1999 Kia Sephia Base review from North America
"The worst of the lot, please don't buy!!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Since I bought the car my transmission had to be replaced, which cost me a lot, after that my KIA started to make weird noises when turning and the car wouldn't start form time to time.
Since then nothing else went wrong until now. My KIA Sephia now shows me the check engine light and the Over Drive system turns on and off on it's own, making it impossible to drive until I have the car checked out and another $1000 will go down the toilet.
One more thing, my air bag light comes on now and then, and I am really afraid to drive this car.
General comments?
KIA might be making better cars presently, but the cars that they sold when they tried to be one of the big dogs on the market are dangerous to drive.
The Sephia especially, because it is a very dangerous car to drive. I don't know what these people were thinking, they put the catalytic converter right under the engine. This car is so poorly made that when I look at it I laugh. KIA should be sued and they will if they aren't already.
To finish this I will say to you:
Never buy a KIA and don't be tempted by the low price because you will spend twice as much on repairs than on the car alone. Trust me and have a nice day.
Recommended Reviews:
  | An excellent, inexpensive and extremely fuel efficient car. |
| 1998 - Sephia 1.8 liter 4 cylinder A poorly designed car that needs to be treated like a lame horse |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8L I4 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 2/10 |
| Reliability marks | 1/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 0 miles |
| Date of Entry | 28th March, 2004 |