2002 Kia Spectra Reviews

Kia Australia has some big expectations for its incoming Tasman ute. Most notable is the brand's aim of off-loading 20,000 units in its first full year, the equivalent to one quarter of the Tasman’s projected global sales.To do so in a shrinking ute market, it will need to lure Australian buyers away from traditional staples in Ford, Toyota and Isuzu while fighting off an increasing cohort of budget Chinese rivals, such as BYD, GWM and JAC.Achieving that will be no easy feat and require the Tasman to be competitive on the basics: grunt, payload, towing, tech, and arguably most important of all, price.So, does it? We’ve put the Tasman's top-grade head-to-head against some of Australia’s most popular ute models in an on-paper comparison designed to give you the best run-down on the all-new model before we've even taken it for a test drive.Starting with ground clearance, at 252mm, the Tasman exceeds its rivals by a minimum of 12mm. You could argue it's a relatively paltry difference, but 4WD enthusiasts would argue every millimetre counts when you're traversing rough terrain.Approach and departure angles is another area where the Tasman shines. At 32.2-degree approach and 26.2-degree departure, the Tasman shapes up as a symphony of well thought out proportions, something that will, once again, make it appealing to the four-wheel driving class.As an additional note, Kia claims to have "best-in-class" tub volume at 1173 litres, which sounds unusual given it doesn't have the largest tub dimensions in this class. Rather, its tub width and length are smaller than the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and Toyota HiLux Rogue. Further enquiries with Kia found that its best-in-class claim is according to VDA specifications, a commonly used European cargo space measuring guide. Ford, meanwhile, claims a tub volume of 1233-litres on the Wildtrak (a whole 60 litres more), though it's unclear what measurement guide the figure is based on.If its raw torque and power you're after, prospective buyers may be a little disappointed with the Tasman's outputs – at least on paper.But don't let the figures trick you into thinking its not a capable ute. In fact, it leads all of its rivals on payload, while delivering benchmark 3500kg towing; something the new plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6 (321kW/650Nm) couldn't conquer.Kia said the decision to offer a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, which falls 30kW/59Nm short of its most powerful rival (the V6 Ford Ranger Wildtrak), was based on the brand's decision to comply with Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES). The scheme penalises carmakers who exceed government-mandated carbon emissions limits.While Kia is yet to officially release homologated emissions data on the Tasman, its relatively strong fuel consumption of 7.6 litres/100km suggests it will duck under the targets many of its rivals will fall victim to.This is one area where the Tasman decisively leads the segment, particularly in terms of tech and comfort. It carries twin 12.3-inch screens for multimedia and the digital driver's display, with a 5.0-inch touch monitor for climate controls wedged in-between.There's wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, digital radio, wireless charging, quilted leather upholstery and intuitive features like a large folding-table mounted to the centre console.Kia claims the Tasman has "class-leading" headroom, shoulder room and second row legroom, which makes sense given it is the longest vehicle in its class. The Tasman also comes with an additional 33 litres of under seat storage.The Ranger Wildtrak's interior set-up comes the closest, with a 10.1-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen and an 8.0-inch digital driver's display. It carries wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, too, as well as wireless charging and digital radio. Under seat storage is offered on the Wildtrak, however, Ford chooses not to quote a litre figure.The D-Max X-Terrain carries a smaller 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with an 8.0-inch digital driver's display. It misses out on wireless charging, though.The HiLux Rogue is well off the pace, providing only an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, no wireless charging pad and fewer clever storage spaces. Toyota is, however, set to upgrade this configuration next year when the new HiLux arrives.* All prices calculated before on-road costsPricing was one area where the Tasman was expected to spank the established competition, though its entry price of $42,990 before on-roads for the two-wheel drive S grade exceeds all its rivals by at least $6110.That likely comes down to higher production costs (the Tasman is built in South Korea, while its rivals are built in Thailand) and a more generous offering of standard features.By no means, however, is the Tasman exuberantly expensive, as evidenced by the X-Pro's mere $150 premium over the Wildtrak – a popular variant of Australia's most popular ute. But the success of budget Chinese brands, such as BYD, Chery, GWM and MG, in Australia has shown buyers are increasingly willing to prioritise value above all else, which could hurt the Tasman's sales prospects.Despite the conjecture online about the Kia Tasman's design, which does take a little getting used to, the Tasman is, by all means, a compelling package.It delivers and, in fact, exceeds the competition on several fundamentals, from ground clearance and approach/departure angles to payload, fuel efficiency, interior comfort and tech.That said, two key factors may not necessarily work in its favour - design and price. In a world where buyers are becoming increasingly cost-conscious, there may be a tendency to opt for more conventionally-styled budget rivals.As always, though, only time will tell whether the Tasman can live up to its maker's expectations.

