How can anyone buy a KIA???

WHy would anyone even spend their money buying a KIA. Not to diss anyone that has one, but I wouldnt by this car if I had 10 bucks. My aunt had one, and no one, even her liked it since it drove like crap. Same with all the rest of Korean cars like Hundia, and Daewoo. They just arent made in quality. Well thats my opinion. Peace

The KIA are great. They make real good dog kennals and if you cut the roof off and weld up the doors you can have a portable outside bath.

Hahaha ya thats probably the only reason.

Check this out

what does a G20 have to do w/ KIA?????


spend the extra 3,000 dollars and buy yourself a Civic DX

Nothing. Just wanted to know what you guys think of the graphics.

I don't like the graphics at all.
But what's important should be what you think.

ya im not diggin it either, but its personal opinion. if you like it, then it phat

Yeah, in all honesty i think it looks bad...

Back to the issue though, a girl i like wants a kia.....sportage to be specific

Tried to convince her, i think i may have changed her mind coz she mentioned something about a volkswagen bug (she wants the classic with the convertible roof)

hmm...well......KIA IS DIRTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hyundai is TRYING to make good though with its european tiburon coming out, i dont think its all that bad, cept for the hyundai badge on it :bloated:

Here's a two month reply to a thread.. yikes!

The 2002 line-up of KIAs aren't the KIAs of old. Much like when Honda started, the cars were no more than a sardine can with a rubber band for an engine. Those days are LONG gone.

The Sedona has the ONLY V-6 5-Speed 195HP engine on the market. Add to that the unprecedented 5-star crash test rating ALL AROUND, and the KIAs suddenly aren't the KIAs of old. On top of that, there are longterm warranties, and the vehicles cost THOUSANDS less than the over-advertised and hyped competition. I've been stranded in many Fords, Chevys, Chryslers, Hondas...

It's time to look beyond the trash of the past and take a SERIOUS look at what's being offered NOW. I don't judge Ford by the Pinto, Chevy by the Nova or Honda by the original CVCC. And no, there's no offense taken by the earlier comments, at all. You'll probably have a new opinioin with a closer look at what's available now. It shocked me!

yeah man, im not quite Kia yet, but the hyundai aftermarket is starting to boom, and the tiburon isnt lookin all that bad...the Elantra GT is a joke though, thats like Chevy making a lumina GT or somethin

does kia have a sport compact or entry level sportscar?

It's still a....KIA. I dont care if they make a 300hp car, its not the power of the car, its the quality. And korean cars dont have quality. they just pure suck. kia's and hyndias especially. Unless u are the type of person that cant spend more for a decent car, or someone that just doesnt care what they drive, as long as it has wheels, then sure, get a KIA. :smoka:

Kia/Hyundai has some excellent products now. Just because they had some bad cars in the past (Hyundai Excel and early Kia Sephias) doesn't mean they make bad stuff now. And just because Kia doesn't have a sporty car, doesn't make them bad.

The Kia Optima/Hyundai Sonata is probably the best buy in the family sedan market. The Kia Sedona's not a bad minivan, for a short-wheelbase model. The Hyundai Elantra GT is the hatchback, as opposed to the sedans, and is a good car. Even the Hyundai Santa Fe is quite competitive.

I've driven these...I've recommended these...and will continue to recommend them. They're good vehicles.

Daewoos, while not as good, are decent products. Their engines are older designs and not as refined as the Hyundai/Kia engines.

engines are older designs and not as refined as the Hyundai/Kia engines.

hehehe, now thats something you dont read everyday :p

ya, I dont know if my engine is as refined as the kia/hyundai engines...maybe I should look towards an engine swap into my g20....:D














(ya RIGHT) :finger:

Originally posted by NismoDrifts
does kia have a sport compact or entry level sportscar?

Everything that KIA has is entry level. I would NEVER consider anything that they make to be a "sports car". For some reason, the KIAs around the rest of the world are excellent quality... when it comes to Trucks, Vans and Haulers. The heavy-duty machines are built pretty well. The cars, on the other hand, are apparently intended to service the people who need cheap rides... to get to the jobs where they drive the real KIAs.

