Best family car overall 2009 Honda Accord *Est. $20905
Best budget family car 2009 Hyundai Sonata *Est. $18700
"Fun to drive" family sedan 2009 Mazda6 *Est. $18550
Large family car 2009 Toyota Avalon *Est. $27845

See All Family Cars

2009 Kia Amanti

*Est. $26,045

Reviewed April 2009

Low price
Long warranty
Roomy interior

Some quality problems in test cars
Unimpressive fuel economy
Sloppy handling
Ride comfort gets mixed reviews
Missing some common features
Loses value quickly
Odd-looking, derivative styling

Our Analysis

The Kia Amanti tries to be a value-packed upscale large sedan like the Hyundai Azera (*est. $24,970 to $28,920) -- but falls short, critics say. Aside from important drawbacks such as safety and fuel economy, reviews make fun of the Amanti's copycat styling. From the outside, the Amanti is "an unmitigated knockoff" of about three different cars, including both a Bentley and a Chrysler from the 1990s, writes Frank Williams at TheTruthAboutCars.com. Inside the Amanti, Williams finds superb leather seats -- and a bunch of plastic and an ignition switch that "was already loose enough to wiggle in its housing."

During ConsumerGuide.com's test of the Amanti, "one test car suffered from an occasional reluctance to start," editors say. Kelley Blue Book shrugs off quality worries: "With its standard 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, concerns about long-term reliability are put aside," editors there say of the Kia Amanti. Its basic warranty lasts for five years or 60,000 miles.

The Amanti does offer tons of stretching-out room for 6-foot-plus individuals in both the front and back seats, reviewers say. But so do plenty of other full-size sedans such as the top-rated Toyota Avalon (*est. $27,845 to $35,185), which reviews point out is safer, more fuel-efficient, more luxurious and holds its value much longer than the Amanti. Kelley Blue Book expects a new 2009 Kia Amanti to lose as much of its value in just one year (68 percent) as the Avalon will lose in five years.

While reviews say the class-leading Toyota Avalon gets an impressive 23 mpg in mixed driving, the Kia Amanti returns only 19 mpg mixed (17 city/24 highway), according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates -- and only 18 mpg in two real-world tests. The federal government hadn't crash-tested the Amanti when we checked, but the Amanti manages only a "marginal" rating in rear-end crash tests at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That nonprofit group also notes that electronic stability control (an important tool that can help with accident avoidance) doesn't come standard on the Amanti -- it costs $500 extra.

Kia is owned by Hyundai, but reviews say the Hyundai Azera full-size sedan has a nicer interior and a more complete feature list than the Kia Amanti (although neither is a top pick very often). Testers are impressed with some of the Amanti's standard amenities, such as heated mirrors and a power sunroof, but several reviewers note that a few common options for this class of car -- such as a navigation system and satellite radio -- aren't available at all on the Kia Amanti.

The Amanti doesn't earn many kudos for performance, either. Its 264-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 engine offers adequate acceleration in tests. Although ConsumerGuide.com calls the five-speed automatic transmission "refined," Frank Williams at TheTruthAboutCars.com says it hesitates before picking a gear.

Testers go on to report that the Amanti's ride is generally soft and smooth, although ConsumerGuide.com finds it "poorly composed" over potholes and sharp bumps, with a lot of bobbing. Handling is "clumsy" or "sloppy" in tests, with a lot of body roll and vague steering feel.

Many critics ignore the Kia Amanti, although we did find reviews at sources that test just about every car available: Consumer Reports, Edmunds.com, ConsumerGuide.com, Kelley Blue Book and Car and Driver. TheTruthAboutCars.com provides a very blunt opinion of the Amanti, based on its behind-the-wheel testing. The federal government had not crash tested the Kia Amanti when we checked, but the IIHS had. We found official fuel economy estimates at the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Consumer Reports tests virtually every family sedan in the marketplace, including the Kia Amanti. CR's automotive editors summarize their findings in a comparison chart, which makes it easy to see how the Amanti stacks up against its competition in several categories, including comfort and reliability.

Review: Kia Amanti, Editors of ConsumerReports.org

2. Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com provides an overview of the Kia Amanti. Editors like the Amanti less than some other reviewers do, downgrading its styling and performance.

Review: Kia Amanti Review, Editors of Edmunds.com

3. The Truth About Cars

The Kia Amanti tries to be an upscale family sedan at a budget price -- and fails, Frank Williams concludes after testing the 2008 version. It's roomy and comfortable, but Williams worries about its quality and resale value. Note that the Amanti is virtually unchanged for 2009, so Williams' comments remain relevant.

Review: 2008 Kia Amanti Review, Frank Williams, Aug. 1, 2008

4. ConsumerGuide.com

ConsumerGuide.com conducts comprehensive road tests of most vehicles, and then editors judge each one against a class average. The Kia Amanti rates slightly below average for a large car, thanks to its low scores for ride and handling. However, the Amanti shines in the areas of quietness, control design and fit and finish, according to editors.

Review: 2009 Kia Amanti: Road Test, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com

5. Kelley Blue Book

Kelley Blue Book editors appreciate the Kia Amanti's long list of features and its budget price, but they note that its resale value is poor. The Amanti's long warranty does a lot to dispel worries about its reliability, they say. This review covers the 2008 Amanti, but the 2009 version is largely unchanged.

Review: 2008 Kia Amanti Review, Editors of Kelley Blue Book

6. Car and Driver Details/Subscribe

Car and Driver editors allude to the elderly more than once in this short, snappy buyer's guide overview of the Kia Amanti. They appreciate its low price, but they can't find much to recommend for driving enthusiasts.

Review: 2009 Kia Amanti, Editors of Car and Driver

7. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The Kia Amanti earns good scores in front and side IIHS crash tests, but its "marginal" rear crash protection and lack of standard electronic stability control keep it from being a Top Safety Pick. This chart shows how the Amanti compares with other large family cars in terms of safety.

Review: Large Family Cars, Editors of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

8. FuelEconomy.gov

This chart shows the EPA fuel-economy estimates for dozens of large cars, including the Kia Amanti. You can sort the chart by mpg, annual fuel cost and more. You can also click on each car to get more details.

Review: 2009 Large Cars, Editors of FuelEconomy.gov