I've been looking at, and test driving numberous Kia Sephia's ever since they landed on Canadian soil just over a year ago. I was really tempted to buy one, but I came to my senses.

Overall, the Sephia is not a bad little automobile. Don't be fooled by the affordable price, you do get a peppy little car, but -- as one salesman told me -- they do cut corners. He doesn't work at that dealership anymore.

The engine doesn't have a lot of power on the highway. You really have to give 'er the gas to get it going quick enough to pass someone. Uphill, it suffers from the same problem. Turn on the AC, and you'll notice a drastic drop in power. It is a four cylinder after all.

Overall performance specs, such as brakes, tranny, etc. are difficult to judge during a testdrive, even on the highway. But two things you can judge easily are ergonomics, and style.

I'm a short guy (5'5"), I had to crawl in and out of the car. I've bang my head on the door frame of every Sephia I've test driven, and I had to put my hand out on the ground just to get out of the car without banging my head.

The thickness of the steering wheel takes a little getting used to. It's got vinyl grabbed either, so you can felt the screwholes on the back if you don't hold the wheel at 10 and 2 o'clock.

The ride isn't that quiet. There's quite a few rattles, and fair bit of engine noise enters the cabin.

The six speaker stereo is a must. I find the two tweeters on either side make a world of difference to the quality of the audio.

The seats aren't that comfortable. I had an electronic pressure point image done on my butt at an auto show (you sit down, and I shows where all of the fat on your butt) and it turns out that I have a flat butt, so I require a lot more padding, or else I'll be damaging my spine.

I have a concern with the service. According to every salesman I spoke to, service is a real drag to obtain. Only a few dealerships have garages in the back, and those are usually booked servicing vehicles from other dealerships. Some parts take about a week to come up from Korea (mufflers, trannies, and little token things are good examples).

Parts are difficult to obtain. That warranty doesn't cover everying, and it won't last forwever, so availability of parts is key.




Amount Paid (US$): 18000
Model Year: 2001