When KIA decides to put the engine that's in the Sedona into one of their cars, and also decides to build this car with the same care that they've used with the Sedona... I might just look at it. I would love to test a KIA sedan/sports car with a V-6, 5-speed with overdrive, and the solid construction of the larger vehicles.

Hey Koojo, nobody's ignorant enough to think that a KIA engine will ever compete with the ones that I put in modifieds. I'll NEVER claim that the KIA engines are even near the quality of a Daimler. I do, however, know the massive increase in quality... as do the quality assessment bureaus in North America.


:smoker2:

:rolleyes: I am enjoying the ride in my new Kia Rio, and yes even though it is a cheap in cost car, I have to say I'm very happy with how it handles, economy, and even it's looks ain't so bad. Is a 2001 with 8K miles and not a stitch of a problem to date. I don't care what anyone else has to say about them in the negative, but I like what my few bucks purchased. I say, if any car manufacturer puts an abundance of mileage upon their warantee's, they must believe in what they are building, no? How can anyone "lose" by forking out $10K with a 100K power train backup? And oh, let's not forget too that their's also the 50K mile warantee on much else of their products. And who was it that started this long warantee stuff anyway? Chevrolet? Ford? Honda? Toyota? No! It was the Korean's. Doh! Go figure! Thanks for hearing my happiness in my little car. :sun:

Originally posted by graphXtrend.com
Nothing. Just wanted to know what you guys think of the graphics.

To much color dude.. :cool:

Besides the Rio

Kia just sucks

there interest rates suck, there safety suck, there reliability suck

Originally posted by Sadiztik
Besides the Rio

Kia just sucks

there interest rates suck, there safety suck, there reliability suck

I guess you've never driven or heard of a Sedona...

Sedona's have a 5 star crash rating and I've heard good things about them from customers. I should know...I work at a Kia dealer.

I think given time, Kia will try to improve on the quality of their other vehicles as well.

What they should do is give the Spectra a quicker 4 cyl engine, then maybe it will do better against civics, etc...

I have one word for ya.

KIA

I have two words for ya.

Big Dump.

Me too not sure whay you would buy a Kia, I rather buy an old used car and get a new paint job for it or something. Who cares about the warranty

Kia's seem to be getting better, personally if I were to go for a korean car I would get the hyundai tiburon. Peep this:

My problem with KIA motors is this:

They have recently begun a deliberate attempt to deface Nissan motors by causing consumer confusion.

Take for instance:
KIA recently changed the Sephia's name to Spectra, which JUST SO HAPPENS to rhyme with Sentra, the Nissan in the same class. The Sentra is a recommended buy according to Consumer Reports, whereas regarding the Spectra, they said, "You'd have to search far and wide to find a worse new car than the Spectra. Available as either a four-door hatchback or a conventional sedan, it's essentially the same as the now-defunct Sephia. The Sephia sedan we tested suffered from an awful ride, a noisy cabin, a crude, unrefined powertrain, uncomfortable seats, and clumsy handling. Cabin materials felt cheap and insubstantial, and weak detents allowed the doors to swing shut--sometimes on a leg--when the car was parked on an incline. The Spectra sedan also received a poor offset-crash-test score from the IIHS. "

In addition, Kia's mid-level car, the Optima, was introduced last year to compete with Nissan's Altima. Not only do the two names rhyme, but they are synonymous. Unfortunately, the public is already being confused by Kia's marketing ploy. In an article about cigarettes soaked in embalming fluid earlier this year, Details Magazine referred to a "Nissan Optima". If KIA wishes to sell cars by offering a great warranty and mediocre cars, more power to them. The fact that they are attempting to ride on Nissan's coattails disgusts me.

Originally posted by boingo82
The fact that they are attempting to ride on Nissan's coattails disgusts me.

Amen to that...

-Grendel

Never noticed that before, its looking like KIA is a bunch of sneaky SOB's. Although my 2cents on a couple of Nissans.

The Sentra Spec V comes standard with 17's and without lowering springs, it rides way to high.

