Kia Amanti: Stylish full-size sedan emerges from maker of entry-level cars
By Ann M. Job, For The Associated Press
12/13/2003
If the Kia badge weren't on the new 2004 Amanti, chances are consumers would never guess that this well-equipped, stylish sedan was from the South Korean automaker known for low-priced cars.
Indeed, in consumer clinics, the Amanti — whose front styling with four elliptical headlamps is similar to that of the previous Mercedes-Benz E-Class — was often thought to be a European car, according to Kia officials.
But with a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $25,535, this largest and priciest Kia auto is designed to attract shoppers looking for a V6-powered, full-size sedan at a mainstream price, such as the 2004 Toyota Avalon, which starts at $26,560.
It's also aimed at buyers of imported cars like the Honda Accord V6 sedan, who might find the mid-size Accord a bit too small. The base V6 Accord sedan starts at $23,790.
Known for selling the lowest-priced new car in America — the under-$10,000 Rio — Kia maintains its longtime strategy of underpricing the competition.
The full-size Amanti comes standard with many features that are options on the competition or not included at all.
For example, the keyless remote entry, power front seats, floor mats and wood-look trim that are standard in the Amanti are options on the base 2004 Toyota Avalon XL.
And, neither the Avalon nor V6 Accord comes with the eight airbags that are standard on the Amanti.
Detail-oriented buyers might notice the Amanti's tasteful, stainless steel sill plates at the doorways. The Amanti also has chrome door strikers — a touch that's usually only found on luxury brands like Lexus.
Kia and Hyundai are owned by the same company, so it's no surprise that the Amanti is based on an evolved version of the front-drive platform used in Hyundai's large car, the XG350, which has a starting price of $24,589.
The two cars use the same V6 and five-speed automatic transmission, too.
But the Amanti is longer, wider and taller than the XG350 and so provides more front and rear headroom, more front legroom and more front and rear shoulder room. The Amanti has a bigger trunk, too.
Indeed, the full-size Amanti also is longer, wider and taller than the Avalon, and so has more front and rear headroom and more front legroom than the Avalon.
But the Avalon's 40.1 inches of rear-seat legroom tops the 37.2 inches in the Amanti, and the Avalon's 15.9-cubic-foot trunk is bigger than the 15.5-cubic-foot trunk of the Amanti.
The Amanti bests the Accord in front and rear legroom and front and rear shoulder room and tops the Accord's 14-cubic-foot trunk. But the Accord has a tad bit more front and rear headroom.
The Amanti test car got attention from even young people who wanted to know what the car was.
The ride is comfortable and keeps bumps away from riders to such an extent it might be called plush.
But there's no real floaty sensation. With independent double wishbone and coil springs at the front and independent multi-link suspension at the back, the Amanti tracks well through curves and feels connected to the road.
It's not a sporty ride, and the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering that adjusts according to vehicle speed has a mostly mainstream feel and doesn't respond to inputs in a quick reaction fashion.
Note the tires are 16-inchers, while the base Avalon and Accord V6 come with 15-inchers.
Inside, the ride is quiet. Kia officials said the Amanti is quieter than the Avalon when idling, and at 38 miles an hour, the sound level inside is the same as in the Avalon. The test car provided an unfettered ride, with just a bit of wind noise at highway speed.
Seats are wide and rich-looking in the optional leather. There was no obvious leather smell in the test car, though.
The Amanti's rear seat is notably roomy, with two adults sitting comfortably during a test drive. There's decent room for three back there, too, though the middle person has to contend with a small hump in the floor.
Windows in the rear doors are amazingly large and provide good views.
But I wondered how children, whom safety officials urge be seated in back seats, might fare seated next to side airbags that deploy from the sides of the seats. A Canadian study a few years ago pointed out potential injuries from side airbags to out-of-position children.
But a Kia official said he was unaware of any problems, and a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spokeswoman said automakers' test procedures for side airbags now include child-sized test dummies. In addition, the Amanti's owner's manual recommends children in rear outboard seats be properly restrained in child seats that are as far from the door as possible and that all passengers sit upright.
The seat-mounted airbags — found in outboard seats in front and back — are part of a system of eight airbags in the Amanti. The others are two frontal bags for front-seat passengers and curtain airbags for front and rear seats that deploy in a side crash from the car's ceiling.
It's nice to see that virtually every button and control inside the Amanti is illuminated at night when the headlights are on. This includes the controls on the steering wheel.
Kia's popular 10-year/100,000 mile warranty comes standard with the Amanti.
The car's 3.5-liter, double overhead cam V6 generates 200 horsepower and 220 foot-pounds at 3,500 rpm.
This compares with 194 horses and 216 foot-pounds at 3,500 rpm in the XG350 and 210 horses and 220 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm in the 3-liter V6 that's in the Avalon.
Company officials said the Amanti has more technology than any previous Kia. For example, the Amanti uses a drive-by-wire electronic throttle, which means there's not a mechanical link between gas pedal and engine.
The test car moved well into traffic, and the engine sounds came through loudly only under hard acceleration. I wished for a bit quicker automatic kickdown to a lower gear at these times, but I enjoyed the smooth shifts between gears.
Wally Anderson, vice president of marketing at Kia Motors America, said said 60 percent of Amanti buyers are expected to be men. Forty-five percent will be college graduates, and 65 percent will be empty nesters, the company said.
Median age is likely to be between 40 and 60 years old, with household annual income expected to be between $70,000 and $90,000, which is higher than any current Kia vehicle.
Sales are expected to total some 16,000 next year.
