Korean Deathtrap*

No I'm not referring to the DeMilitarized Zone, but the newest Kia Spectra. It was the first car to get a POOR rating in the front impact crash test in 4 years. In a 40 m.p.h. frontal crash you'll likely to have severe injuries to your head, chest, and legs.

That is rather odd because the new Spectra and Spectra5 are based on the Hyundai Elantra, which is one of the few vehicles to get the highest rating of GOOD (Why not have the highest rating be EXCELLENT? GOOD sounds like a B to me.) Elantra impact ratings have gone up the past few years as minor things like fuel lines got moved around and improved the rating. Since Hyundai bought out Kia a few years ago you would have thought all the engineers would talk with each other to get things right.

Though I'm not buying for another year or two I have to admit the Spectra5 was one automobile that held my interest. The hatch design is pragmatic, kind of sporty looking, and it is a light enough car that the engine has enough power to pull well. I saw it as a Mazda 3 lite automobile (though upgrading to the 3 is well worth the extra money if you can swing it).

*I'll admit the title is sensationalist, but I made you look didn't I?