Kia Amanti 2006 and earlier

backy

Just as iluv is over the top in his praise of Kia, I think you go out of your way to minimize their advances. I agree they have a long way to go, but perhaps a longer way to go in the minds of the buying public than in engineering. So come next year, when the two oldest Kia models are history and they finally have a competent lineup across the board, it will still take a few years for public opinion to catch up--as is slowly happening with Hyundai.

So you drove the Amanti--what did you think of it?? Which Lexus do you own? Did it cost (new) under $25k? How did the Amanti compare in ride, handling, comfort etc.?

BTW, if you want to see some hideous paint, go take a look at GM's new pride and joy, the Malibu. I was at my local Chevy dealer today and there was a Malibu on the showfloor that had absolutely the worst paint job I have ever seen on a car. Terrible orange peel, no luster to the paint at all. And this was a detailed car on the showfloor! It stickered at just under $25k--about the price of an Amanti. I saw Rios and Spectras at the Kia dealer that had paint more like a Lexus compared to this Malibu. You may have also noticed that in every recent CR review of a Kia, they have highlighted the fine fit and finish of the interiors. Now that doesn't make a great car by itself, but I think it shows that Kia is improving and also learning--nice paint jobs and interiors help sell cars.

rroyce10

... >>I think you go out of your way to minimize their advances<< ....

         Or I could also spend my time to minimize the advances in toasters ... personally, what CR writes is meaningless to me, I'm a realist, I don't make the vehicles, I just sell them .. I see hundreds in a week and thousands in a year and Kia has been a bad vehicle for 10 years, I know, I was a dealer for them for 3 of those years .. my money, my investment, my building, my time, my service dept, my reputation, my experience, unfortunately .. and of course meeting and talking with 70/80 Kia dealers from California to New Jersey ...

            People will Always find a way to "sell themselves" something, it's only human .. do you think Bayliner made it as a big boat manufacturer because they were great boats.? .. *Heck No ~ they were $10,000 less than their competitors and price means "payments" and the lower the payment, the better, and Most consumers are "payment buyers", whether they admit it or not ... so they tolerated those cheap vinyl seats, they put up with cracking hulls, horrible wiring, faulty gauges and aluminum handrails that a 3 year old could break .. but as long as they could "justify" that boating experience, then all is well, it's only human nature.

           Just because someone feels the paint is a little nicer, or the seats are a little more comfortable, that doesn't make it a better item .. what's it's going to be like in 8 months, 2 years or 33,000 miles ..? .. using the Lexus was a bad example, it's only what I was driving that day, but it could have been LS Lincoln or a 00 Focus or 99 Malibu, it wouldn't make a difference ...

          As a rule I really don't knock any vehicles, I have read most of the posts on just about every vehicle on Edmunds, the Bimmer drivers hate the Benz drivers, the Ford guys want to shoot the Chevy drivers, the Yota buyers think Honda's are gay, yatty yatty yatty and the beat goes on ...

             But the reality is, there isn't really a bad vehicle out there today, some are lower and faster, some are bigger and badder, some look cute in tangerine colors .. it always ends up breaking down to ego, Personal taste and the proverbial size of the wallet ... that being said, Kia especially has a long long way to go to even get to an "average" vehicle, Especially after a 10 year history of failures and 2 vehicles that have just come out, and No history ~ But, it's your ego, your personal taste and your wallet ... like I always say: "buy and drive what you like" ...

                        Terry :-)

pat

Hey folks, this is a Sedans discussion about a sedan, not a News & Views argument over Kia's worth as a brand.

Let's stick to the Amanti please.

lok888

I just came back from my service this morning. There is a pearl white fully loaded Amanti in the service area. It is a demo. This is my second time to get a closer look of the car since the New England Auto Show in November. The leather seat is much softer than the one on my Sorento. Both front seats have memory feature. There is a LCD screen for climate control and audio system. It is similar to the RX300. The roomy interior and trunk are pretty much like my '03 Camry. I wasn't able to test drive it because I have to work. And I am sure the price will coming down in few months plus factory incentive.

ateixeira

have started. Pretty bold. They mention Mercedes, Jaguar, then Lexus.

