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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  Good Value - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By Mark B - July 30 - 10:00 am

  The car runs great I havent had any problems yet. The warranty is killer. I use the car as a second vehicle. I would recommend this car tomy friends and family.

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  Bye Bye Kia - 2008 Kia Spectra
  By Bri - July 17 - 5:10 am

  Well, I owned this car for 11 months and totaled it a couple weeks ago. Overall I enjoyed the Spectra5, and it did pretty well with a rear collision at 50 mph. Pushed me into another car, so both the front and back ends got it, but neither crumpled that far. Safety-wise it did pretty good. The driver seat during the collision slid to the back and put me into a reclining position. Strange, but not a serious fault in my opinion. So, good on safety, brakes stopped me, but the Civic behind me... not so much.

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  Cant Be Beat for the Price - 2002 Kia Spectra
  By lhartford03 - July 14 - 1:30 am

  I have found my Kia to be very reliable. Few mechanical problems (I keep up on maintenance). Good pick up for a 4 cyl - I have 5 speed version. Overall, the car has gone above and beyond what I would have expected for the price.

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  A Great Little Car! - 2007 Kia Spectra
  By Tammie - July 6 - 5:50 pm

  Only 1 problem in 3 years--had to get the Catalic Converter replaced but it was under warranty. Took numerous visits to the dealership to get this done--to run all the necessary tests when the check engine light kept coming on. They got it fixed and its been running fine for 8 months since.

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  2.5 years 72000 miles running strong - 2007 Kia Spectra
  By dons - July 6 - 8:13 am

  K so I bought this new.. Wanted a hatchback because of the fact the rear seats fold completely flat.. Wanted room without sacrificing gas mileage and getting a suv. Exterior is soft tho.. As all vehicles are nowdays. All dings and bumps show up, and the plastic front bumper not so great with 6 or more inches of snow on the ground.. In effect it became a plow during the winter, but with studs got around great anyway. Interior roomy. Wife and 3 kids and me fit great. Car headliner easily stainable oddly enough not sure what happened there. Car has been across country from Washington to Texas and back with no real issues.

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  Cheap used car, wouldnt buy new - 2003 Kia Spectra
  By Kia Driver - July 4 - 7:23 pm

  I find this to be a decent used car for someone just learning to drive or looking for nothing more than point A to point B transportation. Its been pretty reliable although when things do break, they are expensive to repair. Many parts have to be ordered from Korea and its hard to find a mechanic that will work on them. Very difficult to work on yourself as well. The "little things" like interior trim and such start falling apart around 50k miles though. By 87K the dash was warped, interior trim always falling off, drivers seat no longer went back, and power windows only worked sometimes. The drive train itself is fairly reliable though.

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  pretty cool car - 2003 Kia Spectra
  By Ignacio - July 1 - 10:00 am

  this car is basic transportation. accelerates slowly but is good for teenagers with cautious parents that dont want them to drag race. it has nice taillights. its comfortable and looks nice on the inside. fits five adults comfortably.

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  Cant Stand This Car - 2009 Kia Spectra
  By soldiermusic - June 28 - 8:05 am

  I have owned several cars in my driving years and I can look back fondly on various aspects of pretty much all of them. This car is an unfortunate exception. I absolutley loathe this car. It is very easy to oversteer and difficult to get back on track if you need to make a sudden swerve. The mileage is substandard. It gets about 26mpg highway. (My Sedona mini-van gets 22-23.) Please note I am not a leadfoot driver and I dont make hard accelerations. Im pretty easy on my cars. Also, the drivers seat is worse that sitting on a wagon bench. At least a covered wagon doesnt have two bars right in line with my anatomy. And no, Im not a very large or old person.

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  Perfect Fit! - 2006 Kia Spectra
  By Sarah - June 28 - 1:16 am

  Every time I get in a drive this car, Im glad we bought it. Its fun to drive, easy to park, good on gas, and weve had no troubles with it whatsoever. Were planning on a longer road trip next week, and I am reassured that well be taking this car with us. Its comfortable (not too big, not to small) and has plenty of cargo space for a family of three.

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  Terrible trans! - 2008 Kia Spectra
  By disgusted - June 23 - 10:00 am

  First transmission replaced at 17,000 miles, 2nd at 23,000. Water "sloshing" around somewhere in the dash/floor area that "cant be fixed". I like the warranty, but when the cars in the shop, youre stranded. No rental, no loaner, just stranded. I paid $950 for a used Mazda 626 with 175k on it and its way more reliable than this!