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Kia Spectra Sedan

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Comments

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Aren't cars fun? This is a nifty feature; Hyundai put it on the Elantra starting in the '01 model year. It looks like the Spectra has inherited most of the little features from the Elantra and added some others, e.g. 4-wheel discs on all models.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Hey Gang:

    I checked today, and the power moonroof appears to NOT be on the same delayed power circuit as the power windows.

    That means if you've left your moonroof open on your new Spectra, you'll have to fish your keys out of your pocket and turn the ignition over to full power to be able to operate the moonroof.

    To reiterate my previous post however, all four electric windows are still powered up for 30 seconds after removing the ignition key, or turning off the ignition.

    That's your "30-Second Spectra Update"!

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Hey ILMS:

    That's some fantastic mileage you've gotten off of those Hankooks! Hankook must have mixed up some pretty hard rubber for that kind of lifespan. The most I've ever gotten off of stock tires was around 65k miles off of a set of Michelins.

    KIA appears to be putting Goodyear LS tires on the Spectras exclusively now, based on what's on my car, and what I see on my dealer's lot.

    They're actually Goodyear tires that are made in Japan! Funny, eh? That must cut down drastically on shipping costs.

    So far I'm happy with the traction, ride, and noise. I hope they at least last 50-60k!

    -SM

    http://spectraman.freeservers.com
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    http://www.semissourian.com/story.html$rec=144834

    EXCERPT

    Kia Spectra is a contender

    The names car manufacturers give their products are often entertaining. Sometimes they give us insight into what the car is all about. I imagine the manufactures spend a great deal of time choosing just the right name. Take the Kia Spectra, for example. It sounds a lot like "spectrum," but is also brings to mind "spectacular," and I'd speculate it's no accident. The new 2004 Spectra covers the gamut from comfort to safety.


    (NOTE: This article was first run in August 2004, prior to the IIHS study release.)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    in my homestate, Missouri! Hey, spectraman, I noted how they liked how quiet the Spectra is. That being from the tires, wind or whatever. I gotta tell ya, our '01 Sportage 4x4 is remarkably quiet for a small SUV with a truck-like ladder frame that it incorporates. We can just talk reasonably-loud and barely have to raise our voices on most road surfaces. The Sport really has a quiet ride. Your Spectra, too?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Interesting interview with Hyundai President and CEO Robert Cosmei in this month's Automotive Industries issue. An excerpt containing info about Hyundai's and KIA's relationship can be found below.

    http://www.ai-online.com/issues/article_detail.asp?id=680

    EXCERPT:

    Q. Will there be any future synergies between Hyundai and Kia?

    A. No, I don’t think so. With the complex ownership on this side, we’re going to have to continue to migrate the brand separately. In fact, in the design center in Irvine [Calif.], we have a separate design head for Hyundai and one for Kia. They just work on Kia projects or Hyundai products. We have to do that because it’s important for us. Right now a lot of the products kind of cross over. It’s a little muddled right now. But you’ll see some products down the road — [Kia] Optima will be one — that’ll be very different from the Sonata. When Kia was going through their bankruptcy, Hyundai had to help out with the R&D, so you saw a lot of the same family looks and we all want to change that.

    Q. So instead of a coming together it’s more of a pushing apart.

    A. Yeah. And I think brand-wise, we’re going to be more refined and confident — we’re going to be more youthful and sporty. And I think you’ll start seeing some product changes over the new few years


    NOTE: After spending 8+ years in the automotive industry, and being a long-term industry observer, I find the these statements interesting.

    I find it hard to believe that Hyundai and KIA won't share *tremendous* amounts of "synergy" as far as the platforms and mechanicals of their cars go. Those are the big $$$ items that are the most logical to share and enhance corporate profit and quality.

