[focusdchaos]

Kia's new flagship. 3.5L V6.

 

[OmniFocus]

The Koreans keep coming up with "handsome" designs, but there is just something about all of them that I don't like. I can't put my finger on it either... Almost like they are just TOO ornate.

 

[FocallyDistorted]

The new and totally redesigned Kia S-Type.

 

[focusdchaos]

 

[racerx]

Wow...someone liked the Lincoln Mark VIII interior.

[ 02-21-2003, 10:55 AM: Message edited by: racerx ]

 

[PGZX3]

*cough*ripoff*cough*

 

[Honkeytonk Monkey]

I really wish they would go more than 13" with the wheels.

 

[smedly1]

Throw in their killer warranty and you'll see these all over the place.With the exception of the rims,I like it

 

[Nacron]

what did they do to that car?!?! hhehe...jaws of life. Looks more like an older MB to me. (the front anyway)

 

[focusdchaos]

Originally posted by NacronSE:
what did they do to that car?!?! hhehe...jaws of life. Looks more like an older MB to me. (the front anyway)

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">They cut off the roof that pictures could be taken of the interior.

 

[SaxManZX3]

Reminded me of this too..............

 

[focusdchaos]

Click for bigger

From TCC.

Kia’s 2004 Amanti is the largest four-door ever offered by the upstart Korean brand, and Kia promises it will offer roominess, comfort and safety not found in other Kias. The shape of the four-door is influenced by Jaguar and Buick; inside its sweeping instrument panel has touches of woodgrain trim and chrome. Size-wise it stacks up against biggies like the Toyota Avalon and Chrysler Concorde. Electronic braking distribution, brake assist, traction control and electronic stability control all will be available. A 3.5-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve V-6 engine with 195 horsepower is mated to a five-speed automatic.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">

 

[racerx]

Amanti, huh? That way it's easily confused with both Avanti and Mazda's stillborn Amati luxury division.

 

[justinVa]

KIAs might be OK for the under $15K crowd but anyone stupid enough to buy a "luxury" KIA is wasting their money. Why buy this POS when for the same price one could buy a low end quality car (Toyota, Honda, etc.).

The Korean cars all have this cheap look about them, safety is never their priority and after about three years they look like total crap. KIA should have stuck with making Mazdas under license because at least then they weren't so badly designed.

 

[racerx]

Originally posted by justinVa:
KIAs might be OK for the under $15K crowd but anyone stupid enough to buy a "luxury" KIA is wasting their money. Why buy this POS when for the same price one could buy a low end quality car (Toyota, Honda, etc.).

The Korean cars all have this cheap look about them, safety is never their priority and after about three years they look like total crap. KIA should have stuck with making Mazdas under license because at least then they weren't so badly designed.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Exactly what people said about Honda and Toyota 30 years ago, and Kia certainly has a higher quality lineup than either of those did in their early years.

Edmunds Sedona review

Kia's Sedona minivan tops Honda Odyssey in vehicle satisfaction award

Your're probably one of those "SRT-4 is Just a Neon Guys," aren't ya?

 

[Fordowner]

KIA stands for ripoff other people's work.

It's one thing to respond to the competition or even copy. But these pieces of garbage subsidized by US Aid to Korea so that they can turn around and put US workers out of work tick me off because they look like someone just took two or three cars and copied them.

Guess they also save by not having to pay for a design studio, they just have to pay Kinkos.

 

[blueSVT2911]

What do you get when you put together a Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a Jaguar S-Type???

A friggin KIA

 

[Guest]

It doesn't have the elegant touch of Benz or Jag but KIA has become reliable after they merged with Hyundai.

So, it's not a bad choice.

=dRe=

 

[Honkeytonk Monkey]

There is nothing wrong with Kias. THier fit and finish, as well as thier reliability seems to be better than my Focus', which I find pretty good itself. I can't understand hatred of something just because you don't own it. It makes no sense at all and reminds me of when I was in grade 5 arguing that the NES was better than the Master System (it was) even though I never owned a master system.

 

[flat 4]

The new KIA SUV (Sorrento) in my opinion is a Damn fine looking SUV. From a style/price standpoint I would choose that vs. the Escape or any other small/mid sized SUV...Dependability after 3 years...well that is another story.
And what is up with a 3.5L V6 ONLY making 195 listed HP??? Hell, the Nissan 3.5L is well above 250 HP! I guess that will come with time and experience in making engines.
If there wasn't a KIA offering sub $12K cars, do you think that Saturns and Foci would offer cars at the way bottom end of the food chain? Companies like KIA keep the prices down for all of us.
I would not buy one today nor tommorow, but if they keep improving like the early Japanese car industry did, well one never knows the future do they?
Cheers.