2000 Kia Sephia Base review from North America
"Good price, bad service, lots of small problems"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Purchased Nov 2000 and so far the engine block heater cord shocked both my wife and I.
Mass air flow sensor replaced (twice).
Oil smell coming from engine bay (psi washed).
Mud flaps broke off.
Stick shift boot cracked.
Lost gas cap (no lanyard).
Paint chipped everywhere.
Chip gaurd (sticker in front of the wheel wells) fell off.
Heater temp select knob inoperable.
The car is not in the shop for the latter items (6-18-01).
General comments?
I bought the car knowing it would be cheap. I had previously owned a Festiva and Aspire (both new and manufactured by KIA), the Sephia however is by far the most prone to problems.
The dealer (North Star Ford, Duluth, MN) has gone through several Kia service managers and have a hard time returning calls (ie your parts are in).
Parts seem to be shipped directly from Korea via ship because of the time it takes to get to Duluth.
Gets about 35 MPG. Rain or shine and even started in -35 F. (synthetic oil a must).
Recommended reviews
| Many cons, but still an alright car |
|
| A cheap mid performance economy car. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10 miles |
| Most recent distance | 19000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Aspire |
| Date of Entry | 18th June, 2001 |