The new Altima looks like shit in my opionion. I liked the 2000 model year better.

Now dont label me as a hater because I drive a Honda Civic. I looked at many cars before buying mine. Those cars include:
1993 Toyota Corolla (sold before I could buy it)
1991 Civic Hatchback (camber issues)
1985 CRX SI (too many miles)
1994 Nissan Sentra (guy wanted too much)
1992 Nissan Sentra (interior was shit)
1991 Toyota Truck (body damage which I noticed later)
1987 Nissan Truck with Extended cab (sold before I could buy it, and man this truck was SWEET)
1994 Toyota Trecel (timing belt broke while engine was running)

Also again bagging on the altima, does anyone else thinks it COSTS TOO MUCH? My friend who has a 2000 which she bought new paid like $25,000. If I had $25,000 I would much rather get a Integra Type-R.

I think Kia's are good cars and just like every manufacturer have come along way from when they first started. They are starting to get some styling into their cars and I think in a few years will be accepted as just another make.

I think it's funny when someone complains that one company is targeting another...especially with an inane argument like their model names rhyme.

Let's see....maybe Honda, Subaru, and Daewoo should be upset by their naming similarities.....Legend, Legacy, Leganza. Hmm.....

Or....shouldn't GM be upset that Nissan chose to replace the 210 with the Sentra? Sounds an awful lot like Century to me. How about Toyota with the Sienna and Ford with the Sierra and Oldsmobile with the Ciera and GMC with the Sierra? Oh....and there's the Chevrolet, GMC and Plymouth Suburbans.

Kia cars are good. They're not great, but they're good. The Optima (a name Chrysler used only a few years ago for a mid-sized car concept) is an excellent car in its market. The Sedona is a very good minivan. Even the Spectra (with a stick) is a good car.

As for Kia having a sports car. They had an excellent sports car powered by a poor, at the time, Kia motor. The Kia Elan was purchased from Lotus and would have made an excellent addition to their North American fleet...if only they had the right engine for it.

Originally posted by Hudson
...
Kia cars are good. ..... Even the Spectra (with a stick) is a good car.....

Originally said by Consumer Reports
..."You'd have to search far and wide to find a worse new car than the Spectra. Available as either a four-door hatchback or a conventional sedan, it's essentially the same as the now-defunct Sephia. The Sephia sedan we tested suffered from an awful ride, a noisy cabin, a crude, unrefined powertrain, uncomfortable seats, and clumsy handling. Cabin materials felt cheap and insubstantial, and weak detents allowed the doors to swing shut--sometimes on a leg--when the car was parked on an incline. The Spectra sedan also received a poor offset-crash-test score from the IIHS. "


:rolleyes:

And none of the models you mentioned were competing models in the same class in the same time frame. That is what I'm speaking of. I stick to my conspiracy theory.

Originally posted by LadyBuickGS
I guess you've never driven or heard of a Sedona...

I think I've heard about them... All Sedonas were recalled to replace the engines, right?

There is a RIO in town with I/H/E and NAWWWWWWWWWWSSSSS that is smoking hella cars, but that engine is seriously gonna blow up.

I have a 2001 Spectra 5 door, and despite what you people think you know, it is a great car. It rides great, it accelerates faster than a base Civic, Sentra AND Corollas. The warranty is great, 27,000 miles and not a single problem yet! So to all who are dissin' Kia :flipa:
You don't know what your talking about!!

I dont know what you are smoking but ALL the cars you mentioned are quicker than the spectra. I dunno about the sentra, but the civic DX and corolla DX could smoke a spectra like some dank. So be quiet unless you have some proof to back up what you are claming because to the best of my knowledge, youre tripping.

Originally posted by Melt
I dont know what you are smoking but ALL the cars you mentioned are quicker than the spectra. I dunno about the sentra, but the civic DX and corolla DX could smoke a spectra like some dank. So be quiet unless you have some proof to back up what you are claming because to the best of my knowledge, youre tripping.

I drive the proof..............
If I had a video of proof, you'd be seeing it.
I can kill all cars in its class, stock!

