Overview & Reviews

People buy compact economy cars because they're affordable and fuel-efficient, but the secret to building a great econobox is to make it look, feel and drive like a more expensive car than it really is. Kia never quite managed to do that with its now-defunct Spectra, though its replacement, the Forte is considerably closer to this ideal.

The original Kia Spectra hatchback and sedan were unrefined, underpowered and cheaply constructed. They reinforced the cheap-car image Americans held at the time regarding Korean cars. But the second-generation Spectra sedan and Spectra5 four-door hatchback counterpart moved up the scale considerably in terms of style, substance and refinement. However, the Spectra was still at the bottom of the crowded economy sedan segment when it was put out to pasture after the 2009 model year. If you just need wheels on the cheap, a used Spectra could satisfy, but we'd recommend anteing up for a more sophisticated rival.

Most Recent Kia Spectra

The most recent (second-generation) Kia Spectra was sold from midway through the 2004 model year through 2009. It was a compact sedan or (as of 2005) a hatchback that could seat four comfortably and five in a pinch. Both body styles featured a 138-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that provided spirited performance around town but felt a little winded during highway passing maneuvers. A standard five-speed manual transmission routed power to the front wheels, and a four-speed automatic was optional.

The sedan was offered in three trim levels -- LX, EX and SX. The Spectra5 hatchback was available in a single SX trim. The LX was bare-bones, but the EX boasted air-conditioning, a CD stereo, full power accessories and keyless entry. The SX model added upgraded interior and exterior trim, along with firmer suspension tuning and bigger wheels and tires. The Spectra's safety features included standard front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and four-wheel disc brakes. Antilock brakes were optional.

In reviews, we generally praised the Kia Spectra for its lengthy list of standard equipment, user-friendly cabin design, decent build and materials quality, smooth ride and competent handling. Criticisms included the engine's lack of pep at high speeds, disappointing real-world fuel economy, and steering that was a tad sloppy. Those looking for a used second-generation Spectra should note that resale values are quite low, so good deals will likely be easy to find.

Past Kia Spectra Models

The first-generation Kia Spectra was launched in the 2000 model year as a four-door hatchback and was offered through the 2004 model year (with the changeover to the current model happening midyear). New to Kia's lineup, the four-door Spectra hatchback served as a more youthful and practical complement to the more pedestrian Sephia sedan, with which it shared its 124-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and major mechanicals. In 2002, Kia dropped the Sephia name altogether and began calling the sedan "Spectra" as well.

The Spectra hatchback originally came in two trim levels: GS and GSX. The base GS offered the essentials, little more than a CD player and a height- and lumbar-adjustable driver seat as standard (although air-conditioning became standard in '04). The GSX added A/C, power windows and locks, a tilt steering wheel and some body modifications intended to make it look sporty, while offering ABS, cruise control and a CD changer as options.

Once launched, the Spectra sedan carried over the Sephia's base and LS trim levels, which basically mirrored the hatchback's GS and GSX trims, respectively, in terms of features, save for the GSX hatchback's body modifications.

Editors at the time appreciated the Spectra's Lotus-tuned suspension, as it delivered decent handling and a smooth, if floaty, ride. Weak links included the brakes, tires and engine. Acceleration was sluggish at highway speeds, with a raucous engine note and unimpressive fuel economy. Inside, the Kia Spectra offered decent room for passengers, but materials quality and fit and finish were well below average. Anyone shopping for a used compact sedan or hatchback is advised to look elsewhere.

User Reviews:

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  2008 kia spectra owned 10 years now - 2008 Kia Spectra
  By Joseph Hall - June 12 - 5:52 pm

  I bought my 2008 Kia Spectra from the dealer with 2 miles on it in april of 2008. I am pretty sure those 2 miles were put on by me in my test drive too. She now has 101K miles on her over 10 years and I can safely say this is the best car Ive ever owned. Despite what the reviews seem to say here, my LX does have ac which has never once needed to be repaired, only recharged once. As for maintenance I have only had to do regular service, and, as long as you treat the car well, youll most likely never have to do any advanced repairs for a long time to come. This car is amazingly reliable and affordable. It also has more climate control settings than your average car that costs twice as much, with 9 fan speeds and many more temperature settings than any other car Ive driven. I love it and have come to rely on it.

