While the exterior styling and interior design are its own, the Kia Spectra shares most of the elements you don't see, such as the engine, transmission and suspension, with the Hyundai Elantra, its corporate cousin. While that connection might not have carried any weight as recently as a few short years ago, Hyundai—Korea's largest automaker—has been attracting quite a bit of attention recently for its significant quality improvements. So as a potential purchase in the inexpensive end of the market, the Spectra has improving credentials.