2001 Hyundai Accent More than an accent, it's almost a new language. By Bob Plunkett, New Car Test Drive .com

Hyundai's Accent is one of the lowest-priced cars you can buy, and yet it's protected by one of the best warranties in the business. It was thoroughly re-designed last year to provide more interior room, a smoother-running powertrain, and better isolation from whatever mechanical noise remained.

Now, this already-improved Accent roars into 2001 with a bigger, more sophisticated engine for GL and GS models. Horsepower is up 14 percent, and torque 9 percent, with the same refinements introduced to the smaller engine last year.

And yet the Accent's base price remains at its 1999 level.

The Accent lineup consists of a three-door hatchback (Hyundai prefers to call it a three-door sedan) available in L ($8,999) and GS ($9,399) trim levels; plus a GL ($9,899) four-door sedan with essentially the same content as the GS hatch.

Despite all the improvements Hyundai made last year to its 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, this engine now powers only the base-level L, and is available only with a five-speed manual transmission.

GS and GL are now powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

GS and GL come standard with a five-speed manual transmission, but can be ordered with a four-speed electronically controlled automatic for an additional $600.

Air conditioning is a $750 option for all models, although on GS and GL it can be ordered as part of a $1,150 package that also includes a CD player and power mirrors, locks, and front windows.