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:
Showing 221 through 230 of 736.00-
Depends on how you treat it - 2003 Kia Spectra
By travisp11 - October 16 - 1:46 amWe have had our Spectra for almost four years now and the only major problem we had it in for was the throttle position sensor. Yeah, it took four return trips to the dealership (175 miles away, ouch!) but eventually the throttle body was replaced under warranty. Honestly, if you follow routine service and dont treat it like a red-neck stepchild, you should get many years of good use out of it, just like any other car.
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Kia Spectra - 2004 Kia Spectra
By Jdowns37 - October 14 - 2:00 amSlow Take off Speed Tire poor traction Lacks sporty look need two door version arm console weak needs beefed up
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Love My Spectra 5 - 2006 Kia Spectra
By david - October 9 - 12:33 pmHello. I bought my 2006 Spectra 5 brand new. I never owned a Korean made core but I am sold on them now. As long as they are made in Korea I would buy another Kia at the drop of a hat. If its made in USA I would have to give it some serious thought about purchasing it. I still dont think I would buy one if manufactured in USA sorry to say that but I just dont think the build quality will be the same. Look at Toyota its a nightmare. As for my Kia its never been back once to the dealer for any problems what so ever. I got the sunroof and its a five speed. I paid just about 15k and it was worth every penny. Love this car to death. If youre a single person it will work well for you!
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KIA - So far so good... - 2004 Kia Spectra
By Atrac - October 9 - 10:00 amI originally wanted a Daewoo, but was horrified to learn that they had filed for Bankruptcy a few years ago and the cars were "apparently" no longer available as new in the United States. I then set my sights on the KIA Spectra. I did have to take it in already to get it aligned, but other than that I like it! NOTE: I have since learned that Daewoo is really selling cars in the U.S., even today. Check out the Chevy Aveo, the Suzuki Forenza and Suzuki Verona -- they are all Daewoos!
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just good car period - 2002 Kia Spectra
By riskman - October 7 - 10:00 amNo reason to buy $5000 more expensive Honda Civic. Spectra has just same power and feel as Civic and I felt it was even peppier and handles better. New Honda is just too boring
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fun to drive, excellent rear headroom - 2006 Kia Spectra
By Tim - September 30 - 1:50 amWith the manual transmission, the Spectra5 is a fun car to drive, with decent acceleration & handling. (I thought the automatic was a little underpowered; maybe it just needed to be shifted into Low sometimes. But isnt the point of an automatic to do that automatically?) I ended up with power windows/locks (std), side air bags (std), ABS (opt), and sunroof (opt) for $1000 less than Id have gotten another car for -- without those features. Its amazing how many cars I ruled out because of too little rear headroom (my son & I are both >6); we both easily fit in the back of the Spectra5. (The headroom in the Spectra is the same, but I wanted something other than a basic 4-door sedan).
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Nice little car - 2007 Kia Spectra
By Johlem9 - September 18 - 7:43 amI bought my Spectra LX two years ago today. Its been a great little car. Factory tires were horrible. Also the car got out of alignment pretty quick, but that is my only real complant.
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Third set of tires - 2007 Kia Spectra
By salon1616 - September 13 - 4:40 pmIm the only owner with 13700 miles on it,started with 75. The car is eating up tires. Im on my 3rd set with 5 alingments. I dont think they know whats wrong. I want a full refund for the car and tires.
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New Spectra - 2005 Kia Spectra
By usaf207cwf - September 8 - 4:33 pmThe car is great. The performance is superb for a 4 cylinder. Quick off the line and if you learn quickly how to get it into its best power range of 4000-4500 RPM and keep it there, acceleration at 50+ is spirited and quick. Comfort is good, the seats fit you and keep you in place. Fuel economy is what you would expect, again, from a 4 cylinder. The car is extremely fun to drive. The stiff setup really lets you feel the car through the turns. The car is very responsive to steering input, and therefore drives where you want it to go instead of going where it wants, while you try to correct. The interior design, exterior design, build quality, and reliability are first rate.
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Excellent car - 2006 Kia Spectra
By Shahed - September 5 - 3:03 amBetter than any of its class. Warranty is best. Why worry if you are backed by KIA. Lot better than Corolla or Honda. Low price compared to options you are getting. Nowhere can you find the safety or this class.
