Best Compact SedanKia · 2005
Spectra
2005 · EX
Resale price
$3,400
5-yr depreciation
77%
Of original value, first five years
Yearly maintenance
$488
Parts and labour beyond oil and tyres
Combined MPG
26
EPA combined city and highway
Trouble-free miles
87,000
Before a first repair above $500
Known issues
Camshaft position sensor faults; rust at the rear wheel arches.
Where it is made
Final assembly · Hwaseong, South Korea
Country of origin
South Korea
Home market of Kia, the brand that designs and engineers this car.
Parts from South Korea
95%
Share of the car's parts content sourced in South Korea.
Made in the USA
3%
parts
0%
assembly
Finished outside the US; the figure above is US-sourced parts only.
| Measure | This vehicle | Median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resale price | $3,400 | $8,200 | −$4,800 |
| 5-yr depreciation | 77% | 55% | +22% |
| Yearly maintenance | $488 | $482 | +$6 |
| Combined MPG | 26 mpg | 30 mpg | −4 mpg |
| Trouble-free miles | 87,000 mi | 138,000 mi | −51,000 mi |
Fun fact · 02
Toyota Corolla · 1998 — 2002
The car that outlived its own warranty twice
The last of the truly boxy Corollas is the high-mileage benchmark of the segment. Almost nothing on it is exotic: a plain 1.8-litre four, a four-speed automatic, and body panels that bolt on instead of being bonded into the structure. Documented examples in courier and taxi service pass 600,000 miles, and the failure that finally stops them is usually rust rather than the drivetrain.
What it is
- 1.8-litre 1ZZ-FE inline-four, 125 hp
- Chain-driven cams, iron-liner alloy block
- Four-speed automatic or five-speed manual
- 41 mpg highway with the five-speed