KIA....Killed In Action....nuff said!!!:finger:

No problems....thats a bunch of bullshit. My aunt owns a KIA (who knows why) and she's had so many problems with hers that it's time to throw it in the junk yard. From stereo problems, to power problems to door problems to engine problems, you name it she probably had it. And its only like 3 years old. My friend's mom had a KIA also, and she had problems with the airbag system. The airbag could have came out at anytime and just slapped her right in the face. That car was considered a lemon in the end. Face it, KIA's, Hyndui's (how ever you spell that), and Daewo's all come from korea and their products SUCK.

is to remove everything, but the body, chassis, and interior. I'd put in a new motor, new tranny, axles, wheels tires, wiring, ecu, lighting, stereo, everything, probably even the seats and carpet....it's look like a kia on the outside, but it sure as hell wouldn't be a kia.....and seeing as i can just buy i badass new car for that price then i'd just skip all that work, get something nice and mod it instead..

I have owned a lot of cars
1978 Audi 5000
1965 Ford Galaxie 500
1986 Plymouth Reliant K
1982 Honda Accord
1982 Fiat Strada
1988 Skoda Estelle
1977 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1990 VW Jetta
1987 Mercedes 190D
2002 Subaru Legacy GT Wagon
2002 Kia Spectra GS

I used to sell cars at three different dealerships, Gateway Volkswagen Porsche Audi Suzuki, Appleway Subaru VW and Downtown Toyota.

I have driven 911s, Audi Quattro V8s, Celica GTs, Mustang Cobras, VW Corrados etc etc etc.

Kia seems to be at the level the Mitsubishi was at a few year ago. the 1.8 liter 16 valve 127 HP/108 ft/lb torque engine in the Spectra GS pulls like it came out of a mid 90s VW GTI.

The Spectra a great car for the price. It is cheaper and more powerful than a Toyota Echo.

It is OK. People made fun of my Skoda too. It was a fun car to drive, and Skoda is getting known more and more internationally, and getting better.

Whatever, people will bicker back and forth forever over Ford, Chevy Dodge and there is no convincing anyone. (Kia, Honda, Subaru, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Citroen, Proton, Renault, Peugoet, Skoda, Fiat, Seat etc etc.)

Maybe take a new one for a test drive, then go and compare it with the much more expensive Toyota Echo or Suzuki Aerio.

Cmotif <><

Hey good comparison...a crappy car to a crappy car (spectra to echo). kudoos to you

Some people will buy anything if it has a Toyota badge on it. I like Land Cruisers, and Celicas, obviously Supras, but the rest of the Toyota line bores me.

And what a price you have to pay to have a Toyota badge on your car. Those dealership seem so proud of their high prices.

Personally, I don't care that much about badges, and have tried cars from lots of different countries.

Financially right now, this makes sense. What other 1.8 liter 16 valve can you get new for less than 9,000 dollars?

Nice Inifiniti Koojo, went to your site.

I am not comparing a Kia to an Infiniti. But as far as a world car, meaning sold all over the world, it is not bad. Did you know that the average engine displacement in Great Britain is 1.4 liters? There are a lot of 750CC and 1 liter cars running around there. I have had two cars that had 1,300 CC engines in them (Fiat and Skoda). The Skoda, I even had up to 100 mph. That is faster than what you can legally do on the road anywhere in this country.

For a driving around town, dropping my son off at preschool, getting stuff to and from work, the 1.8 liter motivates that car more than adequate. I had fun chasing a WRX on the freeway yesterday at 80 MPH. I love Imprezas, and I would have bought a TS wagon if I had more money. I am a Master's student at the moment.

I really like the cavernous Hatchback, and being able to fold the back seat and put in lots of stuff. It holds more than my Mercedes.

This car works for me. I am having a fun time driving it, and that is really matters.

Cmotif <><

Those lights look a lot like the ones on the new RSX. Kia is taking a lot of styling cues from Acura. If you look at the new Sorrento, it is has some styling that came from the Acua SUV.

