A poor man's S-Type
You want a big car. A car with a smooth and powerful engine, a luxurious interior and classic baroque styling. It seems as though Jaguar would be your choice, but your monthly income can't allow for such an expense. Wait! Now there's something tailor-made for you at Kia. Huh?
The Amanti is the answer to a question nobody here seemed to ask. Can Koreans build superb large luxury sedans? Maybe, but at least for 2007, this Kia gets some worthwhile improvements.
32% more power!
Last year's 3.5-liter V6 is replaced by Hyundai and Kia's 3.8-liter unit, and the boost in output is tremendous: 264 horsepower, up from 200. Torque has also been increased from 220 lb-ft to 260. When we last tested the Amanti back in 2005, the car felt sluggish, but with this newfound muscle, the Amanti has suddenly become a road rocket. A 15.6 L/100 km fuel consumption average isn't good, though, but at least the engine runs on regular unleaded.
Gone is the fluffy pillow-like ride, replaced by, uh, a pillow-like ride. It's still a soft-handling car by any standards, but you're now less prone to seasickness, and the road behavior of the Amanti is actually quite pleasant.
The steering isn't quite as enjoyable, however. There's a pretty big dead spot in center. And to fit with the soft suspension, the steering is slow; you have to spin that wheel more than 360 degrees just to turn a street corner, which surprised me the first couple of times. You do end up with a good turning circle, though.
Luxurious interior
Unless your buddies usually drive around in S-Class Mercedes' and 7-Series BMWs, the interior is nothing to be ashamed about. Soft leather covers the seats and door panels, and the dashboard materials look good. There are some changes here as well, including a new, great-sounding Infinity sound system interface and some visual modifications to the dash.
You want a big car. A car with a smooth and powerful engine, a luxurious interior and classic baroque styling. It seems as though Jaguar would be your choice, but your monthly income can't allow for such an expense. Wait! Now there's something tailor-made for you at Kia. Huh?
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| The Amanti is a good alternative for those seeking a luxurious ride without the high sticker price. |
The Amanti is the answer to a question nobody here seemed to ask. Can Koreans build superb large luxury sedans? Maybe, but at least for 2007, this Kia gets some worthwhile improvements.
32% more power!
Last year's 3.5-liter V6 is replaced by Hyundai and Kia's 3.8-liter unit, and the boost in output is tremendous: 264 horsepower, up from 200. Torque has also been increased from 220 lb-ft to 260. When we last tested the Amanti back in 2005, the car felt sluggish, but with this newfound muscle, the Amanti has suddenly become a road rocket. A 15.6 L/100 km fuel consumption average isn't good, though, but at least the engine runs on regular unleaded.
Gone is the fluffy pillow-like ride, replaced by, uh, a pillow-like ride. It's still a soft-handling car by any standards, but you're now less prone to seasickness, and the road behavior of the Amanti is actually quite pleasant.
The steering isn't quite as enjoyable, however. There's a pretty big dead spot in center. And to fit with the soft suspension, the steering is slow; you have to spin that wheel more than 360 degrees just to turn a street corner, which surprised me the first couple of times. You do end up with a good turning circle, though.
Luxurious interior
Unless your buddies usually drive around in S-Class Mercedes' and 7-Series BMWs, the interior is nothing to be ashamed about. Soft leather covers the seats and door panels, and the dashboard materials look good. There are some changes here as well, including a new, great-sounding Infinity sound system interface and some visual modifications to the dash.
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| Dashboard is user friendly and materials are of good quality. |