On the sedan, the arched roof blends gently into the deck via a soft, flowing sail panel. Then the back end draws all the various geometrics into a pleasing departure. The backlight (rear windscreen) is steeply sloped, flowing smoothly into a short deck. The deck lid ends in a sharp crease filling the arc between the large, angular taillights, from which it drops almost vertically from a slight indentation to the fully integrated rear bumper fascia. A large depression scooped out of the vertical trunk panel houses the rear license plate.
The Spectra5 makes a bolder statement. It's nearly six inches shorter than the sedan, and exactly the same height, but its roof extends almost to its rear bumper, falling gently in height as it does, and visually separating from the more rapidly declining tops of the windows. The roof terminates in a significant spoiler that looks as if it could actually enhance fuel economy (by limiting boundary-layer separation) while keeping the rear window clean.
Small vertical quarter windows behind the rear door glass neatly extend what designers call the daylight opening into what would otherwise be a bulky rear pillar. Large taillights wrap into a point that lines up nicely with that previously mentioned groove in the body side.
Visually more compact wagon than sporty hatch, the Spectra5 won't please everyone. On the other hand, now that once-sleeker competitors such as the Mazda3 and Volkswagen Golf have put on so much middle-aged bulk, the Spectra5 is looking better by comparison. Kia says the Spectra5's shape maximizes interior volume. Next Page