2005 Kia Spectra Review

Most Improved Player Barr None

Kia hasnt been part of the American landscape for that long, but nonetheless the South Korean brand has gone from a mere curiosity to a major player. One thing seems pretty obvious, an awful lot of Americans like Kia.

And theres good reason. My brother was looking for a new sport utility and he asked for my recommendation. After having spent a week with the Sorento just previously, and being duly impressed, I relayed my positive experience. A few days later a two-tone fully-loaded Kia Sorento was parked in his driveway. He and his family love it.

Ive heard many similar stories over the last couple of years, especially now that the brands actual and perceived quality has improved to the point that it rivals most competitors, even the Japanese.

Thats true for just about all of Kias models. I mean, who would have thought the economy brand would produce a luxury sedan? But its here now as the Amanti. Just before the Sorento was brought to market Kia introduced the Sedona minivan, a great value next to its domestic and Asian counterparts especially when factoring in its refined, attractively designed interior. The Optima offers a lot for the money too, with even the tiny, cheap as borscht Rio subcompact displaying better overall quality than some domestic competitors.

Currently only one of Kias cars doesnt really measure up to the majority of its rivals - the Spectra. But thats about to change, dramatically.

Kia just introduced the new 2005 Spectra to the automotive media in Santa Monica, California last Friday, March 26, with most seeming a little surprised by how good it really is. I, for one, am impressed.

Its important to put things into perspective. While I still think the outgoing car is quite nice to look at, with the 5-door hatch actually quite attractive, the new car is much more stylish. While it has been designed to fit into the fairly conservative compact market, theres nothing bland or generic about it.

Large, uniquely styled headlamp clusters wrap around the front fenders on their outer most ends before melding in perfect alignment with the tapered and sculpted hood lines. These drop downward to integrate into the cars distinctive grille at both sides, part of a one piece front fascia that incorporates circular fog lamps at its corners in higher trim levels.

My favorite design detail is the arcing beltline crease that spans the Spectras profile from back to front before disappearing into the front wheel arch. It looks particularly nice from rear three-quarter view, giving the compact sedan a rakish yet fluid appearance. I also like the side molding just underneath, not just because its nicely styled but mostly for its protective applications. Too many cars today forget to include side moldings in the design, with parking lot door dings quickly obliterating any aesthetic benefits.

That beltline isnt the only attractive element to the Spectras design when viewed from behind, as its rear decklid is also nicely executed. The trunklid includes a slick integrated spoiler at its rearmost edge, which arcs gracefully from center to each side tucking in just above the large, upscale taillamps. Kia has added a few chrome accents to key focal points, such as the license plate surround, giving it a classy touch.

The larger 15-inch standard wheels on P195/60 R15 Hankook or Kumho tires add some visual substance to the overall design, a major weak point in the old car, now rectified. The new model now combines elegant lines with a sporty demeanor, unique enough when it comes to its styling but then again, it shouldnt offend anyone either.

Yet as good as the 2005 Spectra looks, even more impressive is how all the panels fit together. The new Honda Accord and Acura TSX and TL are leaders when it comes to panel gap precision, but without getting out a micrometer Id guess they dont fit any closer than those on the Spectra (probably slightly under 40/1,000ths of an inch). Along with such narrow gaps must come an exact fit of doors, hood and trunk, and the new Kia is perfect. Whats more, the cars tested were not preproduction models, but instead came right off of the line. That means you the customer should experience the same superior construction as I did. While this might make the cost repairs slightly higher, it sure looks good and is a strong sign of quality construction.

How did they get the Spectra to this high level? Kias Canadian division actually hired an ex-Toyota engineer to check tolerances at the Korean plant, according to Bill Porter, president and CEO of Kia Canada, and only accept cars that met this high standard. Amazingly enough, this resulted in a better Spectra for all markets, including the U.S.

This theme of higher than expected quality continues over to the inside of the Spectra as well. But Kia really didnt have much of a choice than to step up to the plate and deliver top quality, as its top rivals, which include the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra (the next generation that incidentally will share the Spectras architecture), Mitsubishi Lancer, and new Mazda3, among others, are doing a fantastic job making entry-level buyers feel like theyve arrived.

