AZCentral.com's view

Mention the Kia Sephia, and what do you get? A blank look, a slight shrug, a subdued chuckle.

In the world of small sedans, the “KEE-uh seh-FEE-uh” is most notable for its rhythmic, rhyming name, not for anything new or important that the subcompact brought to the marketplace since it arrived in 1994.

Still, the Sephia does well in its appointed role as budget-oriented family hauler. Nothing flashy, just a good-running little appliance that gets you there and home again.

Which must strike a chord with small-car buyers, because Kia sales are up, jumping 47.5 percent for the first quarter of 1997, over 1996, according to Automotive News.

And during the same period, the South Korean automaker’s market share of U.S. sales roared from 0.2 percent to, um, 0.2 percent.

Well, Kia sold a grand total of just 4,896 Sephias and 3,350 Sportage sport-utility vehicles from Jan. 1 through March 31, which was behind Suzuki and just ahead of Audi and Saab. And which made it easier to have a big sales boost.

So maybe upstart Kia isn’t setting this part of the world on fire. But it has made a decent showing.

Much of the sales gain is attributable to the Sportage, a cute little charmer that tripled in sales over last year. Despite some early questions about value and quality after its 1995 introduction, the cartoonish four-door wagon has shown itself to be durable and fun to own.

An automaking giant back home on the Eastern Rim, Kia was an unknown quantity in the United States three years ago other than being the maker of Ford’s tiny Festiva. South Korean autos had lost much of their flavor after the early Hyundai Excels turned sour, so Kia had to endure that handicap as well.

Our tester was a well-equipped LS model, complete with automatic transmission and an engine upgrade, from the base 1.6-liter 105-horsepower mill to a 1.8-liter, 122-horse version. The base price of just under $12,000 is fairly low by today’s standards, but not really a hot deal.

Compared with comparably equipped Civics, Toyota Tercels, Chevy Cavaliers and Ford Escorts, the Sephia comes in lower, but not by a whole heck of a lot.

The Kia is surprisingly roomy for its size, accommodating tall drivers and full-sized rear-seat passengers with a degree of comfort. The interior amenities are good, with supportive seats finished in nice fabric. The swoopy dashboard is attractive, with good placement of gauges and switches.

The cup holder is lame-o, however, being a little plastic tray that folds out from the center-console lid, requiring the lid to stay open. Trouble is, a quick stop brings the lid crashing down, possibly toppling or smushing the beverage of choice.

Also, an adjustable steering wheel would be appreciated.

The four-cylinder engine is smooth and peppy, overcoming the power-robbing qualities of an automatic transmission with ease. The transmission works well enough, but this engine requires high revving speeds to hit its power band, and a stick shift would help considerably.

Though buzzy on acceleration, the Sephia is quiet and competent at highway speeds. Gas mileage is excellent, considering the engine power. Handling and general driveability are up to par, though nothing to get excited about.

The styling is generic, not nearly as interesting as the Sportage, but just as good looking as the Civics, Tercels, etc., in its peer group.

Although I wanted some notion of Kia’s reliability record, the best-known arbiter of automotive quality, Consumer Reports, hasn’t yet discovered Kia.

Otherwise, the South Korean is off to a good start in North America in the budget arena, mostly because of the Sportage. I’d like to see Kia designers apply the same kind of styling and light-hearted appeal of the Sportage to the Sephia.

Then we’d see some numbers.

1997 Kia Sephia LSI

Vehicle type: Four-passenger, four-door sedan, front-wheel drive. Base price: $11,950. Price astest ed: $13,519. Engine: 1.8-liter in-line four, 122 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 117 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Transmission: Four-speed automatic. Curb weight: 2,586 pounds. Length: 171.7 inches. Wheelbase: 98.4 inches. Safety features: Dual air bags. EPA fuel economy: 23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway. Highs: Low price. Roomy interior. Good engine power. Lows: Generic styling. No steering-wheel adjustment. Lame cup holder.