For whatever it is worth, the suspension on the new Spectra was developed in association with Lotus. You know, Lotus Esprit, Lotus Elise.

I'm not saying that a Kia is the same as Lotus, but every little bit of technology that they can get from experts helps.

With the reviews that I read, it is the lame Hankook tires that really make the car feel bad. I will be replacing them with something high end, and go with a larger wheel. It is not uncommon to have new cars spec'ed with cheap low end tires. Car companies are trying to make a profit everywhere they can.

Hahahaha! I wanted to go back and edit this post. I got the car at Ron Tonkin here in town. Their dealer license plate things have cupid with car key in his bow. I don't have my new license plates yet. Just to say, that is not my idea of making the car stylish.

I personally believe Briguy when he talks about his experiences driving his 2001 Spectra. I have dropped more than a few cars at lights. Sad thing is that when I am not trying to race, just returning a movie or something, you have idiots out there in their brown mid 80s Escorts who think that they got to show how much muscle their cars by doing 60 in a 35 mile per hour zone.

Third is a fun gear on the freeway, will rocket to 90 MPH at 6,500 redline. Its a five speed.

There is more wind noise than I like with the car. That is part of the reason Kia sells vent visors for the side windows. I think that is a good thing to get. But heck, it is a 9,000 dollar car. Having a lot of fun for 149.00 dollar a month payment, and no repair bills.

Stock stereo sounds pretty good, way better than the Becker unit that came in the Mercedes. I run my iPod MP3 player through it. Will replace the speakers in the car when I hear them start to degrade. (No speakers sound good forever) Will go with Pioneer or Polk Audio units at that point.

Cmotif <><

Originally posted by Cmotif
I personally believe Briguy when he talks about his experiences driving his 2001 Spectra. I have dropped more than a few cars at lights. Sad thing is that when I am not trying to race, just returning a movie or something, you have idiots out there in their brown mid 80s Escorts who think that they got to show how much muscle their cars by doing 60 in a 35 mile per hour zone.

Third is a fun gear on the freeway, will rocket to 90 MPH at 6,500 redline. Its a five speed.

:p Mid 80's escorts, you guys kill me!! The review you put out actually makes the kia sound pretty tight, but I still wonder about reliablity. Lemme know when there are some 200k mile kia's

100,000 mile warranty. I wonder if any kia would even last 100,000 miles.

I think that I can make it go the distance. Mobil 1 every oil change once the motor gets broken in. I have had multiple 100,000 mile cars, and my Mercedes has 270,000 miles. I believe that the warranty is good, but I believe that Kia knows that the motor tranny combination is better than 100,000 miles, or they wouldn't offer such a warranty. Most cars will do 100,000 miles if you know how to drive, no major accidents, and do basic preventative maitenance.

Here is a review of the 2002 Spectra that I found on line.

Cmotif <><

Merger mania.


Introduction:
Last year, the Kia Spectra was a hatchback version of the Kia Sephia, a 4-door compact sedan significant for being Kia's first model sold in the U.S. under its own nameplate, dating back to 1993. This year the Sephia name is gone, absorbed into a lineup bearing the Spectra name. So now there are Spectra sedans and hatchbacks.

All Spectra models receive freshened styling for 2002.

The base Kia Spectra sedan lists at just $10,995. Kia sweetens the deal with a warranty program that extends basic coverage to five years or 60,000 miles, and powertrain coverage to 10 years or 100,000 miles; it also includes five-year/100,000-mile rust perforation protection, and a five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance plan.

At that rate it's hard to avoid looking at a Spectra.

Lineup:
Kia Spectra lineup consists of two body styles: a conventional four-door sedan and a hatchback with four passenger doors and a quasi-fastback roofline.

The base trim model is just called the Spectra ($10,995). An AM/FM/cassette stereo is standard, but air conditioning ($960) is optional.

LS sedan ($12,595) adds air conditioning, power windows, mirrors and locks as standard equipment. LS also allows the buyer to add options including a sound system with a CD player and a CD changer, antilock brakes and cruise control.

