2000 Kia Spectra Review
Price Estimate: $771 - $1,286





+8
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Low base price, responsive steering.
Cons
- Lackluster performance, wallowy suspension, questionable build quality.
What’s new
The Spectra is new for 2000. Similar in size to the Sephia, Kia hopes the Spectra will attract younger buyers due to the versatile four-door hatchback design and sportier styling.
Edmunds says
The Spectra will never be called a great car, but for some, it might prove to be a good bargain.
For sale near Bangor, ME
Vehicle overview
Four-door hatchbacks have always been hot sellers in Asian and European markets, but American buyers have shunned the five-door concept - so much that Ford left the four-door hatchback out of the Focus lineup. Kia looks to change that thinking with the new Spectra.
Powered by a Sephia-derived, 125-horsepower, 1.8-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine and mated to a standard five-speed manual gearbox (a four-speed automatic is optional), the Spectra provides decent fuel economy (23 city and 29 highway) buts lacks decent acceleration off idle and during passing maneuvers.
Two trim levels are available: GS and GSX. The base GS is Spartanly-trimmed, including full fabric interior, split-folding rear seat, AM/FM/stereo cassette sound system, tinted glass, rear defrost and two-speed wipers. Optional equipment includes four-wheel antilock brakes, body-color side moldings, rear wiper/washer, AM/FM/CD audio system, cruise control and an automatic transmission. Interior materials are not the Spectra's strong suit with headliner, dash panel, and seat fabric quality well below that of the more expensive Civic or Corolla.
Canyon driving offers a great deal of body roll, adequate steering feedback and limited acceleration. On the highway, the Spectra smoothed out any pavement irregularities, but floated like a boat over expansion joints despite the Lotus-tuned suspension.
The front seats are comfortable, with a decent amount of lumbar and thigh support, and the layout of the dashboard and controls makes the Spectra easy to manipulate. Rear seat riders get minimal legroom, and the canted rear glass impedes valuable headroom.
Higher-grade interior materials, along with a more powerful engine, would do wonders for this Kia's overall desirability. Still, you can't deny its substantial price advantage over the competition. It's not as roomy as the Corolla and it may not have the grunt of the Civic, but the Spectra will serve your basic transportation needs. For first-time drivers and college students trying to survive on Top Ramen, the Spectra is worth a look.
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Maine
$173/mo for Spectra GS
Spectra GS
vs
$169/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Kia Spectra Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Fun to Cruise
3.63 out of 5 starsEB, 03/30/2008
2000 Kia Spectra GSX 4dr Sedan
Fun to drive! You feel like a speed racer! Consider something new as it approaches the end of the warranty. Very spacious interior (long boards fit inside)! Great for traveling students. Needs more reliable parts inside and out; very flimsy. Dashboard comes unglued, interior trunk latch doesn't work well, sits rather low to the ground, bolts welding to axle in wheels, okay gas per … mile, several blinds, paint is thin, handles great on curves...
SURPRISINGLY GOOD
3.88 out of 5 starsalfisti1, 05/12/2002
2000 Kia Spectra GS 4dr Sedan
The Spectra GS is a terrific economy
car that offers a lot for the money. It
is fun to drive and has real sporty
styling. The paint quality of the Jade
Green is outstanding. I like the
spacious cargo area under the
hatchback, and the excellent
reliability of the car. It has also given
me 34-36 mpg on long trips. Overall
the car has exceeded my
expectations.
fun stuff
4.38 out of 5 starsbyron, 04/16/2002
2000 Kia Spectra GSX 4dr Sedan
Wow, what a thrill! You get some good
stuff in small package!! I like that
there is room for stuff by folding down
the back. The sound system is pretty
good. It's almost set as a low-rider.
I'll keep it.
second car
3.25 out of 5 starsjacky, 04/12/2002
2000 Kia Spectra GS 4dr Sedan
I have driven this car for a year now
and have no complaints Its a good
second car for work or just traveling
around town I would not recommend this
car for long trips.The comfort level is
average but a bit tiresome after
driving for 3-4 hours but I would say a
very reliable car.
2000 Spectra Highlights
GS
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 22 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $173/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 11.6 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalPoor
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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