Over recent years Kia has been working hard at getting a competitive foot into the luxury mid-sized sedan market. In 2005 the Amanti earned the J.D Power and Associates APEAL Award for its blend of performance, luxury and value for money and they have used that as a platform to build a big reputation for affordable luxury with continual improvements in gadgets and power, and a strong commitment to reliability with an impressive 10-year/ 100,000 mile powertrain warranty plus a full 5 years of 24-hour roadside service.
The Amanti is not just a nicely decked-out luxury car – it also carries plenty of genuine power with its 3.8-liter 264hp V6 engine. Featuring five-speed electronically controlled Sportmatic transmission and rack-and-pinion power steering, the driving quality is not far off that of the much more expensive European mid-sized sedans. The double wish-bone suspension is fully independent and rear multi-link set-up keeps the Amanti smooth and a softer than average ride which is good for city driving but sometimes bouncy over highway bumps and with a tendency towards bodyroll and sloppiness in cornering. Acceleration is great and the big V6 provides plenty of power for highway overtaking manoeuvres with one of the greatest advantages being the almost silent ride inside the cabin despite the V6 growl outside.
Fuel economy is a decent 20/28mpg city/highway for fuel economy, which is pretty much expected for a large and heavy V6.
2009 Kia Amanti Interior and Features
Step into the Kia Amanti and the first thing you notice is the space. Both the front and back seats feature enough head and leg-room for the tallest passengers and three adults can sit comfortably in the back. Seats are large and luxurious, with 8-way powering in the front and good quality cloth upholstery in the standard package which can be upgraded to heated leather seats with programmed setting memory so you can always get that comfortable position back after your partner has been driving the car. In the Premium package the seats are further upgraded to black leather with brushed aluminium accents for an even more classy feel. Standard however, is the wood-grain interior and center front and back armrests with cup holders, and you can even fit your skis through the trunk into the back seat with the rear pass-through.
Other interior features include dual-zone climate control, one-touch power windows and remote keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel and cruise control. The Homelink system allows you to open you garage doors from within the car. This year’s Amanti offers a new Infinti stereo system with 8-speakers, SIRIUS satellite radio and 5” display monitor with trip computer, temperature and clock as an add-on option. Conspicuously absent is a navigation system and rear seat entertainment which are included in most up-market luxury sedans if only as an option….perhaps they will make an appearance next year for the Amanti.
2009 Kia Amanti Safety
Kia has gone all-out for safety in the Amanti this year, offering eight airbags for ultimate protection which is more than any other sedan in its class. The Amanti scored the maximum five points for side-impact protection thanks to these extra airbags as well as structural improvements like the side impact doors beams, reinforced pillars and advanced front and back crumple zones. Electronic stability control plus 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and brake force distribution are also standard and play a major role in helping the car to stay in control by automatically adjusting the engine power and individual braking to prevent under and oversteering. There are also some nifty features like the anti-pinch windows which sense obstacles like little fingers in the window frame and automatically stop closing. Active headrests move forward in crash situations to prevent whiplash and the tire-pressure monitoring system gives regular readouts to alert the driver to low pressure.
Standard safety features include:
- Dual front, front and rear seat mounted and full-length side curtain airbags
- Seat belt prentensioners
- Tire pressure monitoring system
- Electronic stability control
- 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes
- LATCH (lower anchors for children)
- Active Headrests
- Anti-pinch windows
The 2009 Kia Amanti may look a bit like a Mercedes with those conspicuous raised headlights, it may have the luxury interior of a Toyota Avalon or Dodge Charger, and it may have the power of a Ford Taurus, but ultimately it is not any of those, and that is why it is so much cheaper than its competitors. But for the price, and the level of power and luxury that it offers, the Amanti is great value for money and it ultimately comes down to the choice of a basic model higher-end car like the Pontiac G8, or the fully-equipped lower-end Amanti.