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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  242,500 Still going strong!!!!! - 2001 Kia Spectra
  By Terry - December 23 - 5:10 pm

  I guess This says it all.

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  2004 Kia Spectra - 2004 Kia Spectra
  By LLBinHOU - December 20 - 6:30 am

  I bought this Kia used 8 months ago and I LOVE this car! It has smooth manual shift, feels sporty, great on the mileage and very fun to drive! No complaints. None!

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  Cool But needs some Enrichments - 2004 Kia Spectra
  By Mustapha Selim - December 15 - 10:00 am

  It is a verywell car. but its interior materials r not so rich.... a cute exterior .. good Engine but some kinda heavy.. actually i got a 1600 C.C one .. but it is soooo Convenient

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  Kia changed my mind - 2005 Kia Spectra
  By Laura - December 11 - 4:10 am

  I owned a Kia years ago and swore I would never buy one again. We were looking for an inexpensive car and decided to try Kia again. This time I was very pleased at the value for the money. I havent had any problems in the year and a half I have owned the car. Kia has come a long way in my book. I enjoy my Kia and would recommend one to all of my friends and family.

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  Press missed the boat on this one - 2007 Kia Spectra
  By John K - December 6 - 3:53 pm

  I believe in best for the money. I had a 2002 Passat before this car and love everyday in my Spectra 5. The car handles great, almost as well as my Miata. The interior is excellent, the seats are supportive and the room is amazing. It feels better built than a Corolla, is faster than a Matrix and has almost as much interior room as my Passat. In crash tests it gets two excellent and two good scores, so Edmunds is wrong in that department. The engine has guts and gets great mileage. I loaded it to where I could not see out the rear window and drove it half way across the country and averaged 37 mpg. Take into account the cost, equipment and warranty and I had no problem deciding to get it

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  Best Overall Buy in Class and Style - 2007 Kia Spectra
  By AlbertOMG - December 2 - 12:16 pm

  Bought it, broke it in and then drove from L.A. to Zion Natl Park to Lees Ferry to Grand Canyon and back with car fully loaded (included two bikes on a hatch rack). I even slept in it twice. It handled great and was always comfortable! I love it! Pros: spacious, good control placement, storage!, good handling turning when driving aggressively, looks. Cons: odd acceleration - tends to over-rev, rear speakers. Bottom Line: Ive looked and this is the best car for the dollar for space, fuel economy, comfort, looks. Another may handle a bit better or jump faster but Kias the best overall.

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  Kia Spectra - So far so good - 2003 Kia Spectra
  By padrig - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car as an inexpensive alternative to other models in its class. The car lacks power in acceleration when using the airconditioner. The engine runs well and gets somewhere in the high 20s to low 30s on the highway and mid 20s in the city. I am satisfied with the overall performance of my car, but I have only owned it for about a month. So far so good!

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  good little car - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By sak713 - November 19 - 2:00 am

  so far the car has been good we had one recall something to do with something in the gas tank but we took it back to the dealer and it was fixed in less then 30 min. so far nothing else has happened. Tires are a different thing.they suck.they need to find a different kind of tire to put on the car they are fine if you dont have to drive in snow. but trust me dont drive the car off the lot in the tires that are on the car if it snowing out. but other then that it a nice car. theres plenty of room in the back for a car seat. but if you have to put two in dont plan on anyone else riding back there. but we like it.

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  Still love the car, not a fan of customer service - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By weezul - November 17 - 12:42 pm

  Reviewed the vehicle 3 1/2 years after buying, has now been 5 1/2 years. 2 issues since the last review for the vehicle. Started to experience a stiff pinging noise in the front driver side sometime last summer when the vehicle was cold and taking hard left turns slowly. Contributed it to a failing shock, my service manager misdiagnosed twice as brake pad backing plate that needed adjusting. They finally tightened down the shocks cap nut, which stopped the noise. The other issue started two months ago, my passenger mirror and driver side door handle are both peeling the clear coat. Falls out of the 3yr/36 month warranty, but I wrote to express my concerns to corporate, with no results.

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  safety issues - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By eileen - November 10 - 11:26 am

  Ive had my Kia Spectra for 2 1/2 years and was very happy with it until recently. While avoiding an accident on the highway, my Kia lost complete control. My car spun out of control, and did 360s across 3 lanes of traffic narrowly missing hitting a guardrail and several cars. It was very scary, and I was very lucky. There was no way to control my car, I was totally helpless. Im a very good driver who has been driving a very long time and was never in an accident before. Im actually considering getting rid of the car due to this, and look for a car with ABS brakes and electronic stability control which I now know from experience is very important. Not a very safe car in desperate measures.