Inventive Kia, a South Korean automaker, now under the corporate wing of the larger Korean creator Hyundai, moves upscale in size and class for 2004 by adding a large-size luxury sedan called Amanti.

Kia also constructs three other sedans in three sizes with Optima, Rio and Spectra, but builds wagons too with the five-door Cinco hatchback, a value-packed Sedona minivan and the Sorento sport-utility vehicle.

Amanti becomes the largest marque in this fleet and brings a higher level of quality, comfort and passenger space to the line, and it carries more standard safety features than any previous Kia. Amanti draws power from a 3.5-liter V6 engine lifted from Hyundai's stock, lines the cabin with such perks as a dual-zone climate control system and Infinity audio package with nine speakers, then provides safety gear ranging from eight air bags including curtain-style air bags tucked into the headliner to an anti-lock brake system (ABS).

Kia's midsize Sorento SUV has a five-door format with either two-wheel-drive (2WD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction and the 3.5-liter Hyundai V6 tied to an electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transmission. Sedona the minivan also totes that V6 and carves out a spacious cabin with three rows of seats for up to seven passengers. A smaller V6 works on a deluxe edition of Optima, Kia's midsize sedan. Optima's 2004 editions reveal a bold new grille on the prow and larger Michelin tires on the ground.

Subcompact Rio the sedan and a hatchback Cinco variation return for 2004 with enhancements, while Spectra, Kia's compact-class sedan, repeats from 2003 until fresh designs for a new generation emerge early in 2004.

Kia grows up in 2004 with the introduction of a flagship vehicle measuring up to large-car stature and laced with the trappings of a premium luxury car. The new Amanti sedan is derived from the XG350 by Hyundai, only the wheelbase has been stretched several inches and the length of the body projects for four inches longer.

The exterior of Amanti, drawing on styling points of classic luxury touring sedans from Europe, looks substantial with a bold front grille in chrome and flanking articulated headlamps. Profile reveals an arching roofline rolling at rear pillars down to a rounded trunk deck.

The cabin, in a five-seat layout with cushy front buckets, puts eight-way power controls on the driver's seat plus memory settings for two different drivers. Trim streaks of faux grained hardwood decorate the space with standard hardware for comfort installed like a dual-zone climate system, Infinity 270-watt stereo and remote buttons for climate and audio systems mounted on the steering wheel.

Under the hood, Amanti packs a dual-cam 3.5-liter V6 engine that develops 195 hp through a five-speed automatic transaxle with Kia's Sportmatic shift-it-yourself mode. The extensive list of standard features reaches to a sunroof, eight air bags including curtain-style air bags hidden above side windows and ABS. Kia also offers as an option for Amanti an electronic stability program (ESP) with traction control. (CONTINUED...)