2003 Kia Spectra Review
Type:
Pros & Cons
- Low base price, nimble handling, available hatchback configuration, killer warranty.
- Lackluster engine performance, weak brakes and tires, mediocre build and materials, poor offset crash test score.
Other years
Get More For Your Trade-In
Edmunds shoppers get on average $235 more for their trade-in.
Find out what your car is really worth in minutes.
Edmunds' Expert Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2003 Kia Spectra.
Most helpful consumer reviews
kimllopez,02/20/2014
Purchased this car in 2009 with 50,000 miles on the engine. With the bald tires on the car, it road like a roller coaster ride on the freeway. Purchased new tires and it drove almost 100% better. Replaced the entire radiator about 2 years later. Replaced the ball joint 6 months before that. Replaced the right passenger side head light about 5 times since we purchased the car, at some point it completely stopped working and my husband switched around the light from the brights to the regular headlight to salvage it. Parts are extremely hard to find for this car, we've usually have to purchase online and when we do find the part in store it is usually more expensive than say a honday or acura.
deathsaid,12/09/2012
Our Spectra has 120, 000 miles on it and has been pretty reliable so far.
I have it for the last 20K or so and before that my father-in-law owned it.
It has gone through some brakes and needed some work to fix in the brake fluid system.
Front brakes put off a lot of dirt, hubcaps are literally black at this point.
All things considered this car has been great, not the sexiest car or most comfy (i am 6'6) but very dependable. Nothing fancy or flashy about it but it gets from point A to point B.
Kia Driver,03/16/2010
I find this to be a decent used car for someone just learning to drive or looking for nothing more than point A to point B transportation. It's been pretty reliable although when things do break, they are expensive to repair. Many parts have to be ordered from Korea and it's hard to find a mechanic that will work on them. Very difficult to work on yourself as well. The "little things" like interior trim and such start falling apart around 50k miles though. By 87K the dash was warped, interior trim always falling off, drivers seat no longer went back, and power windows only worked sometimes. The drive train itself is fairly reliable though.
kiersten565,07/10/2012
I've been driving my Kia for almost four years now, it was used as my dad's commuter car. I now have 220,000 miles on it and still going strong! Tires have been replaced, along with a new fuel filter and occasional oil changes and tire rotations but nothing major. I put almost 100 miles on it a day and it has great gas mileage. I'm so surprised at how long it's lasted for me. I will be very sad the day it gives up!