Used 2008 Kia Amanti

What if you could have all the luxury trappings of a $50,000 sedan in a stylish four-door costing half as much? That’s the promise Kia’s Amanti offers, albeit without the high resale value and premium-sedan status of the higher-priced choices. For those unconcerned by such trivialities, the 2008 Kia Amanti delivers a smooth ride, decent handling, a huge rear seat and a competent V6 engine. Among the Amanti’s long list of standard features are heated side mirrors, one-touch up/down power windows, an eight-way adjustable power driver’s seat and a power sunroof. Compared to a Buick Lucerne, Lincoln MXZ and Chrysler 300, the Amanti appears a tempting alternative, and with its standard 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, concerns about long-term reliability are put aside.

One of the truly amazing things about the Amanti is just how quiet the interior is at highway speeds. Kia engineers went above and beyond to keep wind, road and tire noise out of the cabin, and their efforts paid off big-time. The suspension engineers have tuned the Amanti to deliver exactly the type of ride associated with a full-size sedan. A double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspension allow the Amanti to float over most road imperfections while still managing a fairly stable ride. The handling is decent and should satisfy most drivers’ needs. Push the Amanti hard and it will lean into turns and dive under hard braking, but no better or worse than its counterparts in this segment.

The Amanti’s handsome and well-appointed interior makes more of an impression than the car’s exterior. The attractive dash employs a split-level two-tone design with a prominent analog clock or optional information screen taking center stage. Dark faux wood is appropriately applied throughout the interior, mixed with leather, chrome and high-quality plastics. The Amanti is a roomy car, with an exceptionally large rear seat and trunk. We applaud the eight-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support, but wish Kia would offer the same features on the passenger’s side as well.

The 2008 Kia Amanti certainly knows how to make an entrance. The tall body, big grille and headlight treatment stir up memories of a number of luxury cars. Last year, the Amanti received a revised grille and headlight treatment, new front and rear bumpers, redesigned rear quarter panels and a new deck lid, giving it the look of a cross between a Mercedes and a Lincoln.

Full Complement of Airbags
The inclusion of front and rear side-impact airbags, and full side-curtain airbags, in a car of this price is highly commendable and an indication of the Amanti’s very high level of features and value for the money.

Sportmatic Manual Shifter
The Sportmatic manual shifter allows you to shift when you want.

Every 2008 Kia Amanti features a 3.8-liter V6, five-speed Sportmatic automatic transmission, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, one touch up/down power windows, power locks, remote entry, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS), fog lights, dual heated power mirrors, AM/FM stereo with cassette and CD, eight-way power driver’s seat, four-way power passenger’s seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, cruise control, steering wheel touch controls, alloy wheels and a full complement of airbags: Dual front advanced, front and rear side-impact and full side-curtain.

For the most part, the options are offered in four packages. The Leather Package includes leather seat trim, heated front seats, memory for driver’s seat and mirrors, power and heated mirrors with automatic tilt-down, trip computer with outside temperature and an Infinity AM/FM/six-disc in-dash CD with nine speakers. The Premium Package includes black and brushed-aluminum interior trim, black leather seats, Supervision meter cluster, power adjustable pedals and 17-inch chrome alloy wheels. The Wheel Package consists of 17-inch machined alloy wheels. And the Stability Package includes Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control and Brake Assist.

The Amanti is powered by a 3.8-liter, 24-valve twin-cam V6 engine that makes 264 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. This new engine provides ample low-end power and significantly better acceleration than the previous model. Acceleration is strong and constant, allowing the Amanti to merge into high-speed traffic with ease and assurance. The new engine also delivers an improvement in city and highway fuel economy.

3.8-liter V6
264 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
260 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24