For years, compact cars were bought solely for their frugal gas mileage, low sales price and non-intrusive stature. Over time, consumers began demanding more than just efficiency from their cars. Curve-hugging suspension, rev-happy engines and attractive body kits became a must-have for anyone caught in a compact car.
Among compact cars, Kia cars quickly became known for low prices and long warranties, but were looked at as cheaply built, inferior cars. Looking to polish up its brand image, Kia is aiming to produce more stylish, fun-to-drive cars in its near future and the 2007 Kia Spectra SX is definitely a step in the right direction.
The Kia Spectra has the unfortunate task of having to compete against quintessential compacts like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Mazda3. At first glance, the Spectra SX offers arguably more aggressive looks than the Corolla and a more mainstream design than the uniquely shaped Civic. The SX trim package offers a more performance-minded appearance with unique front and rear fascias, 16-inch wheels and a decklid spoiler while improving handling, braking and safety from a sport-tuned suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and optional ABS, respectively.
To back up the sporty looks, all Spectra models use a 138-horsepower, 2.0-liter DOHC four cylinder with continuously variable valve timing to power the front wheels. The engine’s 136 lb-ft. of torque create easy tire spin and excessive torque steer. Normally, a five-speed manual transmission would be recommended for added fun and fuel economy over the optional four-speed automatic that Kia offers, but with less than 10,000 miles on the odometer, this Spectra’s shifter had enough side-to-side play that even when in gear, the shifter felt like it was in neutral.
Inside, the Spectra SX features two-tone cloth seats that are both stylish and comfortable, while offering sufficient legroom to front- and rear-seat passengers. In addition to the leather-wrapped steering wheel and floor shifter, the SX trim also adds aluminum accents on the door panels, center stack and accelerator, brake and clutch pedals. The HVAC controls are simple and within a close reach for the driver, while the air conditioning itself provides comfortable cooling to both front and rear passengers. The Spectra’s audio system includes a standard auxiliary audio input jack, just in front of the gear shifter, for quick and easy accessory hook-ups.
A three-spoke steering wheel with a higher quality leather wrapping and a smaller airbag would greatly improve the SX’s sporty presence. Instead, the Spectra uses a four-spoke steering wheel and an airbag so big it looks like it was taken straight out of a car from the early 1990s.
Despite standing as Kia’s best selling model, the simple fact that many consumers don’t think highly of Kia may negatively affect the Spectra’s sales numbers in the overall compact segment. While Kia has come a long way in build quality, reliable and stylish automobiles, it’s the small details that continue to stick out and there is definitely room for improvement. No matter what the price of a car, consumers purchasing a new car expect that car to look, drive and feel like a new car. Besides the aforementioned shifter issues, the Spectra suffers from a few rather minor details that when pitted up against the Corolla, Civic and Mazda3, the problems are only magnified. Spectra EX and SX models benefit from four-wheel disc brakes over the LX’s rear drum setup. Anti-lock brakes are only available SX, and it comes as a $400 option.
The 2007 Spectra scored four stars for side impact and rollover protection and five stars for frontal impact protection from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) more real world testing resulted in a poor rating in side impact protection (frontal offset and rear impact protection scored acceptable ratings).
Keeping with Kia’s tradition, the Spectra is the lowest priced sedan in its segment with a starting MSRP of $12,895, while the 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty provides added peace of mind. The Corolla and Mazda3 start over the $14,000 mark while the Civic barely breaks into the $15,000 range.
