Kia Amanti 2006 and earlier
libertycat
Member Posts: 593
in Kia
I hope this is more luxurious than the XG350 (I don't have complaints about that even, though). I also hope it has a little more room and looks way different than the XG350 (as spy photos indicate it will).
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Do a google on " auto industry news" and you will be directed to periodicals in US , and even India that are english written , daily updates of the companies press releases. Since these firms have full time public relations firms they churn out favorable sounding press for theinvestment community. They want the stock brokers to think they are very busy , globally aware , and using the " cheapest " labor available anywhere. So they make purchases of stock in overseas firms and they announce " joint ventures" all the time.
Will these ventures bear sweet fruit? that varies doesn't it ?
Daewoo just had its manufacturing sold to General Motors who will bring the product back under the "Suzuki" nameplate!!
When I did my first oil change, the oil filter on the Kia Sedona was acutually a Hyundai unit. This led me to look into it.
The two firms merged during the economic crash suffered in Asia a few years back , and Kia was available cheap enough that Hyundai , a much larger firm , bought into them.
For a number of years Kia built two american models for the Ford Motor company , the Ford Aspire and the Ford Festiva. I presume when Ford decided to re-work the Escort into the Focus they decided to stop buying the Kia cars and re-lableing them.
This left Kia with a strong incentive to start a US line and also 10 years experience with building to the US govt specs. We alll have benefited with our purchases of Spectras and Sedonas.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Or, here's my prediction.
Hyundai, and this is a known fact, does not want to expand, or do major advertising on their cars. Most Hyundai logos are quite small, and not noticeable. It shows because they didn't want the XG over here, and I think I read someplace that they didn't want the Santa Fe over here either. Maybe Hyundai just doesn't want to be noticed?
However, Kia is an entirely different story. They want the general public, and the driver to constantly be reminded that they are driving a Kia. There just is no hiding the fact. Take for instance, the Sportage. Two logos, and one huge one on the spare tire cover. I would imagine that would be the same if the Sorento had the same setup.
I predict an 2005 Kia Amanti with the general Kia grille, with a giant Kia logo horizontally attatched to a chrome bar going across the center. The front end may have to be redesigned for this, and for good reason. The thing looks like a big mouth, but I haven't seen it in person just yet.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
it is a large car, exceedingly well appointed, that seemed to have excellent fit and finish apart from one slightly loose roof liner margin above the left rear door. The doors closed with a solid "thunk." The controls were solid-feeling and well damped, not unlike the feel of those of some of the much more expensive and upscale marques. The ergonomic layout was good. The esthetics of the cabin were very well done with quality materials and pleasing color scheme. Room inside the cabin was very ample and airy. The steering wheel tilted but did not telescope, which it should. The leather seats possessed very high quality leather and were appropriately soft and supportive at the same time. The seating position was excellent. The glove box door fit snugly and securely and fastened properly. The exterior fit and finish appeared excellent with symmetrical gaps and tolerances between apposing metal surfaces. The overall external appearance and styling were pleasing.
I would say overall the car appears to be a superb offering, especially for the money.
Its similarity to the Hyundail XG350 is apparent and not unexpected.
Has anyone driven the Amanti?
I saw it back in April at the NY Auto Show, I think that was its premiere here. This topic didn't exist back then! :-)
Any how, in person it look nice, kind of big in an Avalon way. Styling takes cues from the Jag S-Type (grille) and the Benz E-class (lights).
-juice
http://kia.com/amanti/index.php
-juice
~alpha
Another question: Do you know of ANY car in the history of cars(now just a bit over 100 years is all)where the manufacturer has NOT included the maker's logo on the car ANYWHERE?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
-juice
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
-juice
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
also, will Kia ever offer a navigation system in the US anytime soon??
Read it here!
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Excerpt:
"As an Over-privileged Media Twit (or OMT, for you acronym lovers), I get to drive a lot of nice cars. And this may just be the nicest car(s) I’ve driven this year."
Read the rest at:
http://www.autonet.ca/EdmontonDrive/Stories.cfm?StoryID=10301
This guy also liked the Sorento in another review.
~alpha
Price $34,945 CDN. No options like the XG up here.
Anyway....Impressive. It is smoother and quieter than my 2002 XG. Damn! but thats good..progress.
I like it, and kinda wish I could trade. It is very stately, very Mercedes like behing the wheel.
The fit, finish and quality are what I'd say a slight notch above my XG. It is roomier (2 inches longer in wheelbase). But it seems to have better ergonomics, at least to my thinking.
I think that they will sell all 1500 they are bringing here without question, and I will miss out. Damn again!
But for my needs the XG is still way cool and gets far too many stares from those other guys, for now and plus I still have some time to pay for mine first.
Speaking of which, just for your information, the 240 hp Honda Accord, which I test drove before I bought the XG, develops its torque at 4300 rpm with a 3.0 ltr motor. The XG develops slightly less overall torque at 3500 rpm with a 3.5 ltr motor.
This would explain why I can leave behind an Accord, Altima or Camry at the light and keep them behind me until I decide to stay within the law and slow down, and they, being pissed of are hell bent to get by me now.
