Kia’s Spectra5 gives frugal a good name

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Probably not even the designer’s mother would call it sex on wheels, but as a decent five-door car that starts at $16,000, the Kia Spectra5 does the job. Just recently, it was ranked No. 1 out of 12 contenders on U.S News & World Report’s list of affordable compact wagons for 2008.

The things is, the Spectra5 isn’t just affordable. It’s pretty good. I drove one recently and found it to be roomy, practical and frugal: Its 2.0-liter, 138-horsepower engine delivers 23/30 mpg in city/highway driving. Yet the interior sports good-quality materials, and the car’s ride is sweet. The paint work plus general fit and finish are also fine. And even in a town like Los Angeles, the car’s anonymity is no bad thing.

If I was going to gripe, the five-speed manual shifter was notchy and the seats don’t provide much lateral support. This may not be much of an issue, as the car tends to understeer at the merest hint of a corner anyway. But for basic, decent transportation that doesn’t break the bank, the Spectra5 is well worth considering.

-- Colin Ryan