2004 Kia Amanti

As it enters its second decade in the U.S., Korean automaker Kia can look back with pride on the remarkable strides it's made during that period. Having recently notched its 1,000,000th sale here, the firm plans to further broaden its market appeal in '04 by expanding its 5-vehicle lineup with a new, sedan, the Amanti. While this upsized and upscale 4-door shares a good bit of basic platform design and key mechanical bits with its fraternal cousin, the Hyundai XG350, it's far from a clone. The Amanti is actually larger inside and out, with a 1.9-inch-longer wheebase and unique sheetmetal and interior trimouts designed to give it a slightly more sporting flair. Equally important, it enjoys the latest round of structural enhancements that increase torsional stiffness and improve the impact resistance of its passenger compartment.

Visually, the Amanti's exterior design displays a number of cues that can best be described as "retro classic."

Believing that buyers with a slightly more youthful mindset tend to view any sedan labeled "full-size" as a bit geriatric, Kia marketing types are electing to categorize their toney newcomer as a "large premium" offering. They expect the Buick Le Sabre, Chrysler Concorde and Toyota Avalon to emerge as the Amanti's prime competitors. Any designed-in differences notwithstanding, we'd be inclined to add the XG350 itself to that list, as well. As with all of its products, the Amanti maintains Kia's well-established tradition of matching an exceptional array of features with a very attractive price. In this case, entry opens at just $24,995 plus $540 in destination fees.


Visually, the Amanti's exterior design displays a number of cues that can best be described as "retro classic," borrowing freely from both American and European sources. While the combination does afford it an undeniable presence, even insiders admit that the look tends to polarize opinions.


There's considerably less controversy inside, where the Amanti comes across as a welcoming haven, tastefully turned out, comfortably accommodating and loaded with standard features. While the wood trim may be faux, the overall level of fit and finish are undeniably impressive. From a driver's standpoint, white-on-black gauges offer good legibility and key switchgear is well-positioned for the most part. And with 105.6 cu ft of interior space and a bounty of head and leg room fore and aft, it provides the same kind of similarly hospitable accommodations for passengers in the other four seating positions. The front buckets would benefit from a trifle more lateral support, but given the Amanti's basic mission as a highly competent cruiser, most buyers will likely find little to quibble with here.

Inside, the Amanti boasts a welcoming haven, tastefully turned out, comfortably accommodating and loaded with standard features.

Even in "base" form, the Amanti is awash in a sea of impressive standards. This magnum load of creature features opens with items like power windows/locks/mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats (8-way for the driver, 4-way for the passenger), an 8-speaker AM/FM/CD/cassette sound system, cruise control, keyless remote entry, immobilizer and alarm systems, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant audio/cruise controls and front, front/rear-side and side-curtain airbags. In addition, the Amanti boasts numerous unexpected niceties, including one-touch express up/down for all four windows, rear-seat heating/cooling adjusters, active front headrests, a trio of 12V powerpoints, loads of covered and uncovered storage areas, even heated outside mirrors.