So does the Spectra measure up? Absolutely! Its plastics quality is at the better end of the scale, switchgear and controls above average, and fit and finish top-notch just like on the outside. The standard cloth seats feature much nicer fabric than some competitors top-grade materials, plus comfortable and supportive cushions that incorporate something Kia calls foam-flex lumbar supports. These automatically adjust to the proportions of the back depending on body shape and weight. My guess is theyre similar to contoured office chair pads, and during my daylong test worked just as effectively. Those in the back should find similar levels of comfort, with ample headroom even for my six-plus foot co-driver. Compare the actual interior volume to its rivals and the new Spectra comes out ahead of most of the rest, at 97.0 cubic feet.

Back in the drivers seat it is easy to get comfortable due to a height adjustable shoulder belt, plus all controls fall easily to hand with nothing placed in an awkward, unintuitive position. The steering column stocks feel substantial, clicking up and down in a precise manner, and again featuring standardized actuation - or in English the headlight switch is actuated by a twist of the turn-signal stalk and the wipers by a flick of the right hand.

That hand, as well as the one on the left, should find the steering wheel to be relatively comfortable, although its design is not to the level of the Mazda3, for instance. The same can be said for the stereo interface, that although produces good sound for an OEM system isnt as cohesively integrated into the center stack as some of its competitors.

Of course, its easy to tell that a car is good when its critics nit and pick over tiny design details that merely impinge on aesthetics. The crux of the matter is theres little else to fault it on when it comes to design and execution.

Can this be said of the driving experience? That is probably the most important question I wanted answered when I set out from Santa Monica to Malibu. Exiting the hotel parking lot I couldnt help but notice how maneuverable the car was, and a quick glance at the spec sheet told me why. Its turning radius is a tight 16.7 feet.

Once on Wilshire Boulevard, the easiest way to Malibu would have been north on the Pacific Coast Highway 1, just down the slope from my hotel, but Kia had different plans. A route was chosen that included a little time on the PCH1 before veering off onto the winding roadway that snakes through Topanga Canyon, followed by a stint on the 101 and then more time on circuitous mountain backroads. Ive taken the route many times before, piloting everything from minivans and SUVs to top-tier sports cars and sedans, which gives me a bit of a reference point for comparing the Spectra.

First off, its ride is really refined, absorbing bumps and blips on road surfaces with the grace of a midsize car. This probably has a great deal to do with its fully independent suspension and gas-charged shocks all-round. Road noise is extremely low too, better than most in its class.

So it rides nice but does it handle like a sports car? Yes and no, which is saying something considering my feelings about the outgoing models less than ideal underpinnings. There isnt an entry-level compact car on the planet that drives like a well tuned sports car, but a few, including the Mazda3 and VW Golf come pretty close. Ill make a bold statement by going so far to say the new Spectra comes very close to this upper driving dynamic echelon. Say what?!

Before a thousand letters from Mazda and Volkswagen fans start clogging my inbox, not to mention all the Honda Civic enthusiasts scorned because I didnt even mention their favorite brand, let me explain. I pushed the little Kia beyond its capabilities, up one side of a mountain via hairpin corners unlike anything available anywhere else but Europe (yeah the roads are that good in this part of California), and then down the other side. It corners with barely any lean, even when the front end pushes out in over-exasperated understeer - what happens when the tires finally lose adhesion with the pavement and plow the front end of the car over the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic (none of which was oncoming fortunately). This process is by far safer than the opposite reaction common to rear-wheel drive cars - oversteer kicks the back end of a car out of line. From one tight, twisting corner to the next the little Spectra can zoom-zoom with the best of its rivals non-sport-tuned compacts due to rack-and-pinion steering and that fully independent suspension system I mentioned previously, featuring MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup in the rear.