Kia’s recent pricing announcement for its Tasman ute has caused the internet to explode, with many enthusiasts and prospective buyers weighing in on the debate about whether or not the newcomer costs too much.

We already know Australians love a dual-cab ute. The likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux are constantly battling for the top rung on the new-car sales ladder.So when Kia announced it would launch new ute Down Under, the news was met with a mix of excitement and curiosity.From the outside, it seemed like the global carmaking giant was building the Tasman ute with Australia solely in mind, but of course other markets like the Middle East, South Africa, South America and parts of Asia will do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to sales volume.However, a snippet from the 2025 Kia CEO Investor Day gave away just how much pressure is on Australia when it comes to the Tasman’s sales success.“The brand’s first pickup truck, the Tasman, will launch in Korea, Australia and emerging markets, with an annual sales target of 80,000 units and a six percent market share.”That doesn’t sound like a lot globally, but consider this: Kia Australia is aiming to sell about 20,000 Kia Tasmans annually.Australia is a ute-mad market, but it’s also one of the smallest developed new-car markets and one of the most competitive in the world.Kia Australia taking on the responsibility of a quarter of the Tasman’s global sales is an incredible undertaking, especially for a new, unestablished model. Not to mention one that’s surrounded in some divisive discourse regarding its design.To put the ‘Australia vs the world’ sales split into perspective, let’s look at the nation’s favourite utes, the Toyota HiLux and the Ford Ranger.The HiLux, one of history’s most enduring workhorses, sells in extremely healthy numbers here. Last year Toyota shifted more than 53,000, the year before it was more than 61,000.Globally, Toyota sells somewhere in the vicinity of half a million HiLux units, making Australia’s sales only a tenth of the world’s total.The Ranger is a similar story, with a little more than 60,000 sold annually in the last couple of years. Globally it still sells in the hundreds of thousands - last year it approached 340,000.For Kia Australia, the Tasman is extremely important. This year the brand is looking to sell about 90,000 new cars, and 10,000 should be Tasmans if all goes to plan.If Kia starts approaching 100,000 sales in Australia soon, about a fifth should be Tasmans.But for Tasman, Australia is crucial. It’s hard to predict whether it will work out as the brand hopes, but Kia Australia says it has more than 20,000 expressions of interest.Kia Australia Chief Executive Damien Meredith told CarsGuide the launch of the Tasman’s and its first six months of sales are “a critical element for the back half of the year ”.The Australian ute market is already rather busy, and new rivals like the JAC T9 from China will put the pressure on. More are coming too, like the Foton Tunland and MG U9, which will likely come with competitive pricing and features.Kia Australia certainly won’t be taking the Tasman’s sales performance lightly, and nor should it.

Is Toyota preparing two completely different utes to replace the ageing current HiLux in Australia from next year? The first is the widely-speculated but as-yet publicly unconfirmed facelift of today’s eight-generation HiLux, while the second is new-from-the-ground up production version of the EPU (Electric Pick-Up) dual-cab concept that debuted at the 2023 Tokyo motor show.