GS ($11,395) is the base-level hatchback. Air conditioning ($960) is optional.

GSX ($13,195) comes standard with air conditioning, alloy wheels, power windows, and central locking, plus a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescope steering wheel and an aggressive-looking body kit.

All Spectras are powered by a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine rated 126 horsepower. They come with a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission ($975) driving the front wheels.


Walkaround:
Last year's frumpier Sephia sedan gained the sleeker front-end styling of last year's Spectra GS/GSX. For 2002, that styling was massaged slightly.

Spectra's styling is pleasant, albeit vaguely derivative. The front end seems to owe a lot to the Ford Taurus, with elliptical headlamps and a central grille opening with a crossbar, where a red Kia badge substitutes for Ford's blue oval. Between the clear-lens headlamps and the grille sit round high beams. The LS and GSX also get fog lamps. Bulges in the sheetmetal that sweep back across the hood trail the high beam bezels. The front bumper is integrated into the body profile, its plastic cover encircling the cosmetic grille above the bumper and the larger, functional radiator opening below it. Bumpers and mirrors are body color, an upscale feature for a car in this price range.

The Spectra's profile won't upset anyone. The windshield has an average rake, and the greenhouse, for sedan and hatchback, comes out of the designer's standard playbook. A fine crease at door-handle height keeps the side from being too plain. Blacked-out B-pillars create the impression that the Spectra is coupe rather than a four-door sedan.

The LS is distinguished from the base Spectra by chrome on the grille bar. A winglet attached to the rear of the GSX suits the overall shape of the car, and a rear wiper/washer is optional on both the GS and GSX. The GSX gets front and rear air dams, door-sill extensions and spoked 6x14-inch alloy wheels with P185/65R14 Kumho radials.

The rear hatch is invisible from behind the car. You have to look closely to see the gap around the sides and top of the backlight (rear window), and that's the only clue that the whole rear of the car opens up for access to a spacious cargo area.

Spectra's engine sits crosswise in the engine bay. It produces 126 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 108 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm. That's less than the optional engine in some of Spectra's primary rivals, but considerably more than the competition's base engines.

The suspension is impressive for this class of car. Lotus Engineering, creator of exotic, world-class sports cars, tuned the Spectra's suspension to optimize handling and ride quality. MacPherson struts are used up front while a multi-link arrangement replaces the usual twist-beam axle in back. Front and rear anti-roll bars are standard. Rack-and-pinion steering is standard, and power assist varies with engine speed to firm up the steering at higher velocities. All Spectras have vented front disc brakes.. Kelsey-Hayes four-channel ABS is optional (at $800) on all but the base Spectra; it includes an upgrade to disc brakes in the rear.


Interior:
The Spectra is an inexpensive car, and this point is reflected in its interior. The dash design is generic and inoffensive; it could have come from one of many Asian sedans. The controls are easy to use. Kia has responded to earlier complaints about tiny radio buttons. As a result, even ham-fingered auto writers can operate the Spectra's radio without much distraction. The LS, GS and GSX have a standard tachometer while an AM/FM/cassette stereo is standard across the board.

Door panels on less-expensive cars are often plain plastic, but Spectras have cloth door-panel inserts. The GSX upholstery is upgraded to nicer sport cloth. The seat bottoms on the front buckets, however, are short on support for longer legs. The seats do have wider cushions this year-one hopes not a Korean comment on American derrieres-and a new fabric is used. The console provides adjustable cupholders, and the LS and GSX door panels have bottle holders, but the overall quality of the plastic parts in the interior seems below standard for the class.

The rear seat will accommodate three, but not if they're adult males who plan to be there for a while. The seat folds 60/40 on sedans and hatchback, offering cargo flexibility with the hatch that challenges a small wagon. The GS/GSX hatch design offers even easier access. Seats up, the official trunk for the hatchback has 11.6 cubic feet of luggage room, which is excellent for a small car.


Driving Impressions:
The 126-horsepower Spectra engine is not blindingly fast, but if the driver is willing to rev it, there's spunky acceleration with the five-speed manual transmission. The engine revs with abandon and seems happy to do so.

