Kicker,
But the new North-American-market Elantra doesn't have DI either, so I wouldn't fault Honda for "lagging behind Hyundai" if the new Civic isn't direct injected.
As for the next-gen Accent, let's wait and see whether we get D.I. in this market. Just because they're going to offer a DI engine in Europe doesn't mean we'll get one here, where people are willing to pay less for a B-segment car.
Overall, though, I can't emphasize enough that Honda was never about winning the stat wars (whether you're talking RSX Type S versus Neon SRT-4, first-gen TSX versus S40 T5, etc). It's nothing new for a competitor to offer a product that beats up a Honda product on paper. I don't doubt that the Elantra will beat the new Civic when it comes to stats, features-for-the-dollar, and warranty. I suspect the Civic will beat the new Elantra when it comes to refinement, handling, and reliability. Neither will be a bad choice; which will be the better choice depends on the shopper and their priorities.