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By KBB Editors
Updated December 23, 2019
If your brain says no frills, but your gut says go for more than just value and versatility, the sporty 2008 Kia Spectra5 SX should win a slot on your shopping list.
If you think good handling is wasted without the proper horsepower to back it up, the Spectra5’s four-cylinder engine isn’t going to win you over.
No major changes for 2008.
In America the hatchback seems to fall in and out of favor with regular frequency. Young drivers appear to like them at the moment, so they are back in vogue. Whereas earlier hatchbacks, such as the Honda Civic and Volkswagen GTI, had only two doors, today’s hot hatches have four (five if you count the hatch itself). The 2008 Kia Spectra5 follows this logic, providing the interior room and accessibility of the Spectra sedan in a sportier package that closely mimics the hottest of hot hatches, the Mazda MAZDA3s. While the Spectra5 can’t yet match the Mazda in the areas of performance, features and resale, it does offer an inexpensive alternative with a lot of aftermarket potential. Don’t forget that Kia’s incredible 10-year/100,000 powertrain warranty comes standard, too.
Used 2008 Kia Spectra pricing starts at $3,959 for the Spectra LX Sedan 4D, which had a starting MSRP of $14,520 when new. The range-topping 2008 Spectra 5 SX Hatchback 4D starts at $4,496 today, originally priced from $17,045.
Original MSRP | KBB Fair Purchase Price (nat'l average) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
$14,520 | $3,959 | |||
$16,195 | $3,852 | |||
$17,045 | $4,399 | |||
$17,045 | $4,496 |
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for used 2008 Kia Spectra models in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly.
You can spin the tires if you try, but otherwise the Spectra5’s 138-horsepower 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder is nothing to write home about. Shifting could be smoother as well. With the "sport-tuned" suspension the 2008 Kia Spectra5 earns its stripes when pushed, with good response when driven enthusiastically and four-wheel disc brakes that can bring everything to a stop in a hurry. Ride quality is good, but we found that a decent crosswind can have its way with the tall, lightweight five-door. In the end, if you subscribe to the theory that it’s better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow, the Spectra5 might be ready to show you a good time.
Even if you don’t have problems with headroom, you’ll immediately notice the Spectra5’s vaulted ceiling-like canopy. The modern, attractive interior features a silver-ringed center console with controls placed within easy reach. More than one reviewer, however, had trouble getting comfortable in the driver’s seat. As you might expect from a tall vehicle with eight windows, visibility is good. Rear-seat passengers are treated to legroom in line with the car’s impressive headroom, and the versatile cargo area is substantial with the 60/40-split rear seat folded down.
As we’ve become increasingly accustomed to the tall hatchback design that we’re seeing more often, we think the 2008 Kia Spectra5 looks pretty sharp. Sporty styling includes integrated fog lamps up front and a rear spoiler. The 16-inch alloys are adequate in style and size, but bigger wheels and tires might serve the Specrta5’s stance even better.
Leather Wheel and Shifter
The Spectra5’s leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob further the sporty hatchback’s performance feel.
Front Strut Tower Bar
A metal bar spanning the width of the engine compartment stiffens the front end and contributes to crisper steering response and handling.
The Spectra5 sports an impressive list of standard safety equipment including front airbags, front-side airbags and front-to-back side-curtain airbags. Also notable as standard are a six-speaker CD stereo, auxiliary audio input jack, air conditioning, power windows and locks, keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, sport seats, cruise control, 16-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler and fog lamps.
The Spectra5’s options list is a short one, comprised of a four-speed automatic transmission, a six-disc CD/MP3 changer, remote engine start (automatic only), anti-lock brakes (ABS) and power moonroof.
The Spectra5’s 2.0-liter engine just doesn’t have the get-up-and-go to make this vehicle’s moves match its racy looks. The Kia powerplant lacks the refinement mastered by Honda and Toyota, and even pales when compared with the 2.0-liter engine found in the Ford Focus. On the flip side, the Spectra5’s highway fuel economy is very attractive.
2.0-liter in-line 4
138 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
136 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 (manual), 24/32(automatic)
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
Curb Weight | 2701 lbs. | ||
---|---|---|---|
EPA Total Interior | 97.0 cu.ft. | ||
Fuel Capacity | 14.0 gallons | ||
Front Head Room | 40.0 inches | ||
Front Leg Room | 42.8 inches | ||
Max Seating Capacity | 5 | ||
Minimum Ground Clearance | 6.3 inches | ||
Overall Length | 177.2 inches | ||
Front Shoulder Room | 55.1 inches | ||
Towing Capacity, Maximum | 2000 lbs. | ||
Trunk or Cargo Capacity | 12.2 cu.ft. | ||
Turning Diameter | 33.3 feet | ||
Wheel Base | 102.8 inches | ||
Width with mirrors | 68.3 inches |
Number of Doors | 4 doors | ||
---|---|---|---|
Rear Spoiler | Available |
City | 24 mpg | ||
---|---|---|---|
Highway | 32 mpg | ||
Combined | 27 mpg |
Drivetrain | FWD | ||
---|---|---|---|
Transmission Type | Automatic | ||
4 speed | Available | ||
Recommended Fuel | Regular |
Horsepower | 138 @ 6000 RPM | ||
---|---|---|---|
Torque | 136 @ 4500 rpm | ||
Engine | 4-Cyl, 2.0 Liter |
Basic | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
---|---|---|---|
Powertrain | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
Corrosion | 5 years / 100000 miles |
Used 2008 Kia Spectra | Used 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt | Used 2008 Hyundai Elantra | Used 2008 Chevrolet Malibu (Classic) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $4,428 | $4,238 | $4,125 | $4,200 | |
Consumer Rating | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.3 | |
Fuel Economy | City 24/Hwy 32/Comb 27 MPG | City 25/Hwy 37/Comb 30 MPG | City 25/Hwy 33/Comb 28 MPG | City 21/Hwy 31/Comb 25 MPG | |
Fuel Type | Gas | Gas | Gas | Gas | |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
Basic Warranty | 5 years or 60000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 5 years or 60000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | |
Horsepower | 138 @ 6000 RPM | 155 @ 6100 RPM | 138 @ 6000 RPM | 145 @ 5600 RPM | |
Engine | 4-Cyl, 2.0 Liter | 4-Cyl, 2.2 Liter | 4-Cyl, 2.0 Liter | 4-Cyl, 2.2 Liter | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | FWD | FWD |