There's a tube similar to the one you describe on the 1.4, and it can be replaced with Spectre tubing parts from your local Advance/Autozone/Pep Boys cheaply and easily. When I did it, I connected my Stock Air Box including the part with the MAF sensor up to a couple angles and a reducer and that was that, well under $50 total investment to get rid of the accordion.
For more advanced foolishness, many people simply cut the portion of the SAB which contains the MAF, and mount a generic aftermarket filter to it, replacing the SAB.
The options listed above are real rigs, custom fit to the 1.8 and fit around the engine properly, they also have better tubing than the generic Spectre system... but they also cost more than a DIY rig will.
You want to think about what you are trying to achieve and how much you want to spend to get it. The SAB (on the 1.4, again, I'm not certain this is all true about the 1.8 as well, but I think most of it is) is a Cold Air Intake, breathing from a snorkel in the fender. If you want cold air, which gives you more oxygen per liter, then any of the above (except the piping replace) are actually a step backwards. A good aftermarket filter will make it easier for your car to draw air, but everything I've seen so far draws warmer air, so there's a tradeoff. If you want noise, all of the above increase noise, the SAB seems to have been designed to get enough air in to do the job while being as quiet as possible.