-juice

backy

That is good news for Kia in their attempt to move upscale with the Amanti. Up until now, Kia owners had no Kia luxury vehicle to move up to. Now they do. Based on Chevy's and Ford's results in this survey, it looks like what Kia (and Hyundai) need next is a full-sized truck to bring in all those loyal customers! ;-)

I wonder if the loyalty rebates (up to $2000) offered by Kia and Hyundai have had much effect on customer retention? I have to think it has helped. If Kia would slap one of those on the Amanti, that would give the new model a jump-start in sales, get some out on the road for visibility.

danielj6

Is Kia offering any rebates for the Amanti yet?
The question is whether you would fork over $25000+ on an unknown or would spend a few thousands more on an established comparative car.

If Kia wants to elbow in with the big boys it will have to produce a winner and be perceived as such real quick.

Very interesting what the future will bring though. I didn't yet see an Amanti personally (any day now) but I really liked it from photos.

saber86

do you remember when toyota launched the lexus line what all those so call "experts" said about the toyotas entry in to the luxury car market. The so called experts said, americans would never buy asian luxury imports. The quality of lexus will never measure up to that of germans or english luxury. Toyota has no expertise/experience/technology to build a true luxury vehicle that can compete with bmw, MB, and jaguar. Well, we all know what happend and the rest is history.

There will always be people who say the new kid on the block will never make it.
All they can see is the "label" and their mind is already made up. Kia could have taken a lexus 430 and slap a kia label and people like terry would find something to grumble about all because it has a kia label.

The following statement by terry preety much summarizes my point. "using the Lexus was a bad example, it's only what I was driving that day, but it could have been LS Lincoln or a 00 Focus or 99 Malibu, it wouldn't make a difference"

Terry is in the car business and he actually thinks 00 focus and 99 malibu is better than the Amanti. Now that is funny.

iluvmysephia1

he has super-secret insider information on the whole line...hummm...now. Let's think about that for a second. I have gone to basically two dealers for Kia's. One in Washington state(where I bought my two Kia's from)and one here in Missouri(where I brought the Sportage in for service). I didn't talk to the owner at the Missouri dealership but when I inquired of a salesman about the new Sportage having a unitized body he replied, "hee, Kia would NEVER BUILD A SPORTAGE LIKE THAT!" and looked away. Guess who IS going to build a Sportage with a unitized body on an Elantra chassis? Yep-my point being that dealers and salesmen don't always know everything that is going on. I have been on the net for a little over five years finding out all that I can about Hyundai's, Kia's and Daewoo's. Funny, they're the only real cars that interest me. Point being is that I like them the best. I have heard all the Tom, Dick and Harry comments about them for several years. Nothing I have heard or read has swayed my enthusiasm for these cars. Oh, Daewoo is merely an interesting story but I respect GM a lot more by their picking up Daewoo and creating GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. The Aveo brings some much needed hutzpah to the Chevy lineup, huh? No, the South Korean cars are not perfect but they do offer real body styling, something even the Japanese makes sorely LACK IMHO. Reliability in my two Kia's has been great. Did I mention low pricing and the Long-Haul Warranty? I see the Amanti bringing more validity to the Kia lineup and helping to raise the level of the Kia persona worldwide. I'm already on board and I have lots of company. Looking forward to the next Amanti commercial...I think Kia engineers have built a very good deal in a luxury car worth every penny for consumers.

ateixeira

Dunno about that, Lexus was taken pretty seriously from the beginning by most people I know. Acura was the pioneer and proved luxury imports were worthy of attention.

-juice

ateixeira

It's funny you say that because I actually am going to the Cobo Center for the Detroit Show as Subaru's guest, and yes, with behind-the-scenes access, no embargos, etc.

)

Will check out the Cerato.