    I'm interpreting what Cosmei's saying above is that Hyundai and KIA will *not* share any direct body and interior tooling, which the mentioned Sonota and Optima plainly do. What do all of you think?
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    now you've done it! I don't know if you recall some of my posts on the issue of Hyundai and Kia synergy before. A lot of people tend to think that Kia is some Korean "Yugo" with no headstrong design direction of it's own. Foolish thinking! I have researched Kia extensively and there's a reason Peter Butterfield says "he hates it when people say that Kia is a subdivision of Hyundai." They are separate companies and finances are accounted for separately. Sure, Hyundai's help was fantastic. But the two companies have their own distinct design direction-I've always seen it! Kia made something like $14B in revenues in 2004 and they have 30,000 separate, distinct Kia employees.

    I like the decision to be youthful and sporty. I have always felt like they were designed like that, anyway, going back to my 1999 Sephia. Sportage? See what I mean? It is a sports-crazy world, isn't it?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I agree with your assessment. We already know that several Hyundai/Kia models share or will share platforms and engines (Accent/Rio, Elantra/Spectra, Sonata/Optima, Tuscon/Sportage, Sedona/future Hyundai minivan). But style-wise the companies clearly have a different strategy, and they will have a few unique models (e.g. Sorento and Santa Fe).
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The 2005 Kia Spectra is rated "acceptable" on the IIHS frontal offset crash test for cars made after January 2005, due to a change to the driver's air bag:

    http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0502.htm

    Quick work by Kia!
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    should be commended on its speed to offer a fix. Very impressive. Acceptable isnt exactly a great showing, but its much improved, and shows a strong committment to the product and customer, IMO, on Kia's part.

    ~alpha
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    Thanks for posting the update, backy.

    Indeed, quick work by Kia.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Now the question is......

    Will KIA *voluntarily* pony up the airbag upgrade to the purchasers of the 2004.5 and early 2005 models?

    Enquiring minds want to know!

    -SM

    P.S. to any KIA reps reading this: What a great accompanying safety-related PR move it would make if KIA actually did offer the upgrade to affected new generation Spectra owners (at least in the U.S. and possibly Canada where all the initial hubbabaloo occurred!)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    you can wait and see if they offer it to you but I'd just call 'em up and demand that they give you the upgrade ASAP. It's a safety thing, matter of fact your recall notice might already be in the mail. It may be categorized as a "good idea" type of thing and not a serious safety concern though(seriously)so a TSB would be generated by the Home Team and available online at your favorite Kia dealer. I'd look into it right away, man, no, it's...it's...not a bird, it's not a plane...it's Spectraman! Enjoy it, man! I'd feel better cruising in my new world order Spectra if Kia did the airbag update tweak for me, though, huh?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I don't want to be negative, but the fact that the IIHS test report specifically said "for cars made after January 2005" leads me to believe Kia has no plans to offer an upgrade. Recall that when IIHS released the updated frontal offset test results for the '04-'05 Elantra, they specifically said that Hyundai would update cars already sold. But it would be a great PR move and customer-sat builder for Kia to fix the airbags on pre-sold cars--i.e. "safety of our customers is important to us (like it says on our Web site)."
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    backy, Kia should step up and offer to do the airbag fix, for PR's sake. It really would show me something impressive about their line of thinking beyond just collecting the cash and doing minimum, huh?

    It should be for pre-January 2005 Kia Spectra's as well.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    2004 Kia Spectra

    Redone Econo-Compact Stands Tall: Kia Improves Its Best Seller—And Creates A Sibling


    http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=100601

    EXCERPT

    As far as we can tell from a couple of test drives—and keeping in mind its $13,160 base sticker—we find no conspicuous flaws in the 2004 Spectra. Don’t consider that damning with faint praise; this is almost epiphanic considering past Kias.

