What's New for the 2005 Kia Spectra?
After receiving a major freshening last year, Kia adds a new model to the 2005 Spectra line: the sporty SX sedan that includes front and rear spoilers, side sills, a rear valance panel, black headlamp bezels, a black grille, 16-inch alloy wheels and tires, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, metal interior trim and pedals, a sport suspension and a front strut tower brace when equipped with the manual transmission. All Spectras get a new audio system, and a new exterior color called Spark Blue is available on the SX sedan.

Advantages of the 2005 Kia Spectra:

• Standard side-curtain airbags
• Standard side-impact airbags
• Excellent powertrain warranty
• Sporty SX model
• Roomy interior
• Low starting prices

Objections to the 2005 Kia Spectra:

• Small stereo controls

Editor's Advice:
Kia certainly has another hit on its hands with the 2005 Spectra sedan. With a starting MSRP that barely crests $13,000, the Spectra is the lowest-priced car on the market equipped with standard side-curtain airbags. Couple this safety feature with standard side-impact airbags, a 138-horsepower engine and a ten-year/100,000-mile warranty, and it will be hard for cash-strapped car buyers to ignore the stylish Spectra. Be careful with the options, though, because if every box on the list gets checked the 2005 Kia Spectra SX goes for close to $18,000, negating to some degree the point of buying one in the first place.