2009 Kia Spectra5 Review Summary

What reviewers liked most about the 2009 Kia Spectra5:

• The ride is quiet, and the interior is free of the usual booming and buzzing.- Car and Driver

• ...best-in-class interior room, with huge rear doors allowing access to a rear-seating area that's an easy fit for 6-footers.- Road & Track

• ...a more practical Spectra ...- Edmunds.com

What reviewers liked least about the 2009 Kia Spectra5:

• Engine noise can be obtrusive at speeds of 70 mph and above.- Edmunds.com

• The linkage of the 5-speed manual, though more solid than last year's, feels a mite sticky into and out of each gate, and the 4-5 shift will occasionally balk.- Road & Track

2009 Kia Spectra5 Comparisons:

• ...its word/numeral nomenclature a nod to Mazda and handsome styling that looks like the result of a gene-splice experiment involving the Toyota Matrix and Honda Civic Si.- Road & Track

• Kia quality is improving, though it still trails the Japanese leaders, as do resale values.- Consumer Guide

• ...on the Spectra5 a black plastic panel visually extends the door windows into the sail panel. The result, in our eyes, is less than aesthetically pleasing, with neither the distinctive identity of the Golf, the breezy style of the Mazda3, nor the sexy sass of the Elantra hatchback offered by Hyundai a few years ago.- New Car Test Drive

Best one-liners about the 2009 Kia Spectra5:

• ...it's way more fun than the average econobox and leaves room in the budget for the hot-rod touch.- Motor Trend

• It strikes us as the first Kia that's reasonably entertaining in the twisties.- Road & Track

• Why would anyone even consider a Spectra sedan?- Car and Driver