Not everyone can afford a Bentley, or even a Buick for that matter. Money aside, many of us just want a practical, budget-friendly solution to our transportation needs. But does that mean we should look dorky every time we hop into that low-buck bucket?
Attempting to offer little style along with value is the new 2005 Kia Spectra5, another entry in the emerging class of compact hatchbacks and wagons. This is actually the second generation of the Spectra five-door, and this time around Kia promises the car is up to Toyota standards.
We know brands like Hyundai and Kia are helping to keep the all-important sub-$20,000 segment alive, but are the Korean imports really on equal footing with competitors like the Ford Focus, Mazda 3 and Toyota Matrix? We couldn't think of a better way to answer that question than to add a Spectra5 to our long-term fleet. Maybe it will be just another compact car. Or maybe it will change the way we think about budget Kias.
In fact, we can't wait to see which staffers' misconceptions lead them to weasel out of driving the Spectra5 for the weekend, thinking themselves "too good" for an economy car. They'll have to get over that, because we're keeping this Kia for a year and pressing it into duty as a family car, commuter car, road-trip wagon and all-around daily companion.
Like other small wagons, the Spectra5 is billed as a sporty version of its sedan sibling. The extra dose of attitude comes courtesy of its standard body cladding, 16-inch alloy wheels, black mesh grille, foglights and rear roof spoiler.
Under the hood is a DOHC 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder with variable valve timing — Kia's first variable-valve-timing engine. It makes 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque. To keep things relaxed in the city, we selected a four-speed automatic transmission to go with it (a five-speed manual is available for those who prefer to shift their own gears).
For an economy car, the Kia Spectra5 comes with a long list of standard equipment, including four-wheel disc brakes, seat-mounted side airbags in front, full-length side curtain airbags, air conditioning, a six-speaker CD stereo, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and full power accessories. We added a sunroof, antilock brakes, cruise control and floor mats as options. We're a little disappointed that ABS isn't standard, but at just $400 for this stand-alone option, we can't complain too loudly. The total sticker on our test car is $17,400.
Early impressions are mostly positive. Several editors commented that acceleration was surprisingly peppy. Production Editor Caroline Pardilla put it this way: "I thought it was going to feel like a rental Chevy Aveo or my '98 Corolla, but when I pressed the accelerator I got more power than I expected." Content Editor Warren Clarke also expressed surprise and described the car as "light and nimble," making it "kinda fun to drive."
Even though we like the Spectra's off-the-line spunk, more than one editor noted there isn't much extra power at higher speeds. When we track-test the car, we suspect it will deliver a quick 0-to-30-mph time but a slightly disappointing 0-to-60.
Inside, the car is surprising in many respects. The rear seat has adequate room for adults, the front seats are comfortable and the pleasing tactile nature of the buttons and switches belies the car's $16,000 base price.
One downside is the large number of hard plastic surfaces, which give the interior a cheap look at first glance. Also, the wagon configuration allows for a little more storage space, but with the rear seats in use, we would hesitate to call it spacious.
We'll have to keep reminding ourselves about the price.
In the meantime, we'll continue to use the Spectra5 the way you would in our quest to find out whether this Kia's got what it takes to go up against the class leaders. Check back for our next report.
Current Odometer: 1,270
Best Fuel Economy: 19.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.9 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 19.3 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None.
Attempting to offer little style along with value is the new 2005 Kia Spectra5, another entry in the emerging class of compact hatchbacks and wagons. This is actually the second generation of the Spectra five-door, and this time around Kia promises the car is up to Toyota standards.
We know brands like Hyundai and Kia are helping to keep the all-important sub-$20,000 segment alive, but are the Korean imports really on equal footing with competitors like the Ford Focus, Mazda 3 and Toyota Matrix? We couldn't think of a better way to answer that question than to add a Spectra5 to our long-term fleet. Maybe it will be just another compact car. Or maybe it will change the way we think about budget Kias.
In fact, we can't wait to see which staffers' misconceptions lead them to weasel out of driving the Spectra5 for the weekend, thinking themselves "too good" for an economy car. They'll have to get over that, because we're keeping this Kia for a year and pressing it into duty as a family car, commuter car, road-trip wagon and all-around daily companion.
Like other small wagons, the Spectra5 is billed as a sporty version of its sedan sibling. The extra dose of attitude comes courtesy of its standard body cladding, 16-inch alloy wheels, black mesh grille, foglights and rear roof spoiler.
Under the hood is a DOHC 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder with variable valve timing — Kia's first variable-valve-timing engine. It makes 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque. To keep things relaxed in the city, we selected a four-speed automatic transmission to go with it (a five-speed manual is available for those who prefer to shift their own gears).
For an economy car, the Kia Spectra5 comes with a long list of standard equipment, including four-wheel disc brakes, seat-mounted side airbags in front, full-length side curtain airbags, air conditioning, a six-speaker CD stereo, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and full power accessories. We added a sunroof, antilock brakes, cruise control and floor mats as options. We're a little disappointed that ABS isn't standard, but at just $400 for this stand-alone option, we can't complain too loudly. The total sticker on our test car is $17,400.
Early impressions are mostly positive. Several editors commented that acceleration was surprisingly peppy. Production Editor Caroline Pardilla put it this way: "I thought it was going to feel like a rental Chevy Aveo or my '98 Corolla, but when I pressed the accelerator I got more power than I expected." Content Editor Warren Clarke also expressed surprise and described the car as "light and nimble," making it "kinda fun to drive."
Even though we like the Spectra's off-the-line spunk, more than one editor noted there isn't much extra power at higher speeds. When we track-test the car, we suspect it will deliver a quick 0-to-30-mph time but a slightly disappointing 0-to-60.
Inside, the car is surprising in many respects. The rear seat has adequate room for adults, the front seats are comfortable and the pleasing tactile nature of the buttons and switches belies the car's $16,000 base price.
One downside is the large number of hard plastic surfaces, which give the interior a cheap look at first glance. Also, the wagon configuration allows for a little more storage space, but with the rear seats in use, we would hesitate to call it spacious.
We'll have to keep reminding ourselves about the price.
In the meantime, we'll continue to use the Spectra5 the way you would in our quest to find out whether this Kia's got what it takes to go up against the class leaders. Check back for our next report.
Current Odometer: 1,270
Best Fuel Economy: 19.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.9 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 19.3 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None.
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mike449 says:
09:13 AM, 01/17/2010
had my 2005 spectra 5 since new every year the ac has to be charged (since new) and now it costs me. the front spoiler is held on with doublesided tape which comes loose every winter. parts are very hard to get. bought touchup paint from kia but it does not match at all. the doors have a awful wind noise that developed after a year, but only in a certain crosswind. dust blows in from under the floor in the rear. the front passenger seat is only good for short trips as it causes back aches. a true rating of a car should be done at 50,000 miles (pay attention here you worthless car critics) not new ones. thats when a true review can be done. this is a shame as I bought a rio in 2002 that was a great car for 100,000 miles with no problem. this will be my last kia