Because the Accent has gone longer than most of its competition since its last redesign, the interior is definitely behind the others I've already mentioned, but it's about on par with Chevy's tiny Aveo5. If your last memory of a compact hatch is more than five years old, though, the Accent will probably be higher quality than you'd expect.

Although it certainly feels and looks like a sub-$15,000 car, the Accent doesn't feel like a $10,000 car. The dash is well laid out, fit and finish is decent, and there's a lot of space for the driver and front passenger. I managed to fit my son's full-size convertible car seat using the Latch connectors in the backseat. It was snug and kind of hard to get him in and out, but he couldn't manage to kick the back of my seat, which is unusual in small test cars.

My one big gripe with the interior is the flimsy seats, which gave me a sore back about 20 minutes into my 70-minute commute (made so long by summer construction). When I got to my cubicle, my desk chair felt downright therapeutic in comparison. The only plus is the captain's-chair-style armrests, which are a great thought in a car so small that its center console is low on the floor. The Yaris I tested didn't have armrests at all.