2009 Kia Spectra Consumer Reviews

really impressed so far

Written by: savital on 08/06/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

Haven't owned it long, but so far more impressive than expected. Plenty of pep and super-quiet for the mondo freeway driving I do. Amazing fuel economy. Forget the EPA rating, I get 34mpg in mixed driving with the AC on most of the time! Picked it up for less than $11,000, with AC, CD and auto included. Lots of room, both front and back seats. Yes, the exterior and interior are simple, plain vanilla. I like that; pragmatism rules. And I'll agree that this is less solidly made than a Toyota. But for $5,000 less, well worth it! The lack of ABS, though, is shameful. All cars should have ABS standard these days; law should require it. CU gives good reliability ratings.

Favorite Features

Price, warranty, quiet, fuel economy, space, smooth drive, easy handling and parking, simple and practical design.

Suggested Improvements

ABS standard. And I'll agree, the seat bottoms are a little shorter than they should be for total driving comfort. Did not like the dealership.

14 out 14 people found this review helpful

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Great Value

Written by: Kev.NY on 07/28/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I purchased this vehicle this past June so wanted to give it time before passing judgement. The peace of mind of having such a great warranty is priceless, and the added value of such a good MPG vehicle (getting 29 to 34) was an important factor. The controls are in easy reach, and the vehicle drives very comfortably. The interior is spacious and overall very pleasant to drive. I purchased the gold color with black and tan interior which gives off a mature but stylish feel to the vehicle. I never thought I would say this but so far this vehicle from Kia is a pleasure to drive.

Favorite Features

Interior controls are positioned well, standard stereo with CD sounds fantastic, good storage, quiet vehicle and runs nice, and the very attractive MPG.

Suggested Improvements

ABS should be standard along with 205 60R 15 tires for us drivers in the northern tier of states.

19 out 19 people found this review helpful

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MY NEW "BABY"'S FIRST YEAR

Written by: THEGOLDENKIA on 07/22/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra Spectra5 SX 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

This was my first ever new off the show room floor car. in years past I averaged only 9,000 miles a year driving. I've put over 15,000 on my Kia in its first year. the Mileage is great1 i'm getting from 28 to 30MPG combined city and freeway. I commute 15 miles each way to work, mostly freeway. good power, great profile in the looks dept. interior is well thought out and the engine compartment is not all crowded and packed. you can see where everything is! I will drive this car when I'm on call for work on the weekends rather than one of our beat up company vehicles.

Favorite Features

the in-dash CD player, the room for 5 adults, the fold down seats when I need to haul cargo. great for the urban home owner who needs that option but doesn't want a truck! the great gas mileage and power even with the automatic. The "Electric Orange" paint stands out!

Suggested Improvements

paint does seem to scratch somewhat easily. I've found that out when just loading my work gear into the passenger seat. but fortunately the dealer sells inexpensive touch up paint "pens" that do a fair job of covering the scratch.

10 out 10 people found this review helpful

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Glad I bought this car

Written by: Makeda on 07/10/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

This is my very first car and I know I made a great choice. It takes less than $25 to fill up my tank and I am good for the rest of the week. The interior is comfortable and I get compliments on the exterior. For a first car or something that in inexpensive and good to drive get this car. It is also roomy for my family of four.

Favorite Features

The Max AC cools the car down quickly and the truck is very spacious.

Suggested Improvements

More horsepower to accelerate and Sirius radio is not included in the Spectra like the Rio

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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great quality and great mpg for money

Written by: glen on 07/09/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I was skeptical at first and concerned that i might not get 30 mpg. Have only had short time but first fill up 29.5 mpg and second fill up 32.2 mpg in mixed driving. Drives very smooth and handles well and looking forward to great mpg once it breaks in.

Favorite Features

mpg, handling,

Suggested Improvements

abs standard. would have liked option of having tan interior with my silver exterior. would have liked sirus radio as well

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Life Saver

Written by: DrAwkward on 07/07/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

This car saved my life, along with three passengers, when a drunk driver crossed into our lane. Its responsive handling allowed us to avoid a head-on collision, and the side-airbags minimized the seriousness of our injuries. Everyone in the accident thanked me for choosing this car after putting its safety to the test.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

8 out 8 people found this review helpful

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Drastic change puts it in perspective

Written by: LakeTravis on 07/06/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I traded in a Suburban for a Spectra, so the shock value alone took some getting used to. Overall, this is a great little car. Mechanically engineered well, great gas mileage (I averaged 34mpg the first weekend, 300 miles of mixed use), looks pretty decent parked next to a Nissan or Toyota. The "carpet" is more like some sort of fuzzy cardboard, we'll see how the rest of the interior holds up over the next 3-4 years. Overall, for the price I don't think you can beat this car in terms of warranty, safety, features, and performance. Sticker on mine was $17,250 - drove away for $10K after trading in a 1996 Suburban with 230K miles. Yeah, I keep them for a long time!

Favorite Features

Excellent gas mileage. Relatively quiet at highway speeds

Suggested Improvements

Compass/Temperature option for rearview mirror. Real carpet in the cabin.

4 out 4 people found this review helpful

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Great Value KIA

Written by: nolarobert on 07/02/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra SX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

This is a new purchase. I was able to get the "Copperhead" color, so the car looks sharp & it has fog lights and a rear spoiler. Before you laugh at the spoiler, I was cruising the I-10 at 105 mph & this engine was up to the task. At 85 mph & below the cabin noise was minimal. I took some local back roads and the suspension was solid and the car felt glued to the road even as I took the curves at a goodly amount of speed. The brakes bring the car to a quick stop with no spongy fade. I look forward to taking my new Spectra on a long road trip to visit family in TN. The 700 mile journey will allow me to wring this car out & see if it holds up for the 11 hour drive.

Favorite Features

The SX trim has the 6-disc CD player w/ 6 speakers. It sounds great & plays MP3 files. It has a remote start feature which is handy in bad weather. The driver's seat can be adjusted higher or lower which is great for me as I am 6'1". I love the fog lights as they make a difference.

Suggested Improvements

As always with a small economy car, I would love a bigger engine but the 132 HP 4 cyl. does a good job of moving me down the highway. Another 20-30 foot pounds of torque would have been appreciated.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Happy with Kia

Written by: Rick on 07/01/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Looking for an inexpensive new car? Look no further. I just purchased the Spectra and couldn't be happier. Great warranty, fun to drive, and comfortable, compaired to my SUV, the gas guage doesn't move. Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase, and the Kia network of services.

Favorite Features

Interior size, and ride comfort.

Suggested Improvements

7 out 7 people found this review helpful

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Great Car for the Money

Written by: desertbob on 06/08/2009

Vehicle

2009 Kia Spectra EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)

Review

No flaws... everything works as advertised. Looking forward to my first long-distance RoadTrip in this car.

Favorite Features

All favorite features are "standard" ie; power windows, door locks, A/C, auto transmission. Engine/auto transmission is smooooth.

Suggested Improvements

LCD displays for odometer, clock, radio wash out in daylight. Need better back- light. Fold-down rear seats should unlock from back seat, instead of trunk. Front seats are FIRM !! Publish lamp, oil-filter, wiper data in the owners manual.

14 out 14 people found this review helpful

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