You decide, the accord was $4,500 CDN + more than the XG, a few different bells, and I really didn't want that type of ride anymore.
My driving is highway and the accord was too glove like, too small, and too twitchy for my liking. A good car, but I wouldn't want to drive it every day.
So the Amanti, if your considering it, is the next evolution up from the XG, which IMO is more intriguing than the status quos lineup.
The Amanti, is fresh and like the XG very stylish, unlike most anything on the road. I reckon the XG like the older I35 infiniti, and the Amanti like the older E300 Mercedes. There is some very good styling ques that they all share.
As a matter of fact, if you are able, take out an older E300 or the newer E330 Mercedes, and have the sales man repeat the price tag as you drive it. Then think of the uniqueness, and opportunistic idea of driving a new KIA (that by the way is badged on the trunk upper deck, and the center wheel hubs only, not the large center grill), a car that is going to loose less off the upfront cost than the Mercedes over the first five years, and still be in warranty, when the Mercedes warranty is well over. All at less than half the price. And best of all, during my test drive I had two 2 Mercedes owners, and 1 BMW owner, as well as a few import Acuras, and Infinitis just staring holes in that car (that they couldn't figure out what is was) while I was driving it.
Shouldn't it have been the other way around?
This car will last and perform way beyond your expectations, as my XG is doing and my previous 93 Sonata did, (263,000 K). I want to buy my wife this car so that she thinks I'm buying her a present (really the present will be mine if it is parked in our driveway, but alas, she wants the Sorento, .....which is not all that bad either.
Go test drive it.
~alpha
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Amanti Dual Threshold airbags, rear side impact airbags, Side curtain airbags, Active front seat headrests, 200 HP vrs 192 for the XG, Electronic stability program ESP, Dual zone climate, super vision electroluminescent instruments (these are excellent), Infinity 270W-9speaker AM/FM/CD/Cassette, audio system readout on multifunction display, All windows are express up and down, sunroof is one touch open and close, steering wheel mounted audio controls, electro-chromic rearview mirror, brushed aluminum door scuffs, sunglass holder in overhead map light compartment, electric front seat lumbar controls, dual memory power driver seat (now on XG), temperature control (1 to 5 I think) XG only has on/off, ski pass through, no complete folddown seats (not a problem really, unless your like me and use the XG to bring home lengths of Oak door jambs) High intensity discharge headlamps, with integrated projector fog lamps, reverse dipping rearview mirrors, 225/60R16 tires, full size spare (standard in xg now )rain sensing wipers, windshield wiper de-icer (like on sedona).
So as you can see, along with it being a bigger roomier car, with a longer warranty, it is clearly a better buy albiet slightly more cost than the already excellent xg350, but clearly KIA is ahead of the game.
My fear is that if I switch to this, the HYUNDAI guys at my dealership are saying that the Centenial is being considered for export. If you haven't seen it, it is truly impressive, beyong the Amanti. But that could be 2-3 years away.
So for now, my opinion is the best buy on the road for luxury car, with clearly a descriptive silouette is the Amanti bar none!
I am just happy that my head isn't stuck in the sand of Honda or Nissan ot Toyota that I wouldn't even consider the Amanti or XG350.
Before you buy anything else, just drive the Amanti or the XG and you will change your approach for sure.
Is that the KDM Hyundai Dynasty that you are talking about? That's powered by 4.5L V8.
The Centenial is a very solid boxy looking machine like the previous version Lincoln Town cars, but with much more working content. (rear back up TV screens, massagers in the seats etc.)
As far as the Amanti though, I am seeing more and more of them here at the Canadian dealerships, and a few already on the road. It seems as though the most dealerships only have 1 or 2, much like the introduction of the XG. I think due to their market testing, teasing, the uncertainty of the vehicle etc.
If it is compared to a Toyota Avalon, in my opinion, it has it beat hands down in looks. As I see a few of them on the road, the Avalon looks top heavy to the tiny suspension and tires that it shods, whereas the Amanti and the XG look solid and complete. Avalons price is also top heavy, much like most Toyotas.
One nice thing about driving these upscale Korean cars, is that many people seem to stare alot, I guess the curiosity of this slightly unbadged great looking shape coming down the road or passing by is eluding most other drivers, more so than your run of the mill toyota, nissan or honda. Perhaps the styling is what people really want, it's just that they are aghast when they finally figure that has a KIA or Hyundai badge on it.
Heres just a tidbit I read recently, that the people at Porsche actually used the Santa Fe (Hyundai's hot little sport utility) as the starting place for their new contoversial Cayenne. Or at least, they used it as inspiration for their design, because it is so in tune with what most people really want in a SUV. Porsche apparantly sold the tiptronic or collaborated with Hyundai on this, so the relationship is there. What would happen if the Porsche moniker futuristically for financial reasons where flown under the Kia/Hyundai umbrella. What would they think then? They already own or have joint custody of the Lotus Elan...hence Kia Elan. Or check out the KCVIII Awesome.
My opinion is that most people will finally come to grips with the idea, that the Korean cars are actually more of what most people want inside and outside of a car, but have yet to announce it. To bad for them. Too good for us!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
The Amanti will be evaluated by Consumer Reports in an upcoming issue issue, either Feb. or March.
~alpha