![]() There’s nothing worse than the smell of spoiled milk that has been fermenting in the cloth seats of a car. Like that fact that leather is super easy to clean just wipe it down with a cloth. Sure, it’s less than pleasant when my skin sticks to it in the summertime, but the benefits out number the negatives. One thing Mother Proof mom reviewers have voiced strongly is the choice of leather seats over cloth. The lack of cubbies and storage compartments has me piling junk on the passenger seat where it all slides off when I hit the brakes. The cargo space in the back is very small, just enough room to fit the stroller and not much else. My tall, long-legged husband doesn’t look like a sardine packed in its tin he actually fits and is happy his shaved head doesn’t rub against the top of the car.Īs for me, I can’t find anything particularly outstanding. The only thing I can commend the Spectra 5 for is that it has accommodating headroom. I’m sorry to say it, but it’s just another car. There’s not much to this car and there’s nothing exciting to write about. Each review is based on a test of a vehicle supplied directly by the manufacturer.After driving around comparing cars for the past year, the Kia Spectra 5 is like having a plain vanilla ice cream cone no nuts, no toppings, no cherry on top. Jason Stein’s column appears Sundays in Business. Price as tested (including destination and delivery): $17,140 Warranty: Basic warranty is 10 years/100,000 miles. ![]() ![]() Standard safety equipment: Dual front, side and inflatable curtain air bags Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic (optional) ![]() Key competition: Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civicīase engine: 138 horsepower, 2-liter DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder engine Vehicle type: Front-wheel-drive, front-engine, four-door, five-passenger compact sedan In other words, world-class safety without the price.Īnd, with a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty (done to encourage new Kia shoppers to consider one), where can you go wrong? As a first for Kia, there are six standard air bags, including a full-length side-curtain air bag. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are $400 and an option I would suggest you add.īut tilt steering and heated mirrors? This isn’t the bare bones vehicle I remember. The Spectra comes with air conditioning, AM/FM/CD audio system with six speakers, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power heated outside mirrors and a height-adjustable steering column. You get more standard stuff on the Spectra than virtually any car on the market for its price. Criticized in the past for using cheap, plastic materials, Kia has swapped out the old style for nice textures on the instrument panel and throughout the cabin.Īn added bonus is that Kia did not skimp on standard equipment. The turning radius is very tight, and its compact size makes it a delight to drive in mall traffic. Larger stabilizer bars and 16-inch wheels help structural rigidity and better performance in the turns. Kia spent a lot of time tightening things up and buttoning things down on the Spectra. Underneath the Spectra, Kia has installed a suspension to match the power. It accelerates cleanly at low and high speeds and seems to find its best range in city driving when you can zip in and out of a lane change or merge onto a highway.Īt 24 miles per gallon in the city, or 32 on the highway, can you really complain? Powered by a 2-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, it produces a sprightly 138 horsepower and plenty of torque for this class of vehicle. And, mostly, it will leave money in your wallet. The Spectra, a four-door sedan that is also available as a hatchback, is an understated vehicle that can be dressed up with a spoiler, metal pedals and fog lights. Not flashy, not rakish, but definitely drivable, the Spectra is a very viable option for anyone who has never considered this car company before. Hyundai-Kia have even targeted the end of the decade to be the world’s fifth-largest car company. Many think the Koreans will be a player to watch in the future. With the involvement of parent company Hyundai (and Hyundai’s subsequent rise up the quality charts), the Koreans are onto something good here. Kia has been the punch line of several new car jokes over the years, mostly because it was value-priced without the value. Those two statements have not always been synonymous. Priced at less than $14,000 in base versions, and available with a slew of standard features and interesting options, Kia is a good value and a good car. No apologies here, but Kia is really something to consider. Perhaps there’s something gratifying about finding a diamond in the rough, or a little uncharted territory when everyone seems to be walking in the same direction.
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