Hyundai has cause for celebration right now. The rising popularity of SUVs has resulted in a 30 percent profit increase since the Korean automaker added the Palisade and the Kona to its lineup. Despite this, Hyundai is still committed to sedans and coupes and even thinks Ford and Dodge made a mistake ditching sedans in favor of SUVs.

Hyundai recently revealed the new stunning 2020 Sonata and its hybrid sibling, and now it's the Accent's turn for an update. It may not have any bold styling changes like the new Sonata, but the Accent has still received some significant tweaks under the hood for the 2020 model year.

Slated to arrive in dealers this summer, the 2020 Hyundai Accent has a new 1.6-liter Smartstream four-cylinder engine with dual-port injection, a new thermal management module, and continuously variable valve timing. The engine produces an estimated 120 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 113 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. That's slightly less power than last year's model, which was powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four unit producing 130 hp, but the 2020 Accent has significantly improved fuel economy.

According to Hyundai, the 2020 Accent has an EPA estimated fuel economy of 33/41/36 mpg city/highway/combined, compared to the 28/38/32 mpg rating of last year's model. Also helping improve the Accent's economy is Hyundai's new Smartstream Intelligent Variable Transmission that simulates gear shifts from an automatic transmission. The transmission performs continuous shifts by modulating the pressure of the transmission's pulley. It also utilizes a chain belt instead of a push belt, which is said to improve fuel efficiency by an additional 1.2 percent. A 6-speed manual transmission is still offered as standard, however.

Inside, the 2020 Hyundai Accent comes with a five-inch color touchscreen as standard, while available features include a seven-inch display audio system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, hands-free trunk release, and heated front seats.

Pricing for the 2020 Accent starts at $15,195 for the SE trim with a six-speed manual and $16,295 for the Intelligent Variable Transmission. That's a slight increase over last year's model, which started at $14,995. The SEL trim starts at $17,550, while the range-topping Limited model starts at $19,300. All prices exclude a $930 freight charge.