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  Best car Ive ever owned - 2001 Kia Spectra
  By stevecobb12550 - June 12 - 9:32 am

  I bought the Kia used at 18,000 miles, and then drove it for almost 150,000 without a problem. Gas mileage was about 33 mpg highway, and it was rock solid. Sure, the sheet metal is so thin that you could dent the car just by breathing on it, and the rear defroster was useless, but the car was a real trooper. Hatchback was very useful, too, I could load all kinds of things in there. The only mistake I made was not changing the timing belt, and it broke at 145k miles, ruining the engine. At 145k miles, the CV joints needed replacing, and so did the struts, but it was a great car.

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  Pleasantly surprised - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By ktown - June 9 - 1:26 pm

  I bought this car nearly 2 years ago. I traded my 2005 Amanti due to gas mileage. It was a bit of an adjustment at first but this has been a great car. I have performed all of the maintenance up to the 24,000 miles that are on it and I havent had any trouble out of it which is a shock compared to my previous 2005 Chevy Malibu and 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix which were both in the shop all the time. I will definitely continue to buy Kia.

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  Better than a Mazda! - 2005 Kia Spectra
  By Andrew - June 8 - 12:43 am

  I owned a 2003 Mazda 6; that car sure looks good but the cheapness of Ford came through. I traded it in for the more economical Spectra5. I immediately loved the car. It gave me great gas mileage, about 30 mpg. It is also way cheaper to maintain and my insurance dropped a whole lot. Overall the car is a lot better of a deal then the Mazda 6 I would even go as far as saying as it being better quality.

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  long term info - 2000 Kia Spectra
  By ripleymanor - May 29 - 2:43 am

  bought new 2000. never had warranty repair. only recommended servicing. 32 m.p.g. a blast to drive. still looks like new. bought Sportage in 2001 same reliability. best you can get for the money.

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  outstanding - 2005 Kia Spectra
  By james b - May 23 - 5:16 am

  Quality, warranty, performance and comfort; totally awesome for low priced vehicle. So good my wife and I purchased another one a week later.

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  The worse vehicle I have ever owned - 2003 Kia Spectra
  By silky99x - May 22 - 2:00 am

  I mistakenly gave this vehice a good rating back in June 2003. Now just 6 months later, Im about to take it in for a warranty repair for the 2nd time. The brake Master Cylinder went bad in NOV 2003. Now the Power Steering unit is leaking. So far, all is covered under the warranty. I gave the local service center a poor rating since it took them 4 days to get and replace the Master Cylinder. They told me to take my care somewhere else in the future to get warranty work. How bad can a major car dealer be. The worse. Never again, will I buy a Kia. I should have stuck with a Toyota.

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  Warranty will be used frequently - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By Andy - May 19 - 2:30 am

  2002 Kia Spectra LS is basic transport. I bought car brand new and I am original owner. Some of warranty repairs in chronological order: All items listed are true replacements under warranty - exhaust purge cannister, front brakes, front exhaust, heater switch,drivers back board seat,engine gaskets, front struts replaced, rear main seal leaking, sun visor, arm rest. After timing belt replacement the check engine light came on for eight times, the timing belt was changed incorrectly by dealer. Summary : A big headache to own.

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  Dismal fuel economy - 2005 Kia Spectra
  By Reg Rothwell - May 16 - 10:23 pm

  Generally, nice car. Ranked higher than others in the same price range and body style (Sport suspension and 4- wheel disc brakes led me to choose it over the others). However, gas mileage is terrible (26 mpg with 1 person; 21 mpg with 2 people - consistently so for 42,000 miles). Of course, Kia is unwilling to address the problem. Totally defeated the purpose for buying the car. Adding to the problem, it requires 91 octane.

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  Kia You get what you pay for! - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By Nerveragain - May 9 - 4:33 am

  We bought the car new and got the rear spoiler with it. It was easy to drive around town but a death trap on the interstate. Road noise is very loud and the motor sounds like it is going to explode at any speeds over 65 mph. We have had a poping noise coming from the front of the car and had it at the dealership several times for this issue but the prolem is still there and they have yet to fix it. If I lived in town and only drove in town this would be a good car, but on any other road where the speed limit is 45 or greater it is not worth the money. The new feeling of this car faded very fast. I should have spent the extra $2000 and bought a quality car.