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In high school you got in trouble for copying. Plagiarism was frowned upon in college. Counterfeiting currency will get you thrown in jail. But in the corporate world of automobile manufacturers, duplicating success is a road to prosperity. Nobody is as blatant in copying success as Kia motors. The Kia Sedona minivan can easily be mistaken for the Honda Odyssey in a parking lot. At first glance the Kia Sorento SUV can look like a Lexus RX 330. But the Kia Amanti steals cues from a variety of highline models. Chrysler can't be happy that the grill on the Kia Amanti looks a lot like the upcoming Chrysler 300, but they can't complain because both borrowed the inspiration from the ultra luxury Bentley. As in every work of art each observer will see something different. I see a Jaguar inspired hood and a Lincoln Town Car profile. Even the power seat controls appear lifted from the Mercedes Benz parts repository. Wherever the Kia designers received their insight from, they have certainly designed a winner. Longer, wider, taller and heaver than even its Hyundai XG350 relative, the 2004 Kia Amanti is the best attempt yet to shed the econobox reputation of Korean cars. Starting at a modest $24,995 the only four options and destination charges still reach only $28,810. First appearances outside and initial touches inside will surprise even the most skeptical automotive enthusiast. Inside the 2004 Kia Amanti the driver and passengers are surrounded in pure comfort. The seats on my test vehicle were like overstuffed couches covered in leather hides with individual adjustable heat controls. Every touch was quality and the dual climate control let both the passenger and driver individually set and forget their own comfort level. Nine speakers bathed the interior with 225 watts of Infinity AM/FM/Cassette or 6 Disc CD sounds. Even the power heated side mirrors automatically tilted down to the curb when the car was placed in reverse. At over 4,000 pounds this is not a sports car, and I felt the 5 speed Sportmatic transmission where you can choose automatic or manual mode was more than most drivers will use. Power from the standard 3.5 Liter DOHC V-6 is a class leading 200 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 220 lb. ft torque at 3,500 RPM. The EPA rates fuel economy at 17 in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. Standard safety equipment includes dour wheel Anti Lock Brakes along with front and rear side air bags, advantages not found on most vehicles of this price. The basic bumper-to-bumper warranty is a very generous 5 year 60,000 mile plan, which also gives you Roadside Assistance for those first 5 years and no limit to your miles. But as an expression of confidence in the vehicle Kia includes a 10 year 100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty at no cost to the original owner. The 2004 Kia Amanti is a cushy ride and it will attract families and professionals expecting quality. Touch and feel of interior components as well as overall style of the vehicle is superb. This is a new stratosphere for both Kia and its dealers. It will attract an upscale clientele unlike purchasers of the economy Rio and value priced Spectra. But Kia has methodically raised the bar introducing the solid mid size contender Optima, the quality built Sedona minivan and the award winning Sorento sport utility vehicle. This time Kia should be rewarded for copying the right features, making the 2004 Kia Amanti is an exceptional value.
2004 Kia Amanti
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©2003 - Stan Risener