Kia has confirmed pricing for the Tasman Dual-Cab ute range, with a vast price spread that spans $42,990 before on-road costs for the entry-level S to $74,990 for the flagship X-Pro, ahead of the ute’s official on-sale date in July.That pits the flagship Kia Tasman squarely against top-tier models in the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger line-ups, falling somewhere between the Ford Ranger Wildtrak ($69,640) and Platinum ($80,640), and about even with the Toyota HiLux GR Sport ($74,310).“The Tasman is by far Kia Australia's most anticipated model yet, reflecting the scale of Australia's ute market and the passion of these owners,” says Kia Australia Chief Executive Officer, Damien Meredith.“We are confident the input from Kia Australia at each stage of its development, along with its competitive value and versatility, will make it a very strong contender in the local market.”We now know the Tasman dual-cab will arrive in five trim levels, the S, SX, SX+, X-Line and X-Pro.Yet to be detailed are dual-cab chassis (due in August) and single-cab chassis (due in late 2025) ranges, but the latter will be offered in S 4x2, S 4x4, or SX 4x4 guises, while the former will be offered across all five trim levels.For now, the two-wheel-drive S dual-cab ($42,990) opens proceedings with 17-inch black steel wheels, rear bumper steps and LED headlights.Inside, there are cloth seats, push-button start and what Kia calls its 'Integrated Panoramic Display', combining a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 5.0-inch climate screen and a 12.3-inch central multimedia screen. There’s a six-speaker stereo and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as dual-zone climate. The S is also available with 4WD, lifting the price to $49,990.The range then climbs to the SX, which is 4WD only, and lists at $54,490. The equipment list expands to include 17-inch alloy wheels, a Terrain Mode with Snow, Sand and Mud presets, standard navigation and some extra safety equipment, including Smart Cruise.Next is the SX+ - $62,390, 4WD only - which adds 18-inch alloy wheels, part-leather seating, ambient interior lighting and second-row air vents, as well as two 240v outlets (one in the cabin, one in the tray), and a wireless charging pad.Things get more luxurious - and more expensive - from there, with the X-Line listing at $67,990, and adding paddle shifters, slide and recline rear seats, a double wireless charger, Kia's rear-fender storage, artificial leather seats that are heated up front and a bed liner and roof rails.Finally, the flagship X-Pro is yours for $74,990, and gains true off-road kit like 17-inch black alloys fitted with all-terrain rubber, an electronic locking differential, the brand’s X-Trek mode, a new Rock function for its Terrain Mode, a ground-view monitor and an off-road page which shows steering direction and angle while on the move.There’s also a better Harmon Kardon sound system, heated seats in the back, seat ventilation for the front seat riders and a sunroof.Interestingly, Kia has taken a choose-your-own-adventure approach to payload, promising that all variants can carry in excess of 1000kg, with the X-Pro rated at 1013kg, and the entry-level single-cab chassis rated to 1124kg. But you can also opt to have a reduced payload of less than 1000kg, unlocking novated leasing opportunities.Towing is 3.5-tonne braked range-wide, while the GVM is 3250kg, and all Tasmans get an Integrated Trailer Brake Controller. Likewise, all dual-cab variants can fit an Aussie pallet in the tub (1512mm length, 1572mm width, 540mm height).All Tasmans are powered by the same 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine and eight-speed automatic, producing a total 154kW and 440Nm. It’s available in eight colours, including Clear White, Steel Grey, Interstellar Grey, Aurora Black, Runway Red, Cityscape Green, Tan Beige and Denim Blue.Kia says offical orders are now open.

The Ford Ranger is undergoing an evolution that will see Australia’s best-selling vehicle grow in size as well as scope, as it fends off the coming Toyota HiLux facelift and all-new rivals like the Kia Tasman, MG U9 and next-gen Nissan Navara. These are new niche programs and models that should shore up the current T6.2 architecture’s viability into the next decade for Australia.