-juice

iluvmysephia1

he was replying to a poster by the name of saber86. I personally don't remember HOW people viewed Lexus at their beginning, I just read his comment. Nuff said.
 Oh, about the Reader's Digest quip. Wrong again Maestro. I get my information from several online sources(Edmunds being just one of them)AND real-life experience with the brand. I have been wholly satisfied with both of my Kia's and enjoy getting a good deal on a car. A car that has some body-design integrity...I find that cars that hold their value better(right now anyway) by the name of Honda and Toyota and Nissan(all Japanese makes)to be boring and quite lifeless in comparison to Kia and Hyundai. Same goes for the German makes(all the European makers). As for domestics, Chevy is showing some life by acquiring the Kalos(Aveo)and Daewoo. The Corvette finally has a face worth looking at and the SSR retro truck shows design hutzpah again from a GM product. Unbelievable.
    I don't find that dealers know all that much, except in trying to burn a consumer out of cash. I am quite wary of them, yessa I am. Dumb ill-contrived comments by same do not change the situation one iota. Nuff said.

pat

The Amanti, folks?

backy

I suppose this goes in a comparison board, but at least it's about the Amanti! I did some quick calculations and found out that the XG350 complete with leather interior, traction control, and CD changer would run about $23.5k (TMV), and if the incentives that expired yesterday come back for at least the same amount make that $22k, or just $21k for current Hyundai owners. A comparably-equipped Amanti, with leather, would run $27,300, or almost $28k for a pearl white car (my favorite) with traction control. The Amanti has VSC, a little display screen and some other doo-dads, but with a $6k difference compared to the XG, I don't think Kia will sell too many Amantis until its price is more comparable to the XG, let alone other competitors like the LeSabre that can be had for just over $20k.

The other thing I noticed from the Amanti site, in the Comparisons section, is that the Amanti doesn't compare too favorably with its main competitors on price (especially when you consider the incentives avaiable on the other cars), horsepower, or rear-seat room. With the Avalon going for only $1000 more than the Amanti (list price), I'd think most buyers would spring for the proven Avalon vs. the Amanti. What I think this means is that major discounts and rebates will be coming to the Amanti very soon.

ateixeira

Nowadays MSRP has incentive costs built-in, IMO.

-juice

alpha01

Do you check your hotmail often, I emailed you on Friday....If you can get back to me I'd appreciate it, if not, I understand that things can get super busy...

For the rest of the folks here, I just received the Feb 03 issue of CR. Don't know why the Amanti is not reviewed, in last months issue, it was stated that it would be.... I guess they didnt have enough time to rack up the miles on the vehicle- CR test cars for nearly 5K before they publish, from what I understand.

~alpha

backy

Which cars did CR test in the Feb issue--did they test Amanti competitors or something else? Usually they publish tests on related groups of vehicles.

alpha01

Personally, I dont think its the group of Near Luxury vehicles (30-40K range) that were tested. I feel the Amanti is going to compete against the Camcords of the world...

But I digress.... in order of finish, the Acura TL (best in class scoring), the ES 330 (4 th in class), and Saab 9-5 Arc, Volvo S60 2.5T (ranked at bottom of class, but scored high enough for recommendation).

Prices ranged from $33,150 for the TL to 36,955 for the 9-5. None of the tested models were NAV equipped.

~alpha

backy

Maybe the Amanti will compete more with the Passcordry's of the world, but it would have been interesting to see how it fared against the near-luxury models that cost thousands more. Maybe that's why CR didn't include the Amanti--maybe they'll throw it into their next review of V6 "family sedans", which is where they placed the XG350. They could possibly toss it in with the "large sedans", since those are cars that Kia is targeting with the Amanti: Avalon, LeSabre, Grand Marquis etc.

ateixeira

I don't consider it that mainstream. I see perhaps the Diamante and the Avalon, maybe even the LeSabre as potential competition.

It's too big/luxurious to compete directly with mid-sizers.

-juice

PS Alpha - just got back to you, sorry I only check it occasionally

chicobaldguy

I have been searching for a fully loaded Amanti (black on black) in NoCal for awhile now, but did get a local dealer to confess to me that invoice on a fully loaded Amanti is about $26,500. I have e-mailed Kia dealers up and down the coast, and the first one that serves up a black one for $27,000 has one sold. Just thought I'd give you guys a heads up on invoice.

lok888

Still no invoice info on Edmunds, but you can find the info from Kelley Blue Book site. I think $27K ($28K MSRP) is reasonable at this early stage. Just wait for few months (maybe in the spring time) for more dealer discount and factory incentive. The last summer strike did slow down the assemble line for Amanti production. And supply is still tight.

boa35

Here's what I found re invoice prices (just can't recall offhand on what site I saw them).
Base: $22115 ($24995 MSRP)
Leather Package: $1611 ($1805 MSRP)
Convenience Package: $803 ($900 MSRP)
Electronic Stability Prog. Package: $491 ($550 MSRP)

xg350guy

Hey I'm back after a computor meltdown. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone remembers if the Kia sorento, sedona or the amanti was ever introduced in an auto show prior to their release to the public?

