More than once, we were stopped and asked what kind of car we were driving while testing the Kia Amanti.
Some mistook it for a Jaguar, others a German-made sedan. That alone should be high enough praise for the largest Kia sedan available.
The Amanti has been around since 2004 and has made steady improvements the past three years, most notably last year with the inclusion of a beefier V6 engine under the hood and a redesigned chassis for improved handling.
A 3.8-liter V6 with 264 horsepower gives the Kia plenty of power and zip. The chassis provides a light feel to the steering wheel that might take drivers a few trips to get used to because the Amanti doesn’t handle like most large sedans.
There’s only one trim level available, but several option packages can dress up the Amanti to full-scale plushness at an affordable price. Our fully loaded test model had a bottom line of $31,695.
And, don’t forget Kia’s outstanding warranty of 10 year, 100,000 mile limited drive train coverage and five year, 50,000 miles for most of the rest of the car.
The styling is still it a big awkward but with hints of Jaguar imbedded in the sheet metal, it can be deceiving.
The interior offers a two-tone combination with touches of wood and brushed aluminum/chrome.
The seats are comfortable and adjustable. With the standard cloth seats, you have eight-way driver’s seat adjustments and four-way passenger seats. When you add leather seating, you have two-position memory controls and get them heated.
Navigation is one option that is not available on the Kia but a large, four-inch display screen in the center of the dash provides feedback for the audio and trip information.
In addition to the expected power options for doors, windows and mirrors, you get power-adjustable pedals.
The back seating area is comfortable with plenty of legroom. The trunk is huge with a large deck lid for easy loading of packages.
Safety hasn’t been short changed either. Full side curtain airbags offer protection for both front and rear passengers along with side air bags in both compartments. An electronic package is optional for $500, which includes electronic stability control, traction control and brake assist.
The Amanti is front-wheel drive but doesn’t handle like a normal front-wheel driver. The peppy V6 and five-speed automatic transmission, with manual option, provides more than enough power for any driving condition. We were especially impressed by the feed back through the steering wheel while driving.
Although the Amanti isn’t that well known in the marketplace, it’s certainly worth looking at if you’re considering a large, luxury sedan.

Ryan’s Ride –
You might guess from the earlier assessment above, that I particularly liked the Amanti.
As a full-size sedan, the Kia offers an almost sports car feel on the road. I like to use the manual shift option, especially on country roads. The Amanti responds quickly and directly as you wind through the curves.
The interior is well done, in a subdued manner. Nothing flashy, just solid enhancements. The control buttons and knobs are larger than normal, especially the window and door controls on the driver’s side door.
While some may not especially like the exterior styling because it isn’t distinctive enough, I found it interesting that many people thought it was a Jaguar. You don’t get that mistaken identify driving a Toyota Avalon or Chevy Malibu.

Marilyn’s Moment –
Much as I liked driving the Amanti, I liked the price tag even better.
It’s hard to find a car with as many features as the Kia for a price right around $30,000. Usually, in that price range, you’re looking at a mid-size sedan.
It didn’t take long to get comfortable in the Amanti. The adjustable seats and pedals make it easy to find a comfortable driving position. And, I liked the larger controls that allow you to change radio channels without hitting the wrong button, for instance.
The trunk is enormous. You can fit more than a week’s worth of groceries back there, or in Ryan’s case, two or three golf bags.
In these days of sky high gasoline prices, the V6 could be a little more efficient. It’s rated at 17 in the city and 24 on the highway with an average around 19. We did a little better than that, but mainly because we were cruising up and down I-575 between Acworth and Ellijay most of the time.
And speaking of cruising, it’s no problem passing semis or getting up to speed getting onto the freeway. The engine does provide a surprising burst of power when needed.
The Amanti may not be well known but we had a lot of people asking about it, not sure what it was. As Ryan noted, being mistaken for a Jaguar isn’t a bad thing.