2020 Hyundai Accent Adds CVT Option

Buyers of Hyundai Motor Co.’s 2020 model Accent compact car will be able to choose between a 6-speed manual transmission and a new continuously variable unit, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s vehicle fuel economy website.

The CVT will replace the current 6-speed automatic in 2020 models. Hyundai already offers a CVT in the larger Elantra sedan and affiliate Kia Motors Corp.’s Forte sedan.

Teamed with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine, the CVT-equipped Accent has an EPA rating of 36 mpg. This compares with 28 mpg for the 2019 Accent with a 6-speed automatic.

The 2020 Accent with a 6-speed manual has an EPA rating of 33 mpg, a 2-mpg increase over its 2019 counterpart. Media reports suggest this may indicate the 2020 model will get Hyundai’s new 1.6-liter Gamma II engine, which also will be used in the upcoming Venue crossover vehicle. The new engine is more fuel efficient but slightly less powerful than the outgoing four-banger.