A $36,000 Kia? How can this be?
Well, for those who thought the day would never come when you could spend over 35 large on a Korean-built sedan, cast your memories back to the early 1950s, when an unknown German manufacturer named Volkswagen exported a funny-looking little insect-shaped econo-box called the Beetle.
VW went on to become a major player, worldwide, in the car making business, as we all know by now.
And how about BMW? They got their start in North America after the Second World War with the three-wheeled Isetta sub-sub compact, and Hyundai, Kia's parent company, secured a beachhead in the early 1980s with the attractively priced but deeply flawed Pony.
Whether Kia will attain these heights remains to be seen, but with the Amanti, they have demonstrated that it's a definite possibility. This is a well-built, comfortable four-door sedan that gives maximum bang for the buck -- at least in terms of what you get for your money.
Developed over 22 months at a cost of some $166-million, the Amanti was introduced for the 2005 model year and is a brand-new automobile from the ground up. It's also a key component in Kia's quest to be a "Top Five" worldwide manufacturer by 2010.
Built on Kia's Equis platform (a luxury sedan sold in Korea), the Amanti has exterior sheet metal described by Kia stylists as "strong and dignified." If you look for them, you can see influences from Lincoln, Jaguar and Mercedes in the overall design.
Not the most adventurously styled luxury sedan around, the Amanti does possess a kind of conservative dignity and, if nothing else, is distinctive.
Buyers in this market definitely do not want a wildly styled set of wheels anyway; typically, they'll be looking at other models like the Toyota Avalon and Buick Allure -- not exactly cutting-edge examples of the stylists' art.
Kia could probably trim a few centimetres off the top of the front grille to good effect and if the car's waistline was lowered a little, it wouldn't hurt either, but there you go.
Power for the Amanti is delivered by a 3.5-litre V-6 with dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder that delivers 200 horsepower at 5,500 rpm.
This engine is taken from the Sedona minivan but has different camshaft profiles and a recalibrated intake manifold. It also has a variable intake system that varies the length of the intake manifold according to engine rpms and load -- in other words, it ships more air when you put the pedal down. Interestingly, many other vehicles in this range have a variable valve timing system of some sort.
Transmission is a five-speed automatic with a Steptronic manual shift option. Again, no real groundbreaking here; power is adequate, but the Amanti won't be setting any quarter-mile records or lap times at the local track. Fuel economy is pegged at 14.3 L/100 km in the city, and 8.7 on the highway.
The highway is where the Amanti comes into its own. While cruising, this is as smooth and silent a vehicle as anything else in its price range and is nicely suited to long, relaxed driving trips with plenty of long straight stretches of road.
Interestingly, at 100 km/h in fifth gear, the engine is ticking over at a leisurely 2,100 rpm. Road noise and drive train chatter is minimal and you feel like you're behind the wheel of an upscale automobile when you drive the Amanti -- crucial in this market.
A word about the suspension. Basically, it's double wishbones and coil springs up front and multi-link coil springs in the back with stabilizer bars on both ends -- pretty standard fare. Without putting too fine a point on it, it needs to be firmed up a titch.
The Amanti does not respond well to spirited, high-speed cornering and the suspension is definitely on the soft side. That's probably because it's supposed to be. This is a mom and pop sedan meant to pamper its occupants every step of the way.
Any hint of harshness changes the Amanti's character completely, and that's just not the market Kia is aiming at.
Base price is $35,795 and the standard features list seems to go on forever. For example, you get dual-zone climate control, leather interior, heated front seats, power heated mirrors, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, rear heater control, power windows with express down feature, power sunroof and on and on.
All of the modern conveniences you'd expect to find on a luxury car are here, as well as vehicle stability control and traction control systems and a brake proportioning assist program. As befits this style of automobile, the Amanti is very easy to get along with ergonomically.
The upscale sedan market is pretty set in its ways. For a lot of typical buyers, this may be the last vehicle they ever buy. They want to make sure they get it right.
And so does Kia.
Specifications
2005 Kia Amanti
Type: Four-door luxury sedan
Base price: $35,795
Engine: 3.5-litre DOHC V-6
Transmission: Five-speed automatic with manual shift feature
Output: 200 hp
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 14.3 city/8.7 highway
Alternatives: Buick Allure, Chevrolet Impala, Toyota Avalon, Hyundai XG350
Like: Comfort level; build quality; highway drivability
Don't like: Styling; soft suspension