The days of five-year warranties being competitive for mainstream brands are behind us, let alone the three-year warranties some brands persist with.Pioneered by Kia’s seven-year warranty a decade ago, the move towards decade-long warranties continues with newcomer brands looking to make a name for themselves, while some brands look to keep customers with servicing-conditional extended warranties.But now that Kia’s seven-year warranty is no longer the industry leader - despite still being unlimited-kilometre where others aren’t - will the South Korean brand extend its warranty to remain keep up?Kia Australia CEO Damien Meredith told CarsGuide there are no plans to increase the once-leading seven-year warranty to match rival brands that offer a decade of warranty like MG, Mitsubishi and Nissan.None of those are unlimited-kilometre warranties, and the latter two are conditional to customers servicing their cars with the brands’ dealers. Kia’s seven-year warranty is both unlimited-kilometre and unconditional when it comes to servicing.While Kia’s warranty has by no means fallen behind the average, it’s been around for about a decade and the market has changed significantly in that time.“Over that period of time when we introduced the seven-year warranty, on the first of November, 2014, it was bought in for a lot of reasons but specifically it was to give people permission to look at our brand,” Meredith says.“It did a great job. In 2015, the number one reason for buying a Kia was the warranty.“The latest figures I saw, it’s not even top three, it’s fourth. So it’s changed, and it’s not as important to Kia purchasers as it was ten years ago.”Instead, the factors customers put above its warranty when buying a new car are brand or manufacturer, style, and driving performance.“It used to be an opener on the showroom floor, now it's more of a closer,” adds Kia Australia General Manager of Marketing Dean Norbiato.“As opposed to ‘we’ve got a seven-year warranty, look at us’, it’s now everything else. The brand, the quality, the trust in the brand, and then the seven-year warranty finishes it off.”Kia’s reaffirmed position on its seven-year warranty comes at the same time as reports emerge of Hyundai’s apparent plan to increase its warranty to eight years, up from its current five-year offer.An insider source told CarsGuide the brand is considering the move, which could feasibly be in response to sales not meeting expectations.If it goes ahead, it would leapfrog its sibling brand by a year. Furthermore, if it remains unlimited-kilometre and unconditional, it will be one of the strongest warranties in the industry.Honda currently offers an eight-year unlimited kilometre warranty, the only one to do so, making it the highest-duration warranty not limited by driving distance.GWM, Skoda and KGM SsangYong all offer seven-year unlimited kilometre warranties alongside Kia, while most of the industry offers five-year warranties. Many premium and European brands still offer three-year warranties.

More Kia hybrids on the way!

In its CEO Investor Day report this week, Kia has confirmed its plans to introduce an electric ute to join the Tasman.

The Kia EV3 GT-Line Long Range is the most expensive variant in the EV3 line-up, but for its price it might start to borderline being a bit too expensive for the benefits over the mid-spec Earth.At $63,950 before on-roads, the GT-Line comes with one drivetrain option - an 81.4kWh battery allows for a driving range of 563km under WLTP testing. The EV3 is two-wheel drive in all its variants, a single motor at the front wheels produces 150kW and 283Nm. The EV3 charges (with a 350kW DC fast charger) as quickly as 31 minutes.The EV3 comes standard with features like dusk-sensing LED headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs) and partial LED tail-lights, two 12.3-inch screens (one a touchscreen for multimedia) and a 5.0-inch touchscreen for climate controls plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system, a wireless phone charger and USB-C ports in both the front and rear rows, a 12-volt outlet in the front and a household-style power outlet in the second row.The mid-spec Earth adds onto that 19-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather seats with heating and ventilation, the driver’s side being 10-way electrically adjustable, a heated steering wheel, an electro-chromatic (or glare-dimming) mirror and a power tailgate.For the extra cost of the GT-Line, there’s a series of exterior design changes, cubed projection headlights, the tail-lights are fully LED, a three-spoke GT-Line steering wheel, alloy pedals, specific two-tone GT-line seats with the passenger side seat also becoming 10-way electrically adjustable, ambient LED mood lighting, a head-up display and the central upper storage compartment under the armrest becomes a slide-out tabletop.There’s no ANCAP score just yet, but plenty of safety equipment is standard across the range including seven airbags (one in the front-centre), smart cruise control, forward collision avoidance, lane-keep, rear occupant alert, multi-collision braking, blind-spot and rear-cross traffic alert, driver attention warning and a tyre pressure monitor.The EV3 doesn’t have a surround-view camera, but it does have front and rear sensors and a rear parking camera.Kia’s seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the EV3, and Kia offers prepaid plans of three ($674), five ($1285) or seven years ($1897) when it comes to servicing.