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The sharp folks at Kia Motors America have done much to upgrade the quality and image of “econo-cars.” Kia and Hyundai might not have started out strong in the U.S. market, but they were incredibly quick students as their current cars prove.
Probably the Koreans’ most brilliant marketing move was to guarantee the quality of their products. Their 10-year, 100,000-mile warranties took the worry out of Kia ownership and put serious pressure on other manufacturers.
Kia was confident of its quality, but the generous warranties convinced buyers to take a look. Besides a great warranty what most buyers saw was tremendous value. Kia packs a lot of useful features into their vehicles while keeping prices very competitive.
One of Kia’s better “bang for the buck” products is the Spectra 5 hatchback/wagon. It offers an excellent mix of comfort, spaciousness, cargo flexibility, safety, value and a fun-to-drive sportiness.
Walkaround: The Kia Spectra 5 is as handsome as any of its more expensive competitors. It has good proportions with great looking 5-spoke alloy wheels at the outer corners of the package. The tasteful front end scoops are sporty.
Interior: Passenger room is excellent in both the front and rear seats. Six-footers fit fine in the back seat. The front seats are comfortable and supportive. The plastic parts are very high-level plastic, not what one would expect in an inexpensive car. Front seat storage features are big and plentiful. The back seat gets two cupholders and seatback cargo nets.
A thick leather steering wheel and an oversized dead pedal are welcome features. Our test car had the optional power sunroof, which was a nice addition.
The rear cargo area is flat with good access. There are two small under floor storage bins.
Dual front advanced airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, and front seat mounted side airbags are all standard equipment. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard, but ABS is a $400 option.
Under The Hood: You won’t win many drag races with the 138 hp 2.0-liter DOHC I-4 engine, but you won’t be left behind, either. The engine performs well when coupled with the 5-speed manual transmission. Cars equipped with the 4-speed automatic cost a thousand dollars more.
Behind The Wheel: The Kia Spectra 5 is pretty nimble for a car that wasn’t meant to be a sports compact. Kia calls its 4-wheel independent suspension “Sport-Tuned,” which sounds better than “Not Sloppy.” The level of sportiness depends on the aggressiveness of the driver, but the Spectra 5 can handle a lot.
Whines: The clutch on our test car was a little sticky in first gear, but fine once underway.
Bottom Line: The Kia Spectra 5 is a very enjoyable, highly functional compact car with great features at a great price.
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