1998 Kia Sephia Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Sephia was the first car Kia brought to the US. The 1998 model I owned was the second generation, which is slightly better looking and has a revised interior and engine. My car was VERY used; in fact, I got it for free with a blown engine and had to install one from a wrecking yard. I drove this car during college and it served me well. The car was extremely reliable in terms of mechanical parts, but the interior was made of very cheap material and nearly everything was broken or rattled. I had to replace the driver's window motor a couple of times. I also had trouble with the fuel tank not venting properly, causing it to be hard to fill up with gas. I had the LS model which includes power mirrors and a few extra features, but it had the 5-speed manual transmission, which I prefer. The engine had decent power considering the car's light weight, and the manual helped to deliver the power better. Fuel economy around 55 mph was excellent, but the short gearing made 70 mph driving a strain (4000 rpm in 5th gear). The car is small, so backseat and trunk space is at a premium, but I was able to carry a good amount (when moving from place to place) with careful packing. The car came to its demise when I got into an accident with it, which also proved that the construction of the exterior is just as flimsy as the inside. The car was badly damaged even at the low speed of my collision, and the airbag failed to deploy. Overall, not a very safe vehicle.Mar 28, 2013

I purchased this car in 2000, used with only 8000 miles on it.. and for only $3000.. I have only ever had to do routine maintenance on this vehicle. I very much enjoyed driving this car cross country(to Louisiana and Texas) several times. It also has one of the better body styles of all small/medium sedans around. I would recommend this vehicle a thousand times over... Mar 17, 2010