
2010 Hyundai Accent

Smart ForTwo Edition Highstyle
The figures from C&D are figured using the base MSRP, EPA combined fuel mileage, three-year fuel cost and three-year insurance cost. For the 2010 Hyundai Accent the figures breakdown like this:
- Base MSRP: $10,690
- EPA Combined Mileage: 31 mpg
- Three-Year Fuel Cost: $2988
- Three-Year Insurance Cost: $4351
- Total Three-Year Cost: $18,029
The 2010 Smart ForTwo figures ring in a little more expensive and are broken out like this:
- Base MSRP: $12,635
- EPA Combined Mileage: 36 mpg
- Three-Year Fuel Cost: $2573
- Three-Year Insurance Cost: $3279
- Total Three-Year Cost: $18,487
So the difference isn’t HUGE, but when you consider what you are getting maybe the delta between the two cars gets larger. The Hyundai Accent is a larger car that can, in a pinch, seat four people (five if you are really adventurous). It also has more power and can cruise at highway speeds in more comfort. However, the Smart ForTwo does have the advantage in both the mpg column and the maneuverability column, especially in urban settings.
Bottom line—Small isn’t always cheaper, but it does seem that the Korean car companies will continue to be the most affordable solution on the market. That is unless you really want the cheapest car on the C&D list—the 2010 Nissan Versa 1.6 (more here). Of course, that would require you to BYOR—Bring Your Own Radio.
[Source: Car and Driver]