Headroom back there is reduced 1.1 inches from the 37.7 inches in the Sephia, because of the hatchback's slope. As a result, my hair brushed the ceiling when I sat in the outer seats and my head brushed the ceiling in the middle of the back seat. I'm 5 feet 4 inches and note that the Golf and Focus have at least 0.8 inch more rear-seat headroom than the Spectra does. Everyone sits on pleasant-looking cloth seats. I'd prefer just a bit more firmness in the cushions.
Some road noise is clearly audible inside the car.
It did a good job of powering this 2,575-pound car around town and giving it a somewhat sporty personality. Maximum horsepower is 125 at 6,000 rpm and came on well for highway runs. In these days of high gas prices, the Spectra's fuel economy is worth noting. The car is rated at 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway with a manual transmission. Still, I felt sharp shocks through the steering column on big road bumps.