Strengths

Interior space and comfort; tremendous value; safety conscious.

 

Changes

To increase its luxury appeal the 2009 Kia Amanti upgraded its audio system to include Sirius Satellite Radio and MP3 capabilities with auxiliary jack. They've also increased the display monitor size by 1.5 inches.

 

Value

The 2009 Kia Amanti stands out in its class for affordability and comfort. It boasts performance near the top of its class and has a very high level of standard safety equipment. The Amanti comes very well equipped, and since it's priced to start at only $26,045, it offers an excellent value among large sedans in its class.

 

Overview

Kia's flagship sedan carries on essentially unchanged for 2009. Under the hood is the 3.8L aluminum-block "Lambda" V6 engine that makes 264 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque, and it is coupled with a five-speed Sportmatic automatic transmission. The car's fully independent suspension delivers capable, but not necessarily sporty, handling.

Kia has set its sights on full size luxury with the Amanti and meets the goal with loads of standard equipment. The spacious, comfortable interior gets dual zone automatic climate control, power everything, a leather wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise control, auto-dimming rear view mirror with Homelink programmable garage door opener and a new-for-2009 8-speaker AM/FM CD sound system with Sirius Satellite Radio and auxiliary jack for the increasingly popular MP3 player.

The 2009 Kia Amanti offers 4 package upgrades. The Leather Package brings heated front leather seats, 2-position memory for the driver's side seat and outside mirrors, a 5.5" display monitor with trip computer, power heated outside mirrors with auto-tilt-down and 9 speaker AM/FM 8 disc in-dash CD audio system by Infinity. The Premium Package adds black tone on tone interior with aluminum accents, power adjustable pedals and 17-inch 7-spoke chrome finish alloy wheels.

The Amanti has 8 standard air bags, including separate front and rear side air bags and full-length side curtain air bags. Active head restraints and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD) are also standard, while electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, and brake assist are available in an affordably priced option package.

Kia provides powertrain warranty coverage to ten years or 100,000 miles and basic coverage for five years or 60,000 miles.

For the driver looking for an excellent value in large-car luxurious comfort over sportiness, the answer may be the 2009 Kia Amanti.