2001 Kia Sephia Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995

Crash Test Rating

Source NHTSA

MPG (up to)

21 City / 30 HWY

Source FuelEconomy.gov

Horsepower

125

Seats

Positive Owner Reviews

J Alvarado

Reliability

Purchased for $800 & have owned it for the past 5 years 2015-2020. Has 144k miles & runs strong. Great gas mileage. Did change transmission but under 1k for labor & parts. Drivers side door handle has broken more then once. Other then that great car. Cosmetically isn't the prettiest.

Dianne F

Low maintenance and dependable. Good mileage and causes no stress

It has been a good car, with very little maintenance.

Sherri D

It is a great car to purchase because it handles well on the highway.

My car is amazing on gas. It handles great on the highway. It is very spacious inside for a small sized vehicle.

tina t

It's great on gas! Very reliable and inexpensive to maintain. Either driving on the highway or just around your community it's just a pleasant ride.

I love everything about this car. It's great on gas,rides smoothly, perfect size for my family.

Michelle S

It is a real gas saver. The Kia is so cheap to refill.

I like my Kia because it has a manual transmission, and it is fun and easy to drive. I enjoy the radio turned way up loud when I drive. The Kia handles nice on wet or dry roads. The steering wheel is smaller, which makes it nice for woman, I believe. The pedals are not too close together, so using the manual transmission is a breeze. I have taught all 3 of my kids how to drive manual transmission with it. They are all grown now and all own manual transmission vehicles as well. One even owns a Kia! I have only had to have regular maintenance done over the years. No major trouble at all. I bought this car used and have been very pleased with it.

Michelle S

It performs better than you might think if you have never driven one.

The a/c does not work. Runs good. Better than walking. The paint job is ugly. Second gear is iffy.

Laura R

Dependable older car with some cosmetic wear

I bought this vehicle new and it is still going strong. It has been maintained regularly which is necessary to ensure longevity. My only complaint is the dashboard lifted, like the glue separated.

Kyle H

Super functional and safe family car. Has lots of space.

Kia is very functional. Very Spacious, although has slight problem with speed but can easily be fixed when needed.

Negative Owner Reviews

Azalea L

The old clunker, that gets worse and worse.

It is very old and every time I get in it, something is wrong with it. The radio does not work and neither does the Audio system, so you cant use an AUX cord. The engine overheats frequently. The more I use it, the less it works. It is only reliable if the user is driving short distances and it is not great on gas.

Mike L

It is just a basic vehicle for equally basic purposes.

It has problems with the brakes in winter and problems with the clutch in summer. Other than that, it is good on gas mileage.

Kayla V

It is pretty reliable and it is gets you to where you need to go.

It is not very new. It runs out of gas and it has high mileage on it. I would like to get something newer.

Charlie A

It will have many issues later throughout its life, at that point you should just buy a new car.

The vehicle has lasted for about 17 years now which is somewhat decent for the car, however it has many problems that have cost me nearly thousands for repairs..

Jonathon M

Battery problems, but reliable.

Battery life on the KIA automatically drains if not turned on in over 24 hours, black leather seats get hot in the summer, and slow acceleration. Reliable for getting to where you need to go though.

Reedy L

Not a good vehicle. Mist not buy

It's not very reliable. Very bad on fuel and breaks down constantly. Has no modern technology. Very bad

Kia Sephia Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

Base

125 HP 26-26 MPG 5 Seats

LS Pwr Pkg

125 HP 26-26 MPG 5 Seats

Photos may not match model

2001 Kia Sephia Owner Reviews

3.82

17 Reviews

Write Review

5 stars

29%

4 stars

35%

3 stars

29%

2 stars

1 star

Jonathon M on May 5, 2021

Battery problems, but reliable.

Battery life on the KIA automatically drains if not turned on in over 24 hours, black leather seats get hot in the summer, and slow acceleration. Reliable for getting to where you need to go though.

Mike L on March 28, 2021

It is just a basic vehicle for equally basic purposes.

It has problems with the brakes in winter and problems with the clutch in summer. Other than that, it is good on gas mileage.

View All Reviews (17)

Ranks #11 Small Cars by Owners

The 2001 Kia Sephia has an average owner rating of 4.00 out of 5 which ranks it #11 of 24 other Small Cars.

2001 Mazda 626

4.28

Tie

2001 Volkswagen Jetta

4.25

2001 Kia Sephia

3.82

Ranks #8 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2001 Kia Sephia has a combined MPG of 33 which ranks it #8 of 24 other Small Cars.

2001 Toyota Echo

41 MPG

2001 Honda Civic

40 MPG

Tie

2001 Kia Sephia

30 MPG

Is The 2001 Kia Sephia A Good Car?

Yes it is a wonderful vehicle. It's great on gas. It looks like a more expensive vehicle. It is comfortable to drive.

Rachel B.

How Reliable Is The 2001 Kia Sephia?

The only problem is it was only made for two years. It is such a good car and very affordable. Great on gas

Nadine P.

Is The 2001 Kia Sephia A Good Value?

I paid $3600 for a four year old car. It was a very good value. The gas mileage is incredible. The maintenance is reasonable.

John G.

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Not Rated

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Not Rated

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety