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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  do not buy - 2004 Kia Spectra
  By johnson kia - August 12 - 10:00 am

  no pick up, poor gas milage.. dealship does not honor warranties, turn knobs for seat poositioning in poor location unable to use, car excellerates while at stop

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  Impulse Purchase - 2009 Kia Spectra
  By First KIA - August 6 - 6:20 am

  This car handles the curves on the road very well. The gas mileage is excellent. I think its even better than the Ford Focus. I like the fact that it has a sporty look. The spoiler is a great addition. I needed a car, check out the dealership and price and rode off into the sunset with a brand new vehicle.

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  Great Small car but can be pricey - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By Benjamin - July 30 - 1:26 am

  Recently i bought my 2002 Kia Spectra, so far its been a great little car and even with a 153,000 miles on it it still has a lot of its kick still in it, cant burn out but it tries like hell to, but the only things i have had to done lately is servicing when bought the car it had no air filter and the spark plugs were bad so changed all that and it seemed like it had a new life in it, but recently the front right tire seemed like it was going to fall off due to a tire shop so i had to spend 500 dollars to get all that fixed but ever since then best little car i ever owned and gas mileage is great get a 100 miles to a forth of a tank plus it tries to be sporty at times.

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  Safety - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By dover - July 29 - 10:00 am

  The only bad thing I have to say about this car is it is underpowered. The milage is great, as well as the reliability. We did not have one problem with our KIA. We recently were in a head on collision in the KIA and this car withstood this impact and kept my family safe. The wreck was pretty bad, but the Spectra did its job preventing serious injury. The car is now totaled and I would not hesitate to get another one...

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  Spectra LS is a great car... - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By spectraboi2002 - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I have just under 30,000 miles on it.I paid about $16,000 for this car and I got all of the goodies, Cruise, power windows and locks, XM radio. Another great thing that I like about the Kias that most do not know Alpine makes their radios.Also I have had very little problems with my car.The most major problem that I had was the Cruise control switch broke,and it was not because of poor quality,but rather me letting others drive it on vacation and them not knowing how to use the switches and they broke one off.I am extremely rough on my car and It is still going very strong for highway passing. So it is fun to drive and alot of "Bang for your buck".

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By Pleasantly Surprised - July 19 - 5:40 pm

  I was super impressed with this car. I always swore I would never drive a 4 cylinder. Well when gas prices began to rise I changed my mind. In the past couple of years Ive owned a 2004 Grand Prix GT, a 2005 Malibu,and a 2006 Amanti. I traded my Amanti for the Spectra due to gas mileage. It is so much fun to drive and it has a lot more pep than I would have thought. I also have to say something for Kia because neither my Amanti nor my spectra had or have been in for any warranty work.

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  Kia Spectra LX 2006 - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By Johnny Quest - July 16 - 6:16 pm

  The Kia Spectra is a nice car at an excellent price. I chose this car over a Civic because of the price difference and I have no regrets. The car is fun to drive and the transmission shifts smoothly. The engine has plenty of power and is remarkably quiet when idling.

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  Spectra is build for life - 2005 Kia Spectra
  By Joe Gagner - July 6 - 7:36 am

  I just bought a Spectra 5 Hatchback. This car is sweet. This car is fast looks good and has a standard spoiler how cool is that. Toyota and Honda charge 500 for all standard. Safety must be first when it comes to this car 6 Airbags plus an automatic airbag that shuts off when someone under 75 or no one is sitting in the passenger seat. Great suspension

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  sweet ride - 2007 Kia Spectra
  By riley ed - July 4 - 7:27 am

  Not overwhelmed with power , but awesome on gas.

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  KIA Spectra GSX : A Pleasant Surprise - 2003 Kia Spectra
  By EarlA - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a 2003 for my daughter, who was moving to Arizona. She flew out, but I drove the KIA, hatch loaded to the gills and a fully-stuffed roof carrier, 2500 miles from NJ to AZ, averaging 31 MPG at speeds of 70-80 MPH. Had to downshift a few times going over the Continental Divide, but generally the power was adequate. I think the 2003 model has more torque than the 2002. The car was comfortable, too. Only request would be for a little more "grunt" from the AM side of the AM/FM/CD player; max volume was overwhelmed by road noise at 70 MPH! The hatchback design is very versatile. Car has performed flawlessly so far.