Buyer's Guide: 2008 Kia Amanti

NEW FOR 2008:

– Rear heated seats added

Having undergone an overhaul in 2007, the Kia Amanti is unchanged for 2008, save for the addition of rear heated seats.

Kia’s top-of-the-line passenger car model, the Amanti comes in a single trim line and uses a 3.8-litre V6 engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

Its features include 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate controls with humidity sensor, heated front and rear leather seats, leather-wrapped wheel with audio controls, power sunroof, high intensity discharge headlamps, trip computer, cruise controls, heated mirrors, keyless entry, eight-way driver and four-way passenger power seats with driver’s side memory, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, garage door opener, CD/cassette stereo, fog lamps, and variable intermittent wipers.

Although it steals its styling cues shamelessly from a variety of higher-end manufacturers and combines them into somewhat of a mishmash, the Amanti is a very comfortable and roomy car that offers a great number of luxury touches for a relatively low price. Fans of big, soft-riding cars like Buick or Lincoln should cross-shop the Amanti for its price-tag and for its long warranty.