    Its shiny, fit-and-finished exterior poses well alongside its Japanese Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla rivals in the compact-sedan market, which overall sells two million cars a year. Spectra’s interior is fine and respectable looking, with nothing too simple or austere for a car in this market.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Kia Keeps It in the Hyundai Family
    Date Posted 02-25-2005


    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Articles/articleId=104828

    EXCERPT

    SEOUL, South Korea — They say nepotism begins at home, and at Hyundai Group there's always a pretty strong chance the top jobs will go to somebody called Chung. This time the job is president and CEO of Kia Motors, and it's going to Chung Eui-sun, the 36-year-old son of Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Mong-koo.

    The younger Chung started at Hyundai Motor in 1999 as a purchasing director, having earned an MBA at the University of San Francisco.

    Also see:

    http://www.aiada.org/article.asp?id=34111

    http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200503/kt2005031118435511910.htm
  • arizonajoearizonajoe Member Posts: 123
    My Spectra EX has hit 11,450 miles (in 10 months). The only problem is an erratic one - sometimes gas will overflow, sometimes it won't. The dealer couldn't reproduce it in their one attempt, and it now happens to me only about half the time.

    I wish ABS had been standard, like it is on the new Sportage. No car in the Phoenix inventory had it (as an option).
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    S.Korea's Kia: New favourite in the Hyundai group?

    http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/050316/3/3racf.html

    EXCERPT:

    SEOUL, March 15 (Reuters) - South Korean car maker Hyundai plans to strengthen its Kia unit after handing control of the division to a son of its group chairman, an appointment analysts say signals big plans for a neglected brand.

    While investors have often shied away from Korean groups that appear to be putting the interests of their controlling families first, the choice of 36-year-old Chung Eui-sun as president of Kia Motors Corp. has been applauded despite his limited experience.

    Shares in Kia, the country's number two auto maker, rose as much as 10 percent after the appointment was announced late last month. They have gained 35 percent in 2005, more than triple the broad market's gain and far outstripping a 2 percent rise in parent Hyundai Motor Co. .

    "Kia is on the fastest track to success among Hyundai affiliates. It is bound to receive plenty of favours from the group to bolster profits," said Suh Sung-moon, an analyst at Dongwon Securities."
  • axel_roseaxel_rose Member Posts: 16
    What does the insurance run a new "improved" kia spectra? I just bought the Speck 5 in Spark Blue and have not inquired about how much my insurance is going to cost.
  • frisbee2frisbee2 Member Posts: 3
    Hey axel,
    I was getting new quotes for my new 2004 Spectra last week and found my current insurance with Westfield also had the best rates for me. I have no speeding tickets or at fault accidents on record. Annual premium with multi-car discount is only $542.

    Gotta love those extra air bags too!
  • frisbee2frisbee2 Member Posts: 3
    2 liter engine, with about 500 miles. My second tank of gas only got me 26.5 mpg/combined driving. I had a couple days of letting it warm up and defrost the windows, but I hope for better milage with warmer weather.

    What milage are other folks getting with this engine. I've got the 5 speed, and it turns 3,000 rpm @ 65 mph. Sounds like it needs another gear or better ratio on the highway. I purchased it for around town driving though, and have another car for trips and vacation.
  • axel_roseaxel_rose Member Posts: 16
    Not sure what state you are in but, that is a pretty good rate.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Hey, anyone notice that VW has labeled their new Jetta a 2005 model? Not to be confused with the last year of the previous generation Jetta, which was also a 2005. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I can hear the discussions in Germany:
    "We cannot call the new Jetta a 2005 model! It will be confusing!"
    "Nein--it worked for Kia!"
    "Ja, ja, that is true. Let's do it!"
  • csandstecsandste Member Posts: 1,866
    Dumb idea for Kia, dumb idea for VW (who's tried this before-- didn't they do that with the almost last gen. "New Golf"?
  • sejongssejongs Member Posts: 5
    Hey, guys. I need your advise on this situation.

    I have an elderly neighbor couple who just bought Sedona and Spectra from the local Kia dealership three days ago.
    When I chatted with the lady last week, I just heard they were planning to remove his Durango (4 years old) and her Towncar (10 years, 110K miles), and going to buy Sedona and Spectra. So I suggested her to research on edmunds.com before visiting dealership, and recommended to visit the dealership across the bridge which is a lot farther than one in the town because I had good experiences with them before. And she said she would. Then suddenly they traded in Towncar and bought two cars on the first visit last Wednesday.