The gearshift lever has a rubbery feel, but we never missed a shift. Clutch take-up is smooth and light.

We suspect the optional automatic transmission would sap a good deal of the engine's vigor. Comparing the ratios of both transmissions confirms that impression. Anyone at all interested in acceleration in a Spectra should learn how to drive a stick. The manual gearbox also edges the automatic in fuel mileage. The five-speed has an EPA estimate of 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, two mpg better than the automatic for both circuits.

In cornering, the Spectra offers good balance, as one would expect from Lotus Engineering. Like most front-wheel-drive cars, its handling is predisposed to understeer (the front tires begin losing grip before the rear tires do). Turn-in for corners is a little sluggish: Our impression was that there's something rubbery between the steering wheel and the pavement, with a squishiness that has to be taken up before the Spectra begins to turn. This is particularly noticeable in fast, slalom-type directional changes. A tire upgrade would surely help.

The Spectra is quiet on the highway, with a surprising absence of wind or engine racket. It feels larger than its compact measurements would seem to warrant, even on an extended drive.

We were delighted by the performance of the standard brakes. We checked them out on a closed circuit that had several corners requiring high-speed braking. The Spectra's brakes never whimpered nor showed any signs of fading. That's extraordinary for an economy car.


Summary:
With its extremely attractive price, particularly for the base sedan, the Kia Spectra should draw practical-minded shoppers, thrifty folks who will take notice of a showroom-new car, complete with an outstanding warranty, for no more money than many used cars.

The Spectra is roomy, versatile and willing; some minor trim items have been compromised in the name of cost, but the basic hardware appears durable.

Kia hopes the Spectra GSX will win the hearts and dollars of the front-drive hot-rod crowd, thanks to its affordable price and easy adaptability. (Kia has shown a modified Spectra to demonstrate its performance potential.)

And if you want a five-door hatchback at this price, then the Spectra is the only game in town.

You got some long posts. Whos actually going to take time to read that?

Yeah, I have a ton of long posts at www.rctech.net where I chat with other RC racers.

Somebody is some post commented that they would never buy a Korean car, even if it cost them only 10 dollars.

If you could get this Korean car for 10 dollars would you buy it? It is a Hyundai WRC car. Hyundai owns Kia, so that is why I post it here. Admit it, you would like this Korean car in your garage!

Cmotif <><

I highlighted the important points for you in color on that review to save you time!


C

"The Sedona has the ONLY V-6 5-Speed 195HP engine on the market"


the honda prelude has a 4 cylinder engine that produces 195hp. personally i would rather the honda. Although they are building up, Korean cars just arent up to par in my opinion.

Originally posted by Cmotif
Yeah, I have a ton of long posts at www.rctech.net where I chat with other RC racers.

Somebody is some post commented that they would never buy a Korean car, even if it cost them only 10 dollars.

If you could get this Korean car for 10 dollars would you buy it? It is a Hyundai WRC car. Hyundai owns Kia, so that is why I post it here. Admit it, you would like this Korean car in your garage!

Cmotif <><

How many stock hyundai parts do you think are actually in that WRC car? Not many. It's a heavily modified car used for that one purpose only.

I would take the Hyundai rally car, because it's AWD and has 400hp... which no kia as.

The korean auto industry is where the japanese were in the 80s. they had learned to make reliable cars, and suddenly, the car buying public started to take them seriously. Of course, they still have quite a way to go, before they can reach the level of prestige the japanese have attained.

And by that time, the rest of the world will have improved more :D

Originally posted by Cbass
I would take the Hyundai rally car, because it's AWD and has 400hp... which no kia as.

The korean auto industry is where the japanese were in the 80s. they had learned to make reliable cars, and suddenly, the car buying public started to take them seriously. Of course, they still have quite a way to go, before they can reach the level of prestige the japanese have attained.