I remember seeing my XG350 at a show in 2000, and the same for the Santa Fe, but I don't recall seeing these three hot new kia products at any shows prior to their release?

Whats your thoughts as per the introduction processes these two companies are employing? I personally think they should do what companies like Lexus do and that is to only let people see it in print first, then commercials, and then have a big introduction date like they did with the current version of the Odessey when Honda restlyed it after their first meager endeavour.

I have to say, that I am sold on the black on black Amanti color style. (Same as my XG) It has to be by far one of the classiest looking vehicles on the road.IMO

Don't you agree? With reservation, I can't wait until my lease on the XG is up, so that I can get into an Amanti. Although, the new xg does look very sleek, and I am still smiling when I pull up to the gas pumps, stop lights and the others are driving taurus's, malibu's, impala's etc, and you can see them just staring at my car, like I'm some sexy hot blonde in a skirt, (which I'm not).

I think that is one of the good feelings of this car, and that is to know that you are driving something different, less sheepesh, and others may be envious and curious. I'd really hate to tell them the price I paid to look this good. Some would scoff that it's way to much for something they can't get their head around, while others would cringe knowing they'd been had for the price they paid for the rehashed boxes they drive.

My personal opinion is that we are all going to be very sorry when the day comes that no cars will be made here in N.A. because they will be made off shore, still I'm puzzled why Hyundai would set up MFG in AL when our workers clearly wouldn't make the car as good for so little as it could be made offshore. I think bush must be doing some heavy bargaining to entice their building to take place here. If our taxes are being processed by India, and our cars being built in China, we better get real good at flip'in burgers, cause it's gonna take a lot of wrist action to pay off a car on that wage. Make mine with fries on the side!

ateixeira

Yes, they were shown at auto shows. I saw the Amanti at the NY Auto Show last April, 2003. They're only arriving now.

Given the size of their marketing/PR budget, I think they're doing fine.

-juice

lok888

xg350guy - Yes. You can find some early Edmunds discussion on Sorento back in February 2002. It was debut at the Chicago Auto Show.

xg350guy

I guess I musta been sleepin as I walked through the Canadian shows, and probably, I wasn't pay'n that much attention to Kia when I was so hyped on the XG....but I'm sure paying attention now!

Have you guys/gals had the opportunity to drive one yet? And what are your thoughts?

I think that the Amanti will mature into a very significant automobile as far as paving the way for Kia's image and value. Once they decide to go just a tad more upscale with DVD navigation, and a few other bells and whistles along with a good solid marketing and support plan.

As we have all seen, the auto industry is in a paradyne shift(if thats the correct spelling for it) in the way the landscape seems to be changing as peoples budgets and disposable income starts declining. My attention is shifting more to taking notice of this and listening to the peoples responses to the offerings being introduced by Hyundai/Kia. Ten years ago, when I bought my first Hyundai, the 93 Sonata (which proved to me before, during and after 250,000 + klms)that Hyundai and their growth would soon become a recognized nameplate. Their certainly not the best. The best costs thousands more. But do we need the best? My $31,000 XG gets me to the same places my neighbors $120,000 BMW gets him. It's just that he gets in the door and I don't have and probably won't ever get a membership there! Surround yourself in your own definition of luxury, buy the XG or the Amanti where membership is truly exclusive!

iluvmysephia1

is worth a small pause for reflection. The idea for building in America is to provide a platform for both Hyundai and Kia to share production lines on and also to save import fees and shipping costs over to the U.S. Sound believable? Are there any more reasons? Well, parts to be used on these models produced out of the Alabama plant can come from more American suppliers, thus reducing shipping costs for those parts. As long as we keep mumbling to ourselves "save everybody MORE money" we'll catch on to HyunKia's game plan fully completely, eh?

boa35

I got the invoice prices of the "packages" correct but discovered tonight that the Amanti's Base invoice is actually $22655--at least on the east coast (mid-Atlantic?). Seems that KIA tacks on a "market fee" (the east coast's is 2.25%) that I gather is somehow based on the amount of advertising expended in that area, how much they think the market will bear, etc., etc.

