What is the best Kia Spectra for fuel economy?

The strongest year was 2008 at 27 mpg combined, against 22 mpg in 2002. That is a 5 mpg spread across the nameplate's history.

How much does a Kia Spectra cost to fuel each year?

At 11,500 miles a year the 2009 model uses between 426 and 442 gallons, or $1,491 to $1,548 at $3.50 a gallon.

What does the Kia Spectra emit?

EPA reports 329.14814814814815 to 341.8076923076923 grams of tailpipe CO2 per mile for the 2009 model year, or about 3.8 to 3.9 tons over a year of driving.

Kia Spectra MPG by year — every rating on record

The Kia Spectra has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 7 model years, from 2002 to 2009. Across those years its best rated version returned 27 mpg (2008) and its thirstiest returned 22 mpg (2002). The EPA record holds 14 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Midsize Cars.

27best combined mpg (2008)

22worst combined mpg (2002)

27latest year best (2009)

14configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model year	Configurations	Best combined	Worst combined	Class rank that year	Drivetrains	Fuel	EPA class
2002	2	24 mpg	22 mpg	#25 of 64 (62th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Compact Cars
2003	2	24 mpg	22 mpg	#25 of 64 (62th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Compact Cars
2005	2	25 mpg	25 mpg	#9 of 56 (85th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Midsize Cars
2006	2	25 mpg	25 mpg	#7 of 61 (90th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Midsize Cars
2007	2	26 mpg	26 mpg	#10 of 68 (87th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Midsize Cars
2008	2	27 mpg	26 mpg	#8 of 70 (90th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Midsize Cars
2009	2	27 mpg	26 mpg	#11 of 66 (85th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Midsize Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Kia Spectra placed highest in 2006 at #7 of 61, and lowest in 2002 at #25 of 64. It spent 7 of its 7 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 14 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

Year	Configuration	Engine detail	City	Highway	Combined	Gallons/yr	Barrels/yr	EPA fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi	GHG
2009	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	23	30	26	442.3	11.4	$2,400	341.8076923076923	n/a
2009	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	24	32	27	425.9	11.0	$2,300	329.14814814814815	n/a
2008	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	23	30	26	442.3	11.4	$2,400	341.8076923076923	n/a
2008	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	24	32	27	425.9	11.0	$2,300	329.14814814814815	n/a
2007	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	23	32	26	442.3	11.4	$2,400	341.8076923076923	n/a
2007	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	23	30	26	442.3	11.4	$2,400	341.8076923076923	n/a
2006	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	22	31	25	460.0	11.9	$2,500	355.48	n/a
2006	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	22	30	25	460.0	11.9	$2,500	355.48	n/a
2005	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	21	31	25	460.0	11.9	$2,500	355.48	n/a
2005	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.0L 4-cyl	22	30	25	460.0	11.9	$2,500	355.48	n/a
2003	1.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	1.8L 4-cyl	19	27	22	522.7	13.5	$2,850	403.95454545454544	n/a
2003	1.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	1.8L 4-cyl	21	29	24	479.2	12.4	$2,600	370.2916666666667	n/a
2002	1.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 4-spd Regular	1.8L 4-cyl	19	27	22	522.7	13.5	$2,850	403.95454545454544	n/a
2002	1.8L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	1.8L 4-cyl	21	29	24	479.2	12.4	$2,600	370.2916666666667	n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 3 of 3 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

Change	Best combined	Delta	Gallons a year at the newer rating
2003 → 2005	24 → 25 mpg	+1 mpg	460 gal
2006 → 2007	25 → 26 mpg	+1 mpg	442 gal
2007 → 2008	26 → 27 mpg	+1 mpg	426 gal

What Spectra fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2009 Kia Spectra burns 426 to 442 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.

Pump price	Most efficient	Thirstiest	Spread
$3.00/gal	$1,278	$1,327	$49
$3.50/gal	$1,491	$1,548	$57
$4.00/gal	$1,704	$1,769	$66

EPA’s own estimate for the 2009 model year is $2,300 to $2,400 a year in fuel, or $750 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Midsize Cars

Across the 483 nameplates EPA classifies as Midsize Cars, the median best combined rating is 25 mpg. At 27 mpg the Kia Spectra is 2 mpg better the median, which is worth about $119 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

All Midsize Cars rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.

Other Kia nameplates

Every Kia model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.