    Two days ago I asked her the reason to buy cars so quickly, and she said even though she felt to research more before buying anything, her husband just pushed her to go to dealership, and bought the cars right after test-drive (it's characteristic of him which I didn't know). She was continually saying that they still had 'buy one get one free' deal, and instead get a free Rio (basic one), they got $7000 discount on Speactra. And total price was 29K including 7K discount and her Towncar trad-in.

    However when I met her yesterday, she said she just realized that her Spectra didn't have power windows and power door locks which are very important because she's 73 years old. I asked her if she ckecked those when she had a testdrive. She said when she met the salesperson at the dealership, she clearly told him she wanted black color and the middle class one (EX), knowing that LX didn't have those options. Then he showed her and had a test drive. She was very satisfied with the car, so she decided to buy that without checking power windows and locks. And she realized it after they got home. I think she just trusted the salesperson because she told him she wanted EX.

    I know its her fault not to checking those options by herself, but they are very old and too easily trust people. I still feel really bad because I recommended the dealership to them, and didn't know they would buy cars like this. If I knew it, I would've forced them to bring me to the dealership.

    I know it's almost impossible to return a car after signing contract. But what options does she have?
    I need you guys' suggestions.

    Bunch of thanks in advance!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Have they talked with the sales manager yet (maybe bringing someone with them they trust to help out)? That would be the first step. Some dealers have a "bring it back in x days if you don't like it" policy. If this dealer doesn't do that, then it is clear there was a mistake made, maybe an honest one, and since it's only been 3 days maybe the sales manager will let them swap for an EX (a demo with a few miles on it maybe). That is not much to keep these good customers (two Kias!) happy.

    Some states gives people some time to recind a contract; in my state it's 3 days. But it seems the 3 days has already passed so that may not work.

    If that doesn't work, then if I were your friends I'd see a lawyer. Oral contracts are as binding as written contracts. If the sales rep or sales manager agreed to provide an EX for the agreed price (and hopefully both of your friends heard that), or if there is anything in writing to that effect, they should have a good case.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Wow... almost a month without a new post in here.

    Since we don't want this topic to be closed out, I'll throw out a Spectra sedan update.

    Months of total ownership: 9+

    Miles to-date: 9,200

    Defects to-date: 3rd brake light replaced due to 2 defective diodes

    New defects since last report: None

    Biggest complaint: Less than world-class fuel mileage

    Best feature(s) observed: Quiet and smooth operation, great ride, great CD stereo, reliable starting and operation

    -SM
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    So what kind of mpg are you getting? It would be interesting to compare to my Elantra GT which has the same engine (but maybe different gearing?).
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    My last official test came after the weather had warmed up considerably here in Michigan, and I was getting 25.5 mpg. This was observed during my daily commute which is a mixture of city and rural (quasi-highway like) driving.

    During the winter months however, I was consistently only getting 21-22 mpg. My wife's penchant for starting the car 10 minutes early (so it would be warmer when I took my kids to school) probably played a large role in the decrease.

    My best mileage to-date was a 29.5 mpg I got on a pure highway trip in the fall.

    My car's got the 4-speed automatic which is actually rated better than the 5 speed stickshift.

    My rpm at approximately 70mph is pretty low at around 2250 rpm. I'm very happy with the performance of the 2.0 Beta engine. It is smooth and *extremely* quiet at idle at 900 rpm. It definitely can be heard when I put my foot into it, but when the 4th gear overdrive kicks in, the engine sounds almost disappear.

    After talking with several KIA owners (all models), and the dealership, it appears that although KIAs now have smooth running motors, they tend to be thirsty.

    Hopefully the new Theta-family of engines will address this issue when they are rolled out through the KIA lineup.

