Kia has come a long way over the years, improving its quality and refinement, while boosting safety features and retaining the overall economic value of its cars. The 2006 Kia Spectra is a popular compact economy car for its combination of great fuel economy, surprising roominess, and perky handling around city streets. There are minor changes for 2006, including a redesigned auto tran and standard cruise control on the sporty SX sedan and Spectra5 wagon.

The 2006 Kia Spectra comes as either a sedan (LX, EX, and SX) or Spectra5 hatchback. All have a 2.0-liter, 138-hp I4 engine. A 5-speed manual is standard across the line, and a 4-speed automatic is offered on all but the LX. As the base model, the 2006 Spectra LX comes with few standard features beyond air conditioning, cloth seats, and a tilt steering wheel. The EX greatly expands its feature set, offering full power accessories, keyless entry, a CD player, and heated mirrors. Both the SX sedan and the Spectra5 wagon are more sports-oriented, with a stiffer suspension, sport seats, bigger 16-inch wheels, front and rear spoilers, leather steering wheel, blacked-out grille, and foglights. A sunroof and ABS brakes are optional only on these two trims.

All of the 2006 Spectra models come with split-fold rear seats and six cupholders. Dual front-side and side-curtain airbags are standard for all trims. The Spectra5 folds down to offer up to 52.8 cubic feet of space. Though the 2.0-liter engine is noisy when revving up to high speeds on the highway, the overall handling is light and sporty, making it a zippy city car. At 25/34 mpg, it's also an economical car too. Drivers of the 2006 Spectra overwhelmingly love the cheaper trips to the gas station. They also like the price tag of the Spectra and the generous legroom. Criticisms point out the underpowered engine (especially for the sporty SX) and unhelpful dealers.