2007 Kia Amanti Review
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By Jim McCraw

Overview

The Kia Amanti midsize sedan has been redesigned for 2007. It's equipped at near-luxury levels (an industry term meaning it's a luxurious midsize car). Lighter and more stylish than before, the new 2007 Kia Amanti is a nice car that delivers exceptional value in its class. The 3.5-liter V6 engine has big, smooth power, the car is whisper-quiet on the road, and the suspension is near-luxury in its ride quality.

Korean manufacturer Kia crossed into the near-luxury segment when it launched the Amanti. Based on the Hyundai XG350, it was not exactly a box office hit. That car has now been thoroughly updated and there are major improvements throughout.

They've lightened the platform by an amazing 251 pounds. They've changed the suspension for the better. They've also made the engine bigger, more powerful and quieter all at the same time, and they've fixed the somewhat geeky front-end styling of their flagship sedan. When you add it all up, they've created a car that offers more value than the car introduced for 2004.

The Kia Amanti is absolutely packed with standard features that the American, European and Japanese manufacturers simply can't offer at these bargain-basement prices, fully exploiting the labor-cost advantage they have over the competition.

Kia says the Amanti competes with the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, Ford Taurus, Buick LaCrosse and Lucerne, Chrysler 300, and Hyundai Azera, a formidable group when it comes to interior package size and value.

If the Kia Amanti's strong suit is not its breathtakingly good looks, it looks a lot better than the previous model. The strong suit here is how much car, how many convenience and luxury features, how much operating economy, and how much warranty you will get for your money. Throw in that new 264-hp engine, and the increased performance that goes with it, and it starts to look pretty good.

Model Lineup

The 2007 Kia Amanti comes as one model, equipped with a 264-hp V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission.

Standard features include cloth upholstery, dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control, power seats, power express windows, power heated mirrors, power locks, an AM/FM/CD/cassette sound system with six speakers, a keyless entry system, and a tilt steering wheel.

Options include the Leather package ($2500) with leather upholstery, heated memory seats, Infinity sound system with subwoofer, trip computer and monitor screen, power pedals; the Premium package ($1300) with black and aluminum interior trim, added gauges, 17-inch wheels and tires; the ESC package ($500) with electronic stability control, traction control and brake assist; and the Wheel package with 235/55R17 tires and painted alloy wheels. Other options include the power tilting sunroof ($900), pearl white paint ($200), and cargo mats ($55).

Safety features include front, side and curtain air bags; anti-lock brakes, tire-pressure monitoring, active headrests, seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters, and a LATCH child-seat system.