Kia out of South Korea constructs value-priced vehicles in a diverse line extending from economical small cars like Rio to premium luxury sedans such as Amanti, plus multiple wagons including Sedona the minivan and sport-utility vehicles with Sorento and Sportage. Look for a new generation of designs for Rio and Sedona coming to Kia's 2006 collection.

Stretching long and looking elegant with sculptured styling drawn from classic luxury touring sedans from Europe, Amanti measures up to large-car status and carries trappings of a premium luxury model. The cabin, in a five-seat layout with cushy front buckets, increases the standard luxury content on 2006 models with soft leather upholstery and heat elements in front buckets, a sunroof and auto-dimming rearview mirror. An optional new Infinity package adds a deluxe audio system with CD changer for six discs plus Infinity speakers including subwoofer.

Under the hood, Amanti totes a dual-cam 3.5-liter V6 that pushes 200 hp. All power moves through a five-speed automatic transaxle with manual shift control (MSC) mode. Kia provides significant safety equipment, including air bags up front, on the side for all outboard seats as well as in the ceiling as curtain-style air bags above side windows.

Kia's mid-size SUV presents distinctive styling for the package, a comfortable cabin with seats for five and elegant trim elements, plus smooth-riding suspension components with two-wheel-drive (2WD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction and a V6 powertrain. Sorento's cabin holds a front row of twin bucket seats followed by a bench split 60/40 with seats that flip forward and seatbacks that fold down to expand the cargo bay.

Power flows from a 3.5-liter V6 which musters 195 hp and connects to a five-speed manual shifter or five-speed electronically controlled automatic. Both versions are available in trims labeled LX and deluxe EX. New alloy wheels mount on all LX models for 2006, and the EX lists an optional sport package with step bars fixed below side doors, a roof rack, blacked-out headlamps and deluxe audio gear.

Kia's minivan grows up with 2006 issues constructed on a stiff new platform featuring a longer wheelbase and wider track. The larger platform results in a passenger compartment with 15 percent more space for passengers and cargo. With seats for seven, the cabin of Sedona houses front bucket seats, flip-and-fold second-row seats and a back bench that folds flat into the floor.

Kia laces Sedona with noteworthy standard safety features, including six air bags (frontal and seat-mounted side air bags up front and curtain-style air bags for outboard seats on all three rows), a four-channel anti-lock brake system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and optional electronic stability program (ESP). A forceful new engine motivates Sedona. The dual-cam 3.8-liter V6 nets more than 240 hp and mates exclusively with a five-speed Sportmatic automatic transmission. Two trims-- LX and EX -- layer extra equipment for convenience. (CONTINUED...)