Faults:

Right now, the problem we have is that the rear windows do not always open. This problem also happens with the passenger side window. I am going to take it to the dealer soon.

General Comments:

I feel that my little Spectra is great. For the money, you can't beat it. We looked at the Toyota Corolla and it was much more expensive than the KIA. The air conditioning could be a little stronger. Fuel economy is average; it does have a small fuel tank. So far I do enjoy the car.

Faults:

Everything! So far the transmission had to be replaced at 6,000 miles due to manufacturer defect.

The head gaskets blew at 13,000 miles. Costly repair not covered under 10 year/100,000 mile warranty.

Computer replaced at 24,000 miles ironically it is only covered until 24,000 miles or 24 months.

Suspension and front brake pads and rotors replaced at 28,000 miles.

Check engine light comes on for no apparent reason.

General Comments:

This car is the 2002 version of the Yugo. This car squeaks and rattles like a 15 year old Ford Tempo. The dealerships take forever to fix a problem and don't provide a loaner car so it gets expensive to rent a car every month. Actually it is more than the car payment.

Faults:

No problems so far except the left door speaker is blown.

Bad tire wear and very poor gas mileage.

General Comments:

The Spectra is overall a good buy and a great little car. The driver's seat, while adequate for some, is very uncomfortable, especially on long trips. The console hits your accelerator leg and places it at an uncomfortable angle while driving.

The handling of the car is awesome, while the suspension is stiff and rigid, overall it's a smooth ride. The road noise is almost null.

Faults:

The Spectra had one mysterious incident involving the transmission shortly after braking suddenly at high speed: it would not shift to higher gears. After stopping and placing the vehicle in park, however, the problem resolved itself and has not recurred.

General Comments:

The Spectra is my first new car purchase, and after nearly two months with the car, I am pleased and excited.

The fuel mileage is wonderful, and the warranty is incredible.

The cabin is comfortable, open and well-organized, although the styling is reminiscent of vehicles from the mid-1990's. However, the design is clean and efficient.

Heating and air-conditioning work fabulously, as does the rear defrost. The controls are simple and easily reached from the driving position.

The base-model AM/FM Stereo/Cassette is easy to operate, but is a big disappointment in a 2002 model vehicle. The sound from the well-positioned four speakers is clear and handles higher volumes quite well.

The front bucket seats in my model are four-way manually adjustable which makes for a comfortable fit, and finding the driving position is easy.

The factory suspension is adequate, if not just a tad stiff. The over-all ride is smooth with quite enough translation from the road to the driver.

Engine and road-noise are enough to let you know you're on the road, but not so bad that they detract from the pleasure of driving the car.

The car is nimble and quick, but displays a bit more over-steer than I would prefer.

The automatic transmission is the one major disappointment. It shifts a bit earlier than would be preferable and lacks pick-up at high speed.

The factory tires leave a lot to be desired, and I plan to replace them with something a bit more serious very soon.

The body-panels fit nicely and the paint is superb. Exterior styling is adequate, but not flashy.

Clear-glass headlamp covers and clear-glass tail-light covers are a nice touch, but the 1980's-style mast antennae on the left-rear fender detracts from these touches.

To sum this up, as a first new-car purchase, the 2002 KIA Spectra is great. I am pleased with the over-all styling and performance. Lots of bang for the buck.