Test drove one a few days ago. More power than I expected but found the steering very loose and unresponsive. What's that hump in the middle of the floor in the back seat area all about?--this is a front wheel drive car!!

lngtonge18

The only front wheel drive car I know that lacks a center tunnel hump in the back seat area is the Honda Civic. The hump is normally there to provide clearance for the exhaust system.

aristotle

I saw the Amanti at the local dealer yesterday. It really looks very good outside and inside. Lots of features, comparable to a Lexus or an Audi.

I didn't test drive the car though. I got a call again today from the manager asking me to come and take a test drive. Before I consider the Amanti I am concerned about the following issues:

o Will it really give me 100K trouble free miles?

o Will they have to discount the car heavily to move the cars?

o In the past I have heard from some people that when you actually go to the dealership to get warranty work done they will give you some BS to avoid performing work under warranty. In other words the 100K mile warranty is not as great as it sounds on paper.

o Is the engine power adequate for a car this size? Doesn't it need a 240hp motor?

o Does one get a floaty feel when driving the car?
What about the steering?

o What about the transmission? Will it break many times before 100K miles like the transmissions in Chrysler vehicles?

o How about fuel efficiency?

Has Kia really moved into the league of the Honda and Toyota? If it has, my hearty congratulations to them. They deserve it. I will be more willing to take a bet in the next model year after they have worked out all the kinks in the car.

saber86

"o Will it really give me 100K trouble free miles?"

--there is no guarantee any car will give you 100,000 trouble free miles. My friend bought a honda accord which was nothing but trouble and he sold it after less than a year. Yes, toyota and honda have proven themselves and your odds will be better with toyota and honda.

"o Will they have to discount the car heavily to move the cars?"

---too early to tell.

"o In the past I have heard from some people that when you actually go to the dealership to get warranty work done they will give you some BS to avoid performing work under warranty. In other words the 100K mile warranty is not as great as it sounds on paper."

-This can be true of any manufacturer and not just limited to Kia.

"o Is the engine power adequate for a car this size? Doesn't it need a 240hp motor?"

--you are the driver and you decide. No one can decide which car is best for you. Only you can decide if the car has adequate power or not. you will be driving this car and not someone else.

"o Does one get a floaty feel when driving the car?
What about the steering? "

--Again, you will be driving this car. Test drive the car and see how it feels. Only you can decide if the car feels right for you or not.

"o What about the transmission? Will it break many times before 100K miles like the transmissions in Chrysler vehicles?"

--Again, no guarantee there either. Just look at the problem with honda odyssey and some of acura models.

"o How about fuel efficiency?"

It needs improvement. Koreans need to work on making more fuel efficient engine.

"Has Kia really moved into the league of the Honda and Toyota? If it has, my hearty congratulations to them. They deserve it. I will be more willing to take a bet in the next model year after they have worked out all the kinks in the car."

---I don't think so. Kia still has ways to go before it can be equal to that of toyota and honda. Kia is getting is better but they are not there yet.

iluvmysephia1

you but I can tell you this. I have owned two Kia's, a 1999 Kia Sephia sedan and a 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4. I have thoroughly enjoyed both and have been treated well by my dealers. Both have had minor fixes required but I have NOT had to beg the service department to make it right for me. I just discussed what happened with them and they fix it. I have never been stranded by either of my Kia's and I have always started each of my Kia's right up, easily. The Sportage 4x4 has proven to be a little trooper off-road and has taken me to some cool woodsy areas.
     As for the Amanti understand that Kia wants to INCREASE sales at this point and they are working VERY hard to improve quality. Your warranty will take care of you but as has been stated there are parts that MAY NOT be covered by your warranty. I have never paid one cent out of pocket for a Kia vehicle repair. Everthing has been covered. I have, and I strongly recommend that you do ALL of your vehicle's scheduled maintenance and pay particular attention to oil changes. The Kia Amanti is a lot of car for the money--test drive it and see for yourself if the engine seems underpowered. That's your call entirely. Have fun and post back your findings, if you will!

