Hyundai launches new Accent globally, plans to sell 500,000 annually

SEOUL: South Korea’s biggest automaker Hyundai Motor has relaunched its Accent model after 11 years and said it expects annual global sales of 500,000 for the fuel-efficient sub-compact car.

Hyundai said in a statement it would start making the new Accent in Russia and India next year, in addition to its domestic plant at Ulsan and Chinese plants that are already in production.

“Through aggressive marketing, we will reignite potential demand for fuel-efficient and high-performance models, particularly among young generations who can afford entry-level cars,” company president Yang Seung-Suk told reporters.

Hyundai said it has invested 200 billion won (180 million dollars) over the past five years to develop the sedan, which will replace the Verna sub-compact.

The firm launched the new Accent in dealerships across South Korea.

It aims to sell 20,000 next year in the domestic market, where the original Accent was first launched.

The firm then plans to start exporting it from its South Korean plant to the United States next March and to other markets in the first half of next year.

The Accent produced at factories in China, Russia and India will mainly cater to local demand.