by Holly Glaspey
Okay, so I didn’t take a picture of myself sprawled out over the hood and send it to all my friends when I was granted a week with the Kia Spectra5. However, we still shared some happy memories. This Kia is a really great size—plenty of room for four and the camping gear, yet I still felt like I was driving a compact car.
The interior again is nothing flashy, but all the essential features are there, and very user-friendly. I like it when I can get in a car for the first time and have virtually no “training time”. All the features I needed were right where I expected them to be, and worked exactly how I expected them to work–no brain required. There is a jack for an external audio player, which I did not use but do appreciate for longer trips. Sure, I miss the heated seats, but the car won bonus points with me for the quick acting heating vents. It warmed up before I finished my 6-minute drive to the office.
I am happy with the amount of “zip” this four cylinder engine offered. In the city it had nice, even acceleration, unlike a lot of four cylinders that are calibrated to have all the gas in the first 1/2 inch of the pedal. Shifting was also noticeably quick and easy and handling was great for the basic challenges of everyday driving. I am disappointed in the gas mileage however. Twenty-seven in the city, thirty-three on the freeway. My thirteen-year old four-cylinder Chevy can do that.
The Spectra5 wins “best supporting new car” in my book. It’s not the life of the party, but it can do what needs to be done with no questions and no complaints.