    -SM
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That does seem a little on the low side, especially since the gearing on the car is pretty tall, e.g. 2250 rpm at 70 mph. I know the engine on my Elantra automatic turns faster than that on the highway. Yet it returns upper 30s in highway cruising at 65 mph and will give upper 20s-low 30s in an urban commute, depending on how much stop-and go driving there is. There is a big difference between what my wife gets and what I get. She tends to ride the accelerator and doesn't anticipate stops. She has trouble getting over low 20s in around-town driving. I have a light touch on the pedal.
  • axel_roseaxel_rose Member Posts: 16
    I am getting 31 - 32 mpg on my 2005 Spectra 5.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    http://autonet.ca/DriverSource/Stories.cfm?StoryID=13395

    EXCERPT OF A LONG TERM SPECTRA TEST:

    "...When I picked up the Kia there were 1,200 km on the odometer and our family has now driven it a further 11,600 trouble-free miles."

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    http://autonet.ca/DriverSource/Stories.cfm?StoryID=13752

    EXCERPT OF FINAL LONG TERM SPECTRA TEST:

    "As I shovelled out the driveway -- yet again -- and swept the latest snowfall off the Spectra LX sitting there, I thought back to the rainy spring day when I picked up the blue sedan at Kia headquarters in Mississauga.

    Now, after seven months of happy motoring, it was time to say goodbye to our latest long-term test car.

    Since last June, a lot of pavement has rolled by under the Spectra's wheels, and three seasons have come and gone -- yet my initial impression of the car has held true: this is a well built, spacious and reliable compact sedan."

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosconsumer/0505/11/F03-177670.htm

    "Kia soon will offer a variety of budget-priced but dealer-installed body, exhaust and wheel packages for those who want to give their Spectra a "sport compact" treatment."

    "...If warranty issues can be addressed, Kia would like to offer a supercharger option to boost the output of the Spectra's 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine from its stock 138 to more than 200 horsepower.

    I recently drove several souped-up Spectra 5 prototypes and was impressed with the quality of the parts for the body kit and with both the look and the tone provided by the cat-back exhaust system.

    The lowering springs make the car's handling more dynamic. That performance can be enhanced by 18-inch wheels and high-performance tires; cars I tried wore Goodyear Eagle F1s or even grippier Nitto Neo Gens.

    The supercharger installation fits nicely between the engine and firewall. For those who can afford another $3,000, the performance boost is impressive."

    =============================

    200 hp with a supercharger, eh? Wow. I wonder if they've got any goodies in their engineering grab-bag to handle the ensuing torque-steer that's bound to come with such a HP increase?

    -SM

    http://spectraman.freeservers.com
  • dsch8dsch8 Member Posts: 1
    I think someone may have hit my parked Spectra while backing up, and I don't know if there is damage to the bumper. I was wondering, all of you current-generation Spectra owners, how is the fit of your front bumper? Is the black painted part completely flush with the grayish plastic piece on either of the sides near the wheel-wells, or is it distinguishably separated a tiny bit? Is there a bit of slack in the bumper when you push or pull on it? It seems just the slightest bit loose, but it is hardly noticable, only if you push on it or pull on it with a significant amount of force. I think I may just need some black touch-up paint and it will be fine, in which case, how much will a small amount of touch up paint cost me at a local dealership? I can't imagine that, even if the bumper is damaged, it will require any sort of repair, but if it does, do you know if it is covered under warranty, or how much it will cost? It would not require any new parts to the best of my knowledge. Has anyone had a similiar experience? I think the person who struck the car was not moving at much more than a roll.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    http://internetweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160503494

    Automakers Watching Consumers Online

    EXCERPT:

    Consumers posting their criticisms online about the cars and trucks they drive may not realize their views are being closely monitored by the automotive industry. Most of the major automobile companies employ marketing firms to keep close tabs on customer sentiment and how it's being reflected on blogs, discussion groups, listservs, and enthusiast sites.

