2004 Kia Spectra and 2005 Kia Spectra5

Ten years after its debut in the American market with the Sephia compact sedan, Kia revisits its roots with an all-new version of its highest volume model, now renamed the Spectra. In an attempt to revitalize the product line and continue its upward momentum among the top-10 import brands in the United States, Kia strives to offer extraordinary value in the entry-level segment, packing in as much content, sport, and safety into the Spectra as it possibly can. The base-level LX retails at $13,160, while a nicely equipped EX with automatic transmission ($15,265), still retails competitively against many other comparable compact sedans.

Completely redesigned and larger in every dimension (inside and out) than the previous model, Spectra shares only its platform and powertrain with its cousin the Hyundai Elantra; engineers swear that's all the two cars have in common, vehemently emphasizing that each is built in separate manufacturing facilities, and promising that the new Spectra borrows nothing from the existing Kia lineup, either. In fact, it inherits most of its spiritual suspension DNA from the MazdaSpeed and Ford SVT performance tuner cars, having been designed by the same engineer. Kia will boost Spectra's performance later this year when the even sportier, more extroverted five-door 2005 Spectra5 sport wagon goes on sale.

The Spectra weighs in slightly heavier than its peers, which include the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Chevy Cobalt, and Saturn Ion, but this didn't seem to affect the car's sporty feel thanks to a spunky 138-horse/2.0-liter engine with continuously variable valve timing and multi-port fuel injection mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission or optional, electronically controlled four-speed automatic. (PZEV and SULEV engines rated at 132-horses will be available in California, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Vermont.) While the springy-feeling clutch didn't give much engagement feedback when shifting, it definitely provided more aggressive performance over the automatic, which tended to shift slow and rev high.

The 2004 Spectra rides on speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering and a four-wheel independent suspension, with struts, coil springs, and anti-roll bar in front, and multi-link with struts and anti-roll bar out back. Spectra5 takes its sport-tuned suspension even further with stiffer springs, firmer shocks, and larger anti-roll bars. The Spectra sedan wears 15-inch steel wheels wrapped in 195/65R15 Goodyear tires, while the Spectra5 sport wagon steps up to 16-inch alloy wheels and 205/50R16 Goodyears. In both cars, road noise was minimal and Bott's dots and California expansion joints were properly damped. Full-length body-side creases add elegance to the little car's lines and also help to reduce noise and vibration.