boa35

Carbon Gray with Leather and Convenience Packages for $1200 under invoice, i.e., $24,926.

iluvmysephia1

congratulations! Enjoy your new baby and get back on here and give a full report! Be brutally honest. One test reviewer from an automobile magazine I was reading yesterday reported that the ride is VERY quiet. Quieter than Toyota's Avalon it is. The Amanti is stock full of nice safety appointments as well.
    boa35-you got a great price for yours. I noticed a St.Louis dealer was selling them $22,335 after using your Kia loyalty rebate.

burtenbach

As an old fart, I have no problems with the style, quiet and heavily settled and comfortable holding of the road by the Amanti. And at first blush, the length of 20 and 5 years in the warranties is very attrractive. However, has anybody else read the frightening fine print at the end of the Amanti brochure? Quote: ALL WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED....MAXIMUM BENEFIT OF $300.00 PER INCIDENT. I just had a defective truck replaced which must have cost the firm at least
$5,000 in repeated efforts to fix it. With no luck! It seems that language like that in the Amanti brochure would have made me pay everything over $300.00! Any thoughts on this?

saber86

You misread the fine print. The $300 limit refers to the emergency travel expense coverage. The emergency travel expense coverage covers you for things like food, lodging, and alternate transportation should your amanti break down(warranty related and not accident or bad weather related) and you are more than certain number of miles away from your primary residence. I think with kia, you have to be at least 100 miles away from your home.

iluvmysephia1

150 miles away from your home, though. I'll see if I can find it in my warranty stuff and post back.

ateixeira

I think it's not fair to expect that even from a Lexus. In JD Power's 5 year durability study, the average car had 2.7 problems, so even a Lexus will likely have 1, maybe 2.

I think that while Kia is still below average, it's worth of note that the difference from one make to another is just a fraction.

In other words, you likely won't have 5 problems more than anyone else would.

-juice

xg350guy

Even as good as BMW's are,....there are still BMW technicians required to make the repairs required to these cars!

So, it's nice to know that KIA/Hyundai are thinking seriously about warranties to try and offer a very competative one that tries to address most things.

My only time I used my warranty on the 93 Sonata was for a stuck thermostat valve, which was fixed promptly by the Hyundai dealer even though I was just slightly beyond my warranty period.

So I think that they are/could be generous to the owners if you are a good customer and don't complain alot. The cheaper price you pay for the cars doesn't give rights to inferior warranties and service, although I haven't had to go down that road in the past ten years. Maybe some have, but I'm sure all companies have some unhappy customers.

lok888

Congrats! What color did you get? My dealer has a pearl white (extra $100 MSRP for this color) in the showroom. I test drove one (fully loaded) last week. It is very quiet. Everything inside the hood has cover to reduce noise and make it look good. There are many features that my Sorento doesn't have like power windows with one touch express (all windows), keyless entry with alarm, traction control, dual front climate control and few more. I like the temparture control for the front heated seats. But it would be great to see the the rear fold down seat.

uga91

expect the Amanti to be bigger? I've seen a couple on the road and in front of the local Kia dealer, and I was expecting a bigger car. Maybe the pictures made it seem bigger? I remember a couple of years ago when Hyundai redesigned the Elantra--I thought it would be bigger than it was. By bigger, I mean wider. How is the interior volume of the Amanti?

iluvmysephia1

gonna look up. It is 150 miles from your home. If you experience a warranty-related breakdown more than 150 miles from home, and the repairs take more than 24 hours, Kia will reimburse you for pre-authorized food, lodging and transportation expenses(up to $300-be sure to keep your receipts).

apl175

I've been interested in the Amanti for several weeks now...and I've got a few questions for the people that have seen one...
First, does it have electroluminescent guages? The Kia website seems to suggest this, but all of the "early demo models" that have extensive interior pictures on eBay have regular guages.
Does it have HID headlamps standard? The Canadian Kia website seems to suggest the Amanti has this, but it's not mentioned on the USA site.
Does it have rear seat heater?

