020. It has standard features such as automatic emergency braking and an 8.0-inch touchscreen, but it also has a starting price that exceeds $20,000 with destination.
Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2020 testing - Best Car To Buy 2020
The end of production in July for the Veloster N comes as less of a surprise. Hyundai discontinued all but its performance variant for 2022, and the asymmetrical hatchback with a rear third door on the passenger side but none on the driver side kept losing ground to higher riding crossovers. Now, those more popular vehicles get the N performance treatment, in both the Kona N small crossover and Elantra N compact sedan. The Veloster N was so good it might have won Motor Authority's Best Car To Buy 2020 award if not for that pesky Porsche 911.
2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, Ioniq Electric, and Ioniq Plug-In
The end of the Ioniq was announced earlier this month, as the hybrid and plug-in hybrid sedan served as a launch pad for an Ioniq sub-brand featuring only battery electric vehicles. The Ioniq EV compliance car was discontinued in 2021, and the hybrid hatchbacks with up to a 59 mpg combined rating couldn't keep pace with the Toyota Prius and Prius Prime. The Ioniq carries on in name in the excellent Ioniq 5 electric crossover and the new Ioniq 6 sedan.
Back in 2021, Hyundai sold a total of 19,614 examples of the Accent, which was up from the 15,975 copies sold back in 2020, but way under from what it used to be. For example, back in 2017, a total of 58,955 Accents were sold. So, after only five years on the market, Hyundai is thinking to replace the fifth-generation Accent with a new one, that hopefully will be better.
RELATED: The 2021 Hyundai Accent Is a Bargain-Basement Find for Families
Hyundai is discontinuing two vehicles. You won’t be able to buy the compact Accent anymore. The Accent was long known as the cheapest Hyundai you could buy and it started at about $17,000. Hyundai said that the Venue will now be its entry-level vehicle, with a starting price of about $19,000. Gone, too, for 2023 is the Veloster N. The N line of cars is Hyundai’s performance line. For 2023 the Elantra and Kona will get the N treatment.
Which 11 2023 Hyundai vehicles won’t change in 2023?
Hyundai said the models that will carry over unchanged into 2023 include:
- Santa Fe [ICE, HEV, PHEV]
- Tucson [ICE, HEV, PHEV]
- Kona [ICE, EV]
- Santa Cruz
- Venue
- NEXO Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
- IONIQ 5
- Elantra [ICE, HEV]
- Elantra N
- Sonata [ICE, HEV]
- Sonata N Line
The 2023 Palisade is all new
The 2023 Hyundai Palisade update is a big deal. The Palisade has been one of Hyundai’s most successful SUVs since its 2018 release, so a lot is riding on the 2023 updates. However, it’s the same as the Kia Telluride which is also seeing a huge update. The new XRT Trim will show off the Palisades dirt moves this year.
RELATED: 3 Cool Hyundai SUVs We Can’t Get, and 1 We Can