    There is no way to opt out. Like it or not, people who write their opinions online are making their voices heard loud and clear with the big automakers. Meanwhile, Detroit is doing its best to make sure negative perceptions from dissatisfied customers don't sink the reputations of its latest models or its carefully crafted, expensive ad campaigns.

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    DSCH8:

    What year and model of Spectra do you have? Is your car a U.S. or Canadian speced car? A Spectra, or a Spectra5? Your front clip description doesn't seem to match my car's front end. Here are some pics from the side and the front of a U.S. model:

    http://spectraman.freeservers.com/kia_spectra_01.jpg

    Here's a pic of a Canadian Spectra5:

    http://www.kia.ca/img/en/showroom/spectra5/gallery_main_01.jpg

    In any case, my front clip is securely attached and doesn't move. I'm with you though, that if the problem isn't very noticeable then leave it be. The repair will probably be expensive and be more noticeable.

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    http://www.detnews.com/2005/specialreport/0505/15/A01-182019.htm

    EXCERPT:

    Upstart Hyundai/KIA guns for Big Three

    Once seen as a joke, S. Korean automaker is now the world's fastest-growing.

    SEOUL, South Korea -- Toyota Motor Corp. may scare Detroit's automakers, but there's one rival out there that worries Toyota.

    It's South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. Already the fastest-growing major automaker, Hyundai says it wants to supplant Toyota as the industry's vehicle quality leader in three years.

    Such a goal sounds gutsy, coming from a carmaker that was a running gag on late-night TV not so long ago. But U.S. and Japanese auto executives take Hyundai very seriously now.

    "We're always looking in our rear-view mirror, and they're one that's coming up quickly," said Dennis Cuneo, senior vice president of Toyota Motor North America Inc.

    In just a few years, Hyundai has emerged as the industry pace-setter, after achieving huge strides in sales and quality -- and in about half the time it took Japan's leading carmakers.

    The family-run automaker, which also controls Kia Motors, has leapt from 16th in the global sales rankings in 1998 to seventh last year, just behind DaimlerChrysler AG.

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    I misspoke when I wrote:

    "My rpm at approximately 70mph is pretty low at around 2250 rpm. I'm very happy with the performance of the 2.0 Beta engine. It is smooth and *extremely* quiet at idle at 900 rpm. It definitely can be heard when I put my foot into it, but when the 4th gear overdrive kicks in, the engine sounds almost disappear. "


    After having my car out on the highway yesterday for the first time in a long time, I realized that I had the RPMs wrong in this quote. My Spectra's 2.0 liter automatic is actually turning around 2,750 rpm at 70 mph. It's still true that there's hardly any engine noise all the way up until slightly past 3,000 rpm.

    -SM
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    According to J.D. Power's latest Initial Quality Survey, the Spectra was one of the most improved cars from last year (no surprise since it was a much-improved new design), improving 64 points from last year to finish 2nd behind the Prius in the Compact car category.

    http://www.jdpower.com/cc/global/pr/search.asp
    (Use the "2005 Initial Quality Survey" link)
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Wow! The Spectra's #2 overall in the compact segment! That backs up my experiences posted online here at Edmunds!

    Here's the direct link to the Initial Quality page graphic that's listed on the page that Backy references. The section about the Spectra is in the upper left-hand corner.

    http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/2005069c.gif

    The Civic and Corolla tied, and came in 3rd behind the Spectra!

    I'll bet KIA's happy about this one!

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Here's a little composite graphic I put together to save you all the web surfing and parameter-entering hassles.

    http://spectraman.freeservers.com/jdp_spectra.jpg

    The links I pulled this data from are included on the graphic, so feel free to verify them for yourself!

    -SM
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Finally!

    After making it known that I haven't been exactly enthralled with my Spectra EX's gas mileage, I've finally seen a ray of hope.

