What Is It?
2005 Kia Spectra 5
What's Special About It?
The Spectra 5 is a sportier five-door wagon version of the Spectra sedan introduced earlier this year. In addition to offering a little extra cargo room in back, the Spectra 5 features several enhancements designed to give it a more performance-oriented look and feel than the sedan. The suspension was retuned for tighter handling, larger 16-inch wheels and tires were added and there's even a strut tower brace under the hood for better steering response. On the cosmetic side, the Spectra 5 features a lower and more aggressive front air dam, blacked-out grille, foglights and a rear spoiler. A standard 138-horsepower, four-cylinder engine provides the power while a five-speed manual transmission with a reworked shifter works the gears.
The interior is dressed up as well with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, metallic trim and seats covered in a mix of sport cloth and leather. The five-door body style allows for a rear cargo bay that offers up to 18.3 cubic feet of easy-to-access storage. Only one trim level will be offered but a long list of standard features keeps it attractive. A six-speaker CD stereo, remote keyless entry, heated mirrors and a height-adjustable driver seat are all part of the package. Look for the Spectra 5 to hit dealerships later this summer.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Although Kia has been aggressively expanding the upper tier of its lineup as of late, it hasn't forgotten what attracted buyers to the brand in the first place, namely affordable small cars with plenty of features and a solid warranty. The Spectra sedan that debuted earlier this year surprised many with its level of features, power and space, but the Spectra 5 offers all that and more in an even better-looking, practical package. — Ed Hellwig
2005 Kia Spectra 5
What's Special About It?
The Spectra 5 is a sportier five-door wagon version of the Spectra sedan introduced earlier this year. In addition to offering a little extra cargo room in back, the Spectra 5 features several enhancements designed to give it a more performance-oriented look and feel than the sedan. The suspension was retuned for tighter handling, larger 16-inch wheels and tires were added and there's even a strut tower brace under the hood for better steering response. On the cosmetic side, the Spectra 5 features a lower and more aggressive front air dam, blacked-out grille, foglights and a rear spoiler. A standard 138-horsepower, four-cylinder engine provides the power while a five-speed manual transmission with a reworked shifter works the gears.
The interior is dressed up as well with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, metallic trim and seats covered in a mix of sport cloth and leather. The five-door body style allows for a rear cargo bay that offers up to 18.3 cubic feet of easy-to-access storage. Only one trim level will be offered but a long list of standard features keeps it attractive. A six-speaker CD stereo, remote keyless entry, heated mirrors and a height-adjustable driver seat are all part of the package. Look for the Spectra 5 to hit dealerships later this summer.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Although Kia has been aggressively expanding the upper tier of its lineup as of late, it hasn't forgotten what attracted buyers to the brand in the first place, namely affordable small cars with plenty of features and a solid warranty. The Spectra sedan that debuted earlier this year surprised many with its level of features, power and space, but the Spectra 5 offers all that and more in an even better-looking, practical package. — Ed Hellwig
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