Of course, all this goodness means squat if the new Spectra drives like the old one. Its doors close with a comforting thud, and its interior fit and finish is premium. ![]() You could also argue that the Spectra knocked off the Audi's quality standards the new car's panel gaps are minute. Speaking of the A4, the Spectra appears to have knocked off the Audi's hind end, wearing similar wedgelike taillights and a sloping trunklid. All of these niceties complement an interior that offers 97 cubic feet of passenger space-more than any of its competitors, and even outdoing some upscale Euros, such as the Volvo S60 and the Audi A4. Rounding out the long list of standard features are an adjustable steering wheel, a CD stereo with six speakers, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, and variable intermittent wipers. The seatbelts up front feature pretensioners and force limiters, and all three rear seatbelts secure passengers over the shoulder. Inside, the Spectra comes standard with front, side, and curtain airbags-the lowest-priced car in America to offer all of these at no extra cost. To motivate its bestselling nameplate, Kia screwed together a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing-a first for a Kia car-that serves up 138 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque (132 horsepower and 133 pound-feet in Super Ultra Low-Emission Vehicle form), which amounts to increases of 14 horsepower and 17 pound-feet, all of which is delivered to the front wheels via a standard five-speed manual or an optional four-speed automatic. The wheels measure 15 inches in diameter and wear 195/65R-15 rubber. The brakes are discs at all four corners, available with ABS and electronic brake-force distribution on the high-line trim. The steering system is a rack-and-pinion arrangement with power assist that is sensitive to engine speed. ![]() Compared with its predecessor, the new car is wider by nearly an inch and taller by over two inches, and it features a wider track and a wheelbase two inches longer. Or as Kia's chief press wrangler, Kim Custer, said, "We changed everything but the name." That's one way to do it.įor the foundation, Kia turned to parent Hyundai and borrowed the robust Elantra platform-underpinning for the upcoming Hyundai Tucson small SUV-to which it bolted a four-wheel independent suspension with MacPherson struts up front, a multilink and strut setup in the rear, and anti-roll bars at each end. ![]() To spur that 180-degree reversal, Kia changed, well, the whole dang car. This would have to be one helluva turnaround. In our last economy-sedan comparison test (" Double-Dip Dreamboats," November 2002), it finished in the cellar among nine competitors. Those of us in the press seats shuffled uneasily in our chairs, as if we were watching some pro jock guarantee victory after his team had just dropped 10 straight.Īfter all, the current Spectra is not the greatest of building blocks. But as the Kid would say, "It ain't braggin'. We wondered if Butterfield had been listening to Kid Rock, Mr. "We think it'll go head-to-head with today's top small cars," said Peter Butterfield, president and CEO of Kia Motors America, referring to his brand's all-new Spectra compact sedan.
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