2008 Kia Spectra Exterior Review [ 2009 , 2007 ]
Based on analysis of 26 Spectra reviews and test drives.
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
The Kia Spectra hasn’t under gone a major design overhaul since 2005, but reviewers still rate its appearance as "sharp and distinctive," as New Car Test Drive says.
Kelley Blue Book also adds praise for the small four-door’s "sporty good looks with bright exterior paint, body-colored door handles and available body-colored mirrors and racy alloy wheels." The Kia Spectra received a minor exterior freshening for the 2007 model year including a revised front fascia, grille, bumper, headlamps and deck lid (trunk), as well as new wheel combinations for each series. Cars.com reports, "The biggest change for 2008 comes on LX and EX models, which get a new black radiator grille that features chrome accents." The LX also gets a new wheel cover design.
Automobile Magazine finds, "The creased, chrome-dipped exterior looks as good as anything Japanese", and Cars.com adds that the Kia promotes the Spectra's "sculpted appearance" and the "more aggressive look it has over many of its rivals." Echoing many of the positive comments by reviewers, Kelley Blue Book auto writers observe that "Full-length body creases are meant to impart a sense of motion" and "The sharp crease running from wheel to wheel adds a degree of design sophistication."