    I had an opportunity yesterday to put about 270 highway miles on my car. I drove (on average) between 70-75 mph, and was able to take advantage of my cruise control quite a bit, plus I didn't need to run the air conditioning.

    The verdict?

    34.7 mpg!!!!!

    My Spectra has the 4-speed automatic, so I guess the 25 (City/Everyday) mileage I'm getting now that the weather's warmer, coupled with the nearly 35 mpg I got on the highway yesterday is nearly identical to its EPA ratings. My car also turned over 10k miles too, so maybe the engine's finally fully broken in?!?

    A side note.... Due to a weather taking a turn for the better towards the end of the day here in Michigan, I was able to full open my moonroof, all the way back. I'm very impressed at how little noise or air enters the cabin at the speeds I was driving (70-80 mph). Good job KIA! The little pop-up air foil at the front of the roof opening really works.

    -SM
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    is the air foil made of composite plastic or is it all glass or is it a metal byproduct on your Spectra? I ask because Scion is looking into a potential recall on their tC's little wind deflector up there just in front of the tC's moonroof. Apparently it can just blow up upon going highway speeds.

    Wow, you're all of a sudden getting good gas mileage. I'm starting to get interested in staying with Kia for my next new rig. I'm digging the Spectra5 idea more every day. :D Gas mileage in the 30's makes good sense to me. Plus that great new JD Powers rating the new Kia Spectra received. Truly an impressive new offering from Kia!

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    I think that my car's little air foil is made out of some kind of metal strip. I'll check it more closely and report back if it appears to made of anything different.

    -SM
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I know that's what the Elantra uses; I'd be surprised if the Spectra used a different design, given the common components of the cars (maybe the sunroof mechanisms are shared).
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Say Everyone....

    If you're interested in reading about what several nasty KIA service experiences can be like, go to Edmund's 'KIA Sedona Problems' forum.

    /WebX?displayRecent@@.ef10134

    I have to admit that if these shared experiences were the norm for all (esp. Spectra) KIA purchasers, then I'd not be as big a supporter as I am.

    Me thinks that the newly designed Sedona can come none too quickly for KIA.

    I think the Sorento board has also seen it's share of weird bug-a-boo problems listed too.

    I'm hopeful that the higher amount of problems experienced by the Sedona and Sorento owners are indicative of vehicles engineered by the pre-Hyundai merger KIA staff, and that Chairman Chung's quality mantra is now being injected into the KIA corporate culture.

    My Spectra (so far) seems to point in that direction.

    Btw, the new Hyundai / KIA America Technical Center near Ann Arbor that I pass on my way to work each day is probably one good sign of the above situation coming to pass. Here's the website for this tech center:

    http://www.hatci.com/company.htm

    -SM
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Bottom line is that the Sedona is an old design. Kia (and Hyundai) have made such great strides in quality in the past five years that I think it's more useful to look at more recent models like the current Spectra and the new Sportage to see where Kia is with quality. But as they improve quality of the vehicles, it's just as important that they improve the quality of customer service from dealers and corporate staff.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    /WebX?displayRecent@@.eea6dd2

    Wow.... being born and raised in a "Blue Oval" family, I like to still take a peek every now and then over in the Ford forums to see what's going on.

    I checked out the Focus forum first, since it's the closest thing to my Spectra. Holy cow..... am I ever thankful that I followed my instincts and DID NOT buy a Focus. From ignition tumbler woes, to front brake problems, to fuel pump failures, to cracking windshields, to stalling and lurching issues, to bad CD players, to bad electric window switches...... the list goes on.

    To be fair, it appears that most of the complaints were generated by the 2000-2002 models, but the mileage that these problems were occurring at (30k and under!) is unforgiveable.

    Having spent enough time dealing with Ford dealers on repair issues (NEVER a pleasant experience), I knew that if I bought a Focus that I could be in store for some of the nightmare stories I just read in the Focus forum.

    So far my decision to go KIA is paying off.... for now. Time will tell.

    -SM
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