Speaking of zoom-zoom, the Spectra uses a 16-valve, dual overhead-cam 2.0-L four-cylinder with continuous variable valve timing that produces 138-hp at 6,000 rpm and 136 lb-ft of torque at 4,500. It connects to the front wheels via either a standard 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 4-speed automatic. The engine, while extremely smooth at idle and delivering balanced refinement all the way up to redline, works especially well with the automatic transmission due to a robust 136 lb-ft of torque. Its spirited at takeoff and capable of strong highway passing once underway. The autobox shifts nicely with no obvious flat spots unless under heavy loads on steep inclines, something that another cog in the system would most likely improve. Obviously the 5-speed manual makes acceleration and car control that much more exciting. Its a surprisingly slick shifter, snapping from one gear to another in a precise manner with no balkiness at all. This is a major breakthrough as such performance was not the case in previous Korean transmissions. Then again, neither were suspension systems that could rival anything in a respective class. How things are changing.

The same can be said for standard features, some of which werent even available as options a few years back. The base LX, starting at $12,620, gets large diameter (for the class) 15-inch wheels, a 4-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system (that really cranks out the tunes although an optional multi-disc interface would be appreciated), tilt steering, and a dash-mounted power actuated trunk release. It must have been less expensive for Kia to fit the power system into all cars than develop a separate floor-mounted cable remote. While its a little bizarre for a car that includes only roll-up windows and manual “remote” mirrors to offer such a high-end feature, Im sure no-one in the segment will to complain.

The optional automatic transmission pushes the LX price up by $975 to $13,595. Air-conditioning, power windows, locks with remote keyless entry (plus alarm) and power heated mirrors, an integrated rear window antenna, 2 door-mounted stereo tweeters, and 4-wheel disc brakes are also available.

Moving up to the EX adds cruise control and 15-inch alloy wheels to the LX Convenience for $13,750 in manual guise and $14,725 with an automatic. Its also possible to get a leather-wrapped steering-wheel and gearshift knob, 4-wheel ABS, fog lamps and a drivers seat with active headrests that pull up and forward to protect the neck in case of accident. A power-glass sunroof is offered as a stand alone option. Currently there is no leather option, something that may happen when the sportier Spectra5 hits the market later this year.

The 5 is more of a 5-door hatch than an actual wagon, and should be extremely popular both with young trendsetters and budding families alike. Kia had one on hand at the press event, albeit this car was destined for the upcoming SEMA show in Las Vegas and was therefore tuned to 220+ horsepower via a supercharger and featured a stylish aero body kit painted in bright yellow - not an available paint scheme.

What colors are available? The top-line EX Luxury version I drove for the first leg was coated in Radiant Red, a dark tone that gave the Spectra an upscale appearance. I grabbed the keys to a Clear Silver base LX automatic for the trip back to the hotel. Other colors include Black Orchid, Espresso, Sand Beige and Twilight Blue. Dont you love the marketing mavens that come up with names for colors these days?

Before signing off I have to say a word or two about the cars trunk. After pressing the electrically actuated button it popped open to reveal a large, accommodating cargo capacity - 12.2 cubic feet to be exact - that opens up for longer items if the 60/40 split rear seatbacks are folded forward. But it wasnt the space available that impressed the most, but the attention to detail Kia put into finishing it. The moulded carpet and cloth-like side panels fit perfectly, with no exposed wiring sticking through to catch on cargo or take away from the visual appeal. Kia has also included two handy pull levers under the top of the decklid, to drop either seatback. Most cars in this class make you walk around to the rear doors to fold the seatbacks forward, which can sometimes be a royal pain if carrying a heavy load.

But such attention paid to seemingly minor things will without doubt make the new compact popular with owners, exactly what Kia needs if it expects to keep Spectra customers in the family on its way to growing full-line sales from the automakers 7th place overall globally to 5th - the target it expects to acheive by 2010. Is this reachable? Sure it is, especially after factoring in the value of each new model the company sells. As for the Spectra, it too offers a better than average price point, more standard features, excellent driving dynamics. Kia just wants a larger piece of the pie, and now, with the 2005 Spectra, they deserve it.