Car Comparison: 2018 Honda Fit Sport vs 2018 Hyundai Accent GLS – Driving.ca

Welcome to Dude Said, Punk Said – a special series devoted to skewering the automotive ramblings of young punk Nick Tragianis with the infinite wisdom of old dude Brian Harper. This week, the duo see if Honda’s Fit Sport can dethrone the all-new Hyundai Accent as the king of the subcompact hatchback castle.

Nick Tragianis: With crossovers and SUVs dominating our roads, it’s easy to forget about, you know, everything else. While the added utility is certainly a plus, sometimes you just don’t need, or even want, the plus-sized pricing, dimensions and ride height. Enter subcompact hatchbacks, such as the Honda Fit and Hyundai Accent — in a sea of SUVs and CUVs, these pint-sized runabouts offer up impressive utility without compromising the drive. Having the choice alone is a breath of fresh air, really — especially considering, for some reason, Canadians just love small cars.

Brian Harper: Oh, yes, Canadians do love their small cars. Just not to the same extent they did, say, a generation ago. The subcompact segment — with the major players being the Hyundai Accent, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa Note — like many of the various automobile segments, is in decline. Face it, these are entry-level cars, purchased by people who, generally, either can’t afford something pricier or just don’t want to. But entry-level doesn’t necessarily mean cheap or stripped down, as is the case of our two test vehicles. The Hyundai Accent is totally redesigned for 2018, while Honda gives its Fit line-up a mid-cycle refresh as well as introducing a new mid-level Sport trim. So, how are they stacking up, kid?

NT: Well, I can assuredly say the Accent is a thoroughly impressive package. The mechanicals are nothing to write home about – a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine pumps out 130 horsepower and 119 lb.-ft. of torque. Hardly noteworthy, but that engine can be hooked up to either a six-speed automatic or, in the case of this particular tester, a manual. It’s a pleasant surprise, really – again, the manual is hardly noteworthy, but it spices up what’d otherwise be a ho-hum driving experience………….

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