When starting the search for a new car, I knew I would be looking at the compact car market. I started out looking at all the usuals, like the Honda Civic, Mazda Protege, and Toyota Corolla, to name a few. I decided to take a look at the Kia Sephia and give it a shot. I was really surprised to find that many things that come standard on the Sephia are options on the other compact cars. Most of these are minor, but hey, why not get the most for your money? The Sephia had a larger engine than all of the others; it had a better quality fabric on the seats; it also had body colored door handles and exterior mirrors which help make the car appear a little less inexpensive. In order to get those options on say, the Honda Civic, you would have to upgrade to the LX or even top-of-the-line EX model. I was surprised also at the low level of engine and road noise while driving around town and also on the freeway. I noticed that both the Civic and the Corolla seemed awfully loud at highway speeds.
With regards to the handling of the car, I find it to be quite responsive. I have taken a few turns at a slighty higher speed than normal and it's actually really fun to drive. I'd say it's a little more on the sporty side than your usual compact car. It also has plenty of "get up and go" for a 125 horsepower DOHC 4-cylinder engine. No worries about merging onto the freeway as the car responds almost immediately when pushing the accelerator to the floor. I usually get somewhere around 30 mpg in the city. I expected that number to be a little bit higher, but it's still not bad at all. On the highway, the car averages about 34 mpg.
The shifting is pretty smooth although sometimes the transition from 1st to 2nd gear is a little rough. I do think the brakes could be a tad bit stronger and a bit less "mushy" feeling. They do squeak minimally, but this is usually typical of disc brakes. The brakes on my car lasted about the average life span and I had to replace only the front brakes at about 35,000 miles.
As for comfort, the seats are very supportive and comfortable in my opinion. I make frequent trips at approximately 8 hours per trip and am usually pretty comfortable during the ride. As comfortable as one can be in a car after 8 hours anyway. The front seats are also well bolstered and do a good job of holding you in place while cornering. In the rear, the seats are a little more plush, but still comfortable and have enough room for the average sized adult. Even though the back seat is designed to hold 3 passengers, it's a bit of a crunch considering shoulder room for 3. Entry/exit from the rear seat is a bit difficult due to the small entry via the back doors.
Most of the controls are well placed and easy to reach, minus the shifter blocking the A/C controls when in park. The coin holder in the dash panel is a bit annoying as it is made of plastic and any coins resting there rattle back and forth. I noticed that for the model year '01, they replaced the coin holder with a digital clock. The biggest complaint I have in the interior is the lift-latch for the center console. It has broken off once where it hinges after being opened and closed often over a long period of time. The hinge is plastic which wears over time and finally snaps. I have super glued it back on and it seems fine now.
I bought my 2000 Sephia in October of '99 and now have about 63,000 miles. I have not had any problems with the car and keep up with all the proper maintenance, as one should with ANY car to keep it in good working order. No, this car is not the fastest car around, nor is it the most luxurious, but this is why it's an inexpensive automobile. I believe that some people are hesitant to give Kia a chance because they feel it doesn't have the same reputation as a Honda or Toyota. In fact, Kia has been making cars and other vehicles for over 50 years in Korea. It is only in the last 8 years or so that they began selling in the U.S. Besides, with a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty, what do you have to lose? As I mentioned before, I have had my Sephia for about 4 years and it's been a great car. I know that I got a much better deal than the guy driving his over-priced, WAY too common Civic!
Amount Paid (US$): 13000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2000
Model and Options: Sephia Base Model, Automatic