Lastly, for any interested, you can go over to the Kia USA website and download a ~200 page document in PDF format of Amanti Technical highlights from the Kia Service information system. The document is meant for dealer and service personell, but is available to anyone who registers. Click "Kia Owners" then "Service Information". Registration is free.

One of the things they really seem to be pushing in the literature is the added importance of focusing on a successful dealer PDI.

Also by glancing through the literature, it's obvious Kia is sourcing key components from European vendors. The way they reference the ESP/BAS system indicates that it's OEM from Continental-Teves. Most of the CAN modules, including the Body Control Module, and CAN gateways seems to be sourced from Siemens.
 
Hopefully both near and long term quality is up to par with the rest. I've been driving various European sedans for the past years, including an E-class Mercedes, and a SAAB 900. Looking at the overall quality picture, Mercedes-Benz especially has never been at such a quality low. In fact both JD Power Associates and Consumer Reports rate long term overall quality of KIA/Hyundai/Suzuki, etc. above those of the Mercedes Benz, Volvo, and Volkswagen.

saber86

rokndj

I too have been doing some extensive research on the Amanti. It is a beautiful looking and riding vehicle.

The rear seats are not heated. HID headlights were on all the cars at the lot I was at so I assume they are standard. I do not believe the gauges are electroluminscent. The following link is a good view of the gauges.

http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/photos,photo,roadtest.spy?art- - id=19369&imgid=57445&w=1024&lng=en&make=Kia

The car drove nice and was quiet. The silent moving "OH [non-permissible content removed]" handles are only put on the nicer cars. I dont like the limited interior and exterior colors. I would also like ti to have been a little bigger with more power. I wouldnt be surprised if they offer a bigger engine next. The Infinity stereo is nice but is not nearly as impressive as my 400 watt stock in my Pontiac.

8 airbags! Now thats nice! Another cool feature is that the mirrors tilt down when you put the car in reverse so you can see the lines and behind the car better. The mirrors are self adjusting according to the position of the seat. I dont even remember seeing mirror controls. Its really cool. I didnt think they woud adjust right cause I'm really tall. They were perfect!

I am holding off on purchasing one until I hear more about the car from other owners and reviews. They need to offer some incentives. I'll wait for that reason also.

My only other hesitence is that I can get a loaded 2003 Jaguar X Type 2.5 with 7,000 miles for $25000. Why drive a Kia when you can drive a Jag? Its a nice car....but its still a Kia.

lok888

uga91 - I know the new Amanti is the same size as Hyundai XG350. But I don't know much about the XG350. I realized it is bigger than the Kia Optima when I parked the Amanti next to the Optima after I test drove one last week. And I would say the interior room is the same size as my other car, an '03 Camry.

apl175 - There are electroluminescent gauges, HID headlights, rear backup sensor, rear heated seats and headlamp washers (maybe for Canadian market) for Kia Opirus in KDM.

rokndj - Is that your Amanti? Nice pictures! But I don't remember I saw wood trims on the Amanti that I test drove. It was a fully loaded. I remember I asked the salesman about the wood on the steering wheel. And he said "not yet".

rokndj

Not my Amanti. Just a review and photo page I found. Here is the link.

http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/roadtest,view,Kia.spy?artid=1- 9369

lok888

So anyone know if there is a wood trim on Amanti? I don't care about this fake wood. But it looks on the steering wood.

sda

Looked at an Amanti at the Kia/Buick dealership yesterday. Wanted to see if I could do the Hot Button Onstar win a car contest. Didn't win, but it gave me an opportunity to browse the lot. They had two Amantis, one white, one silver. Neither had a sunroof, but both had leather and Infinity upgrade. $27500-28000. That's too much. If they offered the car for $25000 equipped as above, that would be better. Kia is getting into Honda/Toyota $$ territory, yet can't match their resale. I won't comment about quality, because that remains to be proven. On the surface, it looks nicely assembled. The Amanti looks like it has a lot going for it, but the price is not as competitive as it should be. My opinion, ofcourse.