![]() The windshield has an average rake, and the greenhouse comes out of the designer’s standard playbook. The Spectra’s profile won’t upset anyone. Bumpers and mirrors are body color, an upscale feature for a car in this price range. The front bumper is integrated into the body profile, its plastic cover encircling the cosmetic grille above the bumper and the larger, functional radiator opening below it. Bulges in the sheetmetal that sweep back across the hood trail the high beam bezels. Between the clear-lens headlamps and the grille sit round high beams. The front end seems to owe a lot to the Ford Taurus, with elliptical headlamps and a central grille opening with a crossbar, where a red Kia badge substitutes for Ford’s blue oval. Its styling is pleasant, albeit vaguely derivative. The Spectra, however, has sportier pretensions. Spectra is based on the Kia Sephia sedan, and powered by the same 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine. They come with a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission ($975) driving the front wheels. Or opt for the $13,195 GSX, which lists air conditioning, alloy wheels, power windows, and central locking as standard equipment, plus a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescope steering wheel and an aggressive-looking body kit.Īll Spectras are powered by a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine rated 125 horsepower. Air conditioning adds $900 to that price. The base trim model is designated GS and lists at $10,995. The Spectra lineup consists of one body style: a hatchback with four passenger doors and a quasi-fastback roofline. Kia sweetens the deal with a warranty program that extends basic coverage to five years or 60,000 miles, and powertrain coverage to 10 years or 100,000 miles it also includes five-year/100,000-mile rust perforation protection, and a five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance plan.Īt that rate it’s hard not to look into a Spectra, through all five doors if necessary. How cool is that? So we think Kia deserves major kudos for trying to sell the five-door Spectra to a skeptical American audience. But isn’t a small SUV just a very tall, underpowered hatchback that doesn’t handle as well? What other body style can haul bicycles and skis, furniture or friends, all with equal aplomb? Okay, an SUV can. The hatchback has acquired a negative perception that has nothing to do with its actual function and that’s a shame, because it’s difficult to imagine a more practical vehicle for single-car households. Interior pieces also fell apart.Americans have an aversion to hatchbacks not shared by the rest of the world. The ride quality and interior quality was horrible also at highway speeds this car always felt like it was unstable and going to fall apart. I went to a different mechanic and had a newer engine put in for $3000, and sold this pile of crap after it was put in. I even contacted the repair shop that repaired it the first time, and they said even though it failed early, they were not going to fix all the damage for free. The timing belt is supposed to be changed every 60k. I had no idea the timing belt was going to snap either, because it was changed at 70k along with the water pump and the first serpentine belt failure. ![]() The car is very peppy, but requires as much money as a high end car would cost to keep running. The icing on the cake: The timing belt snapped at 129k and required an engine swap ($3,000 out of my pocket). Interior pieces broke (rear view mirror fell off, 3 door handles, and the radio stopped working). ![]() Timing belt and water pump replaced as preventive maintenance at 70k.Įmission components (throttle position sensor, EGR valve, etc.).įuel pump at 125k (the first time I thought of dumping this car). The car was checked for tire and suspension issues at 92k, and nothing was found to be wrong. Serpentine belt 4 times: 70k, 85k, 92k, and 100k. ![]()
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