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2005 Buyer's Guide: Kia by Jim Gorzelany (9/17/2004)
Kia USA: http://www.kia.com/international/
subscribeMember of the hipocracy will say you
need to spend more than $15,000 to get something cool. Buy a MINI —
or maybe a
fully restored Ford Ranchero? The paint job should probably coordinate with your
loft’s walls, keep in mind. And be prepared to abandon your choice in a year
when it becomes hopelessly cliché and
passé and everything else that ends
in an é.
Pragmatic enthusiasts who don’t have a lot of cash and
are eager and willing to embrace the new should not give up their chill hopes,
though. Instead, they can scope out this $14,995 Kia Spectra5 and hop on one
before it becomes the hot commodity on campus and in the grunt parking places at
Microsoft. The Sorento made it okay for housewives to get into a Kia SUV —
and
the Spectra5 opens the door for Gen Nexters to embrace
Like the Mazda Protege5 that preceded it in mission, the Spectra takes the common sedan and elevates its performance profile — and then cloaks it in a five-door hatchback body so the campus police don’t get too suspicious. It’s a clever disguise for what amounts to an enthusiast’s starter kit, a Scion xB with smoother edges and the first steps down Tuner Alley taken.
A handsome humpback…
What you’ll notice first about the Spectra5 is the backpack that’s sprouted from its back. It’s born that way to bear more of your stuff, and far from looking like it should be ringing bells at Notre Dame, the Spectra5 cuts a sharp profile that pleases way more folks than the X-Acto-drawn xB. It’s more a hatchback than the xB or the late Protegé5, more in line with the Mazda3 in terms of relative cargo space and in the ratio of roofline over the cargo area.
Other than the growth hanging off its back, the Spectra5 isn’t radically different from the new Spectra four-door, which is a good thing. The newest version of Kia’s compact sedan is stouter, safer (with six standard airbags and occupant sensors), and better looking, with a sharp crease down its flanks that somehow gives a BMW impression to the $12,620 sedan. The Spectra5 and the four-door both have a longer wheelbase and length and are wider than the car they replace.
Inside that structure, the Spectra5 abides with the sedan’s capable but not-yet-thrilling powertrain. With variable valve timing and double overhead cams, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turns out 138 horsepower and 135 pound-feet of torque — a decent amount for a five-door when it’s just you behind the wheel. For carrying five adults or scorching your favorite lightly patrolled section of highway, you’ll want to have early designs on improving the engine to non-warrantied levels of power. Either that, or suffer repeated smokings at the hands of standard-issue LeSabres.
The five-speed gearbox isn’t enchanting, but it’s geared decently to keep the Spectra5’s motor revving high where you need to, to extract the power. The four-five shift in particular could use some work (our pre-production vehicle had some minor niggles, shift feel among them), but the clutch effort is light and direct and so are the brakes, for that matter. Even though all the driver inputs feel more mature than in the last Spectra, it doesn’t mean they’re Toyota-geriatric. A four-speed automatic is an option.
GET 
2004
Mazda3
2004
Pontiac Vibe
2004
Scion xB
Versus the base four-door, the five-door hatch gets a sport-tuned independent suspension, 16-inch wheels and tires, and a strut-tower brace to reinforce the front end. The basic suspension design is related to the current Hyundai Elantra, and it’s plain and direct in a presidential way: there’s a charming simplicity to the Spectra5’s handling that makes it an ideal first-time drivers’ car. Plenty of understeer rules the roost, and even if the speed-sensitive power steering’s not as communicative as a teenager, it’s decent in feedback and tracks up the 101 cleanly.
forumThe ride quality isn’t harmed too much by a full load of
people and luggage, but there is a noticeable stiffness that makes itself more
known as road and suspension noise than jarring movements. When it’s you alone,
the Spectra5’s light street patter is engaging, even sophisticated. Chalk it up
to another huge generational leap in South Korean cars that’s taken only about
three years.
…but a small backyard
As a five-door, the Spectra5 has more backyard than the four-door, but Sir Mix-A-Lot won’t be writing songs about the Spectra5’s rear end. It’s too lean and too cleanly integrated into the body, despite the fact that it offers up 98.1 cubic feet of total interior space. The Spectra5’s fifth door comes off better than the Matrix or the xB, while not looking as station-wagony as the Protege5. Even with the back seats raised and occupied, you can still fit a day’s worth of bags from the Camarillo Premium Outlets in the back without squishing the furry boots your cousin has decided will make senior year even more perfect.
On top of the fifth door, Kia ladles on the trim inside and out to distinguish this sportier version from the fleet-ready four-door, including a rear spoiler, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, snazzy seat fabric and sort-of metallic trim on the dash and console. And they install as much standard equipment as possible into the Spectra5 without making it look like they’re stalker-desperate for your attention. There’s air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD player, power windows/locks/mirrors, and a rear wiper/washer. Anti-lock brakes are optional for $400, too.
So where buying Korean used to impart a penalty on your reputation if not your wallet, it’s no longer a badge of cheapness. And particularly with the Spectra5, it’s the first clue that you might actually be cool under that Garanimals jumpsuit. In both cases, remember to remove the price tag before enjoying.
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GET Kelley Blue Book Pricing for this vehicle
2005 Kia Spectra5
Engine: 2.0-liter in-line four, 138 hp/135 lb-ft
Drivetrain: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Length x width x height: 170.9 x 68.3 x 57.9 in
Wheelbase: 102.8 in
Curb weight: 2844-2903 lb
EPA City/Hwy: 25/34 mpg (manual); 24/34 mpg (auto)
Safety equipment: Dual front airbags
Major standard equipment: AM/FM/CD player, power windows/locks/mirrors, air conditioning, alloy wheels
Warranty: Five years/60,000 miles basic; ten years/100,000 miles powertrain; five years/unlimited miles roadside assistance
