2008 Kia Amanti Review
2008 Kia Amanti Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Spacious interior, quiet on the highway, long warranty, good value for the money.
Cons
- No navigation system available, exterior styling is not for everyone, overly soft suspension tuning.
What’s new
The Kia Amanti was completely redesigned last year. For 2008, the car remains unchanged.
Edmunds says
Thanks to lots of standard and optional features plus a reasonable price, the 2008 Kia Amanti continues to be a strong dark-horse candidate in the upscale family sedan segment.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2008 Kia Amanti 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 5A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.36 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$208/mo for Amanti Base
Amanti Base
vs
$176/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Vehicle overview
Introduced five years ago, the Amanti is Kia's flagship vehicle and continues to be a strong value in the upscale family sedan segment. We classify the Kia Amanti as a midsize sedan but it feels bigger than that. For example, the Amanti has more front legroom than cars like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Saturn Aura. Strictly speaking, the Amanti competes with these cars but overall the cabin has a more luxurious look and feel.
The Kia Amanti is mechanically similar to the Hyundai Azera, which means power comes from a 3.8-liter V6 that was new last year. There's plenty of power and the engine feels smooth even under heavy acceleration. The Amanti has 264 horsepower, which is more than the standard V6s found in cars like the Buick LaCrosse, Chrysler 300 and Nissan Maxima.
There are two main downsides to the 2008 Kia Amanti. First, the car's styling may be a significant sticking point for some shoppers. It's not a bad-looking car, but in borrowing noticeable cues from other brands like Mercedes-Benz the Amanti's designers ended up with a rather awkward overall look. Additionally, Kia has tuned the Amanti for maximum ride comfort at the expense of handling ability. Though some buyers might prefer this, we've found that most other competing cars provide a much better balance between the two attributes. As such, the Kia Amanti isn't as desirable as other choices in this class, nor is it as well known. But shoppers who like the car's driving dynamics and price and aren't worried too much about image will find the Amanti quite impressive.
Performance & mpg
The front-wheel-drive Kia Amanti comes with a 3.8-liter V6 rated at 264 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque. The V6 is matched to a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. In testing, we found the Amanti capable of reaching 60 mph in 6.9 seconds. That's fairly swift for a big V6-powered sedan. Fuel economy for 2008 is estimated at 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway.
Safety
Antilock disc brakes, active front head restraints, front seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are standard on the 2008 Kia Amanti. An optional package bundles stability and traction control systems with a brake assist feature. The Amanti earned the highest rating of "Good" in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal-offset crash testing.
Driving
Like most vehicles in its class, the Amanti is tuned to provide a smooth, quiet ride with maximum isolation from the road. Suspension refinements last year sharpened the handling, but many drivers will still find the ride quality to be overly floaty. With the substantial muscle afforded by the 264-hp V6, the 2008 Kia Amanti delivers surprisingly swift performance whether dicing with city traffic or cruising on the freeway. The V6 boasts a broad power band, and the quick downshifts assure that the power is always on tap for merging onto fast-moving freeways or quick passes on two-lane roads.
Interior
The Amanti's roomy cabin seats five and pampers its occupants with plenty of room, as well as nice touches like tasteful faux wood and metallic accents, a leather-covered front console armrest and a power point built into the rear armrest. There's a bit less rear hip- and legroom than you'll find in slightly larger sedans like the Toyota Avalon, but two adults will be quite comfortable riding in back on trips. The trunk's capacity is 15.5 cubic feet. The rear seat doesn't fold down, but there is a pass-through for long, skinny items.
2008 Kia Amanti models
The 2008 Kia Amanti sedan is available in just one trim level. Standard features include 16-inch wheels, foglights, full power accessories, power front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and an eight-speaker CD audio system.
Opt for the Leather package and you'll get leathers seats, heated front seats, two memory settings for the driver seat, a trip computer and an upgraded Infinity sound system with a six-CD changer. Adding the Premium Package provides 17-inch wheels, black leather seats, brushed-aluminum interior trim and power-adjustable pedals. A sunroof is also available.
Kia Confirms Small Electric EV3 SUV Is Coming to the U.S.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2008 Kia Amanti.
5 star(83%)
4 star(17%)
3 star(0%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
41 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.88 out of 5 stars
Fantastic car for ANY price
Matthew, 10/26/2009
2007 Kia Amanti 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 5A)
This car replaces a well-loved 1994 Mercedes C280, so I have to admit I was skeptical at first about buying a Kia. I didn't think anything could compete with my beloved Mercedes. Boy was I wrong! The first thing you notice about the car is its unique look. Too many cars today look exactly alike and I've learned that if a car is 'streamlined,' that's code for BORING. The looks may … not be for everyone, but they're definitely not boring... The fit and finish are superb, interior design tasteful and it has a smooth powerplant. As for 'fun to drive,' it may not appeal to a 20-something bachelor, but for someone approaching 40 with a family, it's very comfortable.
4.75 out of 5 stars
What a shame they dropped the Amanti
sivled, 08/30/2011
2008 Kia Amanti 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 5A)
I am 65 yrs. old so I have owned all kinds of cars both new and used and I was never really happy until now. I have bought american cars for decades until they became to expensive. My wife says new cars are the only way to go. Anyway in 2008 I bought a car I had never heard of and a dealer I knew very little about except for all the people I spoke to
. They raved about their 2008 Kia … Amanti so I saw oe in a dealer and fell in love with the design. Anyway we bought this Amanti and I am thrilled I did. My car has super confort and a very quiet interior. It has great pick up and a 3.8. v6 engine. I may never trade it. My wife bought a 2010 Kia Sorento . We love both.
4.88 out of 5 stars
It's been a year now since my purchase
Jim, 04/03/2009
2007 Kia Amanti 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 5A)
It's been a year now since my purchase and I'm still a fan of the Amanti. Love the vehicle and it's reliability. I'm getting low mileage around the city but 80% of my driving is just that. City 15.8 MPG .. but on the highway I get a strong 34 MPG. I traded my lincoln continental in for this vehicle and was nervous about my choice. I went with the Amanti for value and warranty. I'm glad I … did. I've not regretted my decision yet - in fact wonder how I got so smart. This car is just flat out fun to drive and has everything in it an on it I ever had with my lincolns. Especially satisfied with winter driving - electronic stability control is great. Check out the Amanti befor you buy anything.
5 out of 5 stars
Korean caddilac
Kevin R, 07/10/2016
2007 Kia Amanti 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 5A)
Bought with 60k miles and sold with 130k. Excellent car wish I had it back . No mechanical issues ever. Radio did die though.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2008 Kia Amanti, so we've included reviews for other years of the Amanti since its last redesign.
2008 Amanti Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $25,495 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 19 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $208/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 15.9 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Amanti include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintAcceptable
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