And by that time, the rest of the world will have improved more :D

I think that the Korean Auto Industry is far better than where the Japanese were in the 80s. Japanese cars in the 80s were not all fuel injected. All Kias are. All Kias have air bags and side impact beams, where Japanese cars in the 80s did not. New Kias have modern engine management and have OBD II (On board Diagnostics). No one had that in the 80s. Computerized engine management is not monopolized. If one company gets it, all the others will copy it, or get third party like Bosch or Delphi to design them one to do the same thing.

I have driven 90s Toyota trucks that did not have as nice of interior as my Kia Spectra GS. (I worked at a Toyota dealership for a while)

They are lagging behind a bit, but for the price of a new car, it is tough to beat.

I am really enjoying my 2002 Spectra GS every time that I take it for a drive. I am seeing more and more of them in Portland everyday.

Cmotif <><

Originally posted by Cmotif
..All Kias have air bags and side impact beams, New Kias have modern engine management and have OBD II (On board Diagnostics). ...

Well, yeah, but so what?? Every car nowadays has air bags and side impact beams, it's the law. And Air Bags, though invented in 1973 and available in some Chevys, were not common in any car until Chrysler adopted them in 1991. So this point is pretty much invalid. Almost NOTHING had airbags in the eighties.

And OBD II wasn't available in the eighties.

I believe the comparison was made in terms of handling characteristics, reliability, durability, etc. I would be interested to see an argument based on these characteristics.

It is simply ridiculous to make reference to technology that is required by law and/or standard in all autos now, versus uncommon and/or not at all available in the eighties.

Been driving around and still enjoying my KIA Spectra. I think that the buyout from Hyundai helped them out a lot. Hyundai was making better cars than KIA, and now I think the quality is the same.

Funny story, was driving my three year old to Pre-School this morning. He is a little car freak, has about a billion Hot Wheels cars. (Put a couple of Hot Wheels stickers on the KIA for him).

He says "What's that sound?"

I'm going through the gears, driving a little sporty, shifting at 4000 going gear to gear. "That's the engine."

Then I ask, "Is it a good or a bad sound?"

He says, "It's a good sound!"

C

id buy a ford or chevy before i would buy anything korean.

Originally posted by mmead16116
id buy a ford or chevy before i would buy anything korean.

People have bought Ford and GM and have gotten Korean Cars! Ford started Kia, and GM started Hyundai. The Ford Festiva was the Mazda 121, which Ford then had made for US market by Kia. KIA sold it elsewhere in the world as the KIA Pride. The Ford Aspire was a KIA, and the new KIA Rio is the next step in the Ford Aspire evolution. The 1.8 liter that is in the KIA Spectra is a deriative of the Mazda 1.8 liter. Ford was involved with that.

GM sold Daewoos (Yes, Daewoo) in the states as Pontiac Le Mans. GM Recently bought Daewoo, but they had history going back for years.

GM now owns Daewoo, and a percentage of Hyundai and KIA.

It is a world market out there. How many supposedly US or German cars are made in Mexico? I have no problem personally with a car built by robots in Korea. I hang out with a lot of Koreans, and have many Korean friends.

Cmotif <><

Are you ready to laugh?


*ahem* ARE YOU READY TO LAUGH!?


http://www.davewolin.com/kia6.htm
Tough crowd.

thats a pretty sweet deal, you also have to remember that alot of dodges use mitsubishi parts, or were rebadged mitsu's, tons of cars and car makers share parts, designs and so forth.

those are some nice kia's, and i think it'd be pretty cool to get a kia, daewoo, or hyundai and sup it up.

i wasnt saying that i like american cars. as a matter of fact i cant stand them. but i was merely saying that i would drive one of them before i would drive korean

ok sedona,kia piece of crap owner, dont put down the Novas!!You have a lot of room to talk in defending a KIA!! Yeah they have a good warranty.What good is a waranty if its always breaking down? They are pieces of crap!! I am in the auto repair industry and they are junk!!!

i havent seen anything from this thread in a long time. almost 2 months now. but i still cant stand kias. i think japanese is the way to go.

I'm still enjoying mine. There are a lot of other people who are enjoying their Kias, and the growing aftermarket for them. Check at www.streetkiaz.com There are wide body kits, headers, turbos etc etc.

C