On the safety front, all Spectras come standard with six airbags - two frontal, two seat-mounted side and two full-length side curtains, which pop down out of the headliner. Whatever the trim level, you get 4-wheel disc brakes (ABS is a $400 option, and not available on the base LX) and engine-speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering. If you don't care for the 5-door body style, the same appearance and handling changes can be found in the SX sedan, due for a later, mid-2005 introduction. At the same time, the 5's praiseworthy bump absorption won't rattle your teeth on the crumbling urban infrastructure either. It's fully consistent with parent Hyundai's master plan to endow Kia cars with a sportier, more European feel. We're not talking Miata-like levels of responsiveness or flingability here rather, enough precision, steering feedback and roll control to make attacking the serpentine stuff a pleasure instead of a tire-punishing chore. Yet the Spectra5's most appealing aspect is actually the sum of several tweaks to shock valving, spring rates and anti-roll bars that act upon its strut-at-each-corner suspension, because it strikes us as the first Kia that's reasonably entertaining in the twisties. steel wheels with 195/60R-15 rubber), it looks the part of a sporty urban runabout. alloys with P205/50R-16 Goodyears (the sedans get 15-in. With a deeper air dam, flared rocker panels, a tidy roof spoiler, a black mesh grille and standard 16-in. The Koreans are on a learning curve as steep as Mount Everest, and Kia's latest sherpa-hauler, the Spectra5, is eyeing the summit in the entry-level ranks.Īctually, there are two Spectra body styles - a 4-door sedan in LX, EX and SX trim levels, and the hatchback Spectra5, its word/numeral nomenclature a nod to Mazda and handsome styling that looks like the result of a gene-splice experiment involving the Toyota Matrix and Honda Civic Si. The Spectra is built in Hwasung, South Korea.Take notice, Japan. An add-on “luxury package” of ABS, driver’s seat active head restraint, leather-wrapped steering wheel, body skirts and fog lamps can be added to both. It adds cruise control and 15-inch wheels. The EX is the top line on the sedan, and the sole trim line on the Spectra5. The LX Convenience adds air conditioning, two extra speakers, four-wheel disc brakes, power locks with keyless entry, power windows and power heated mirrors. The sedan starts in LX form and includes a 5-speed manual that can be optioned to a 4-speed automatic, 15-inch wheels, tilt wheel, 60/40 folding rear seat, CD player with four speakers, driver’s seat height adjuster with lumbar support, cloth seats, floor mats, dual manual remote mirrors and variable intermittent wipers. Six airbags are standard on all Spectras, a very rare feature in an economy car, although ABS is only available as a part of an extra-charge option package on the top-line model. The Spectra features four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and gas shock absorbers on all models, and four-wheel disc brakes on all but the base model. Better tires would probably help with the car’s tendency to follow highway ruts. Handling is improved over the previous generation, but it’s still not as responsive as some Japanese competitors. Knowing its audience, Kia uses a five-speed manual with long clutch and shifter throws that even moderately-skilled drivers can shift smoothly a four-speed automatic can be added to any model for $1,100. It’s a good match, producing a car that feels more expensive than it is. The suspension is sport-tuned in the Spectra5. The Spectra shares its platform with the upcoming, redesigned Elantra from sister company Hyundai, and its 2.0-litre engine, with continuously variable valve timing, from the current 2005 Elantra. All-new and much-improved for 2005, the Kia Spectra sedan and the Spectra5 hatchback mark a turning point for Kia, as it gradually launches a series of all-new models that are desirable for more than just their dirt-cheap price tags.
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