2001 Kia Sephia Typo review from North America
"Given my low expectations, this car was a very pleasant surprise with its excellent reliability"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I ran this car for many many years until very recently when the CV Joint went out nearly leaving my stranded at Christmas with no mechanics open. That said, we were able to purchase a new part and replace it ourselves - I'd never changed a CV joint before, but the construction of this car is very sparse and simple and it was actually pretty easy. This happened right at 178,000 miles nearly. That said, that's a lot of miles for any CV Joint. Strangely just after the CV Joint went out the Shift Lock Inhibitor went out (A 20 dollar part, aka 'neutral safety switch.). This was fairly easy to change too. This brings the total cost of repairs for my car to nearly 100 dollars in the last 4 years, very amazing.
General comments?
This car has been highly reliable. This really impressed me as I've always associated KIA vehicles with the word "cheap" and only bought one because my boss realized I needed a more reliable car and picked it up at an auction and let me pay him back with payroll deductions.
For its small 4 cylinder engine it is actually pretty zippy, though in its age its getting a little less peppy.
The seats are not particularly comfortable at first, and are very firm, however I've noticed that their design is fantastic for long trips. Unlike other seats I experience little to no fatigue on extended driving periods and really seems to work out well for me.
Given its reliability record thus far I am confident that barring a major car accident, this car will easily reach the 250,000 mile mark.
Recommended reviews
| KIA's have their ups and downs |
| until things get better with this one, it sucks |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | DOHC Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 68000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 179459 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Escort |
| Date of Entry | 12th January, 2008 |