Amanti
In April’s New York International Auto Show, Kia Motors America (KMA) pulled the wraps off the 2004 Amanti, an all-new sedan that will provide a level of room, comfort, quality and safety never before offered by a Kia vehicle. Amanti will be the newest addition to the growing Kia product range and the most recent fulfillment of the company’s plans to reach out to a larger number of American consumers.

The Amanti is no cookie-cutter car. It is a sedan that makes a bold statement-- from its classically inspired grille to its limousine-like roofline. The interior design for the Amanti builds on the car’s striking exterior. Step inside and you’ll notice the same flowing lines that characterize the exterior of the vehicle. The wood-grain finish on the doors, center fascia and console gives the interior a sophisticated look and feel.

The elegant interior design is complemented by a full range of comfort and convenience features. The thoughtfully designed instrument panel incorporates easy-to-read analogue gauges for clear legibility both day and night. The Amanti’s fully automatic climate control system offers “set and forget” temperature settings with dual temperature controls for each side of the passenger compartment.

One of the biggest stories about the Amanti is its unprecedented level of safety for a vehicle in its class. In both active and passive safety, the Amanti will be a leader in offering safety equipment in its segment. On the active safety front, the Amanti features an anti-lock braking system supplemented by a range of electronic systems that ensure the driver maintains complete control of the vehicle even when stopping in difficult conditions. ABS is standard equipment, but that’s just the beginning. Electronic braking distribution, brake assist, traction control and electronic stability control will be available as well.

In passive safety Amanti is equally impressive. A full array of eight airbags is available. Driver and front-passenger airbags are complemented with front and rear seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. The supplemental restraints in the front are “smart” airbags controlled by sensors that gauge the severity of a frontal impact before deployment. This ensures that the airbags are not triggered by low-impact collisions like those that typically take place in parking lots.

These smart airbags are also linked to seatbelt buckle sensors, which allow the passive safety systems to respond to a collision in different manners depending on whether passengers are wearing seatbelts or not. Side-airbags are installed in the front and rear seats to provide added protection in the event of a side impact, and full-length side curtain airbags deploy for head protection. The Amanti also uses active front headrests that move forward and up in a rear collision to further enhance head protection.

Rounding out the Amanti’s overall safety story, the sedan’s unibody is computer-designed to minimize deformation of the passenger compartment in the event of a collision. Crumple zones at the front and rear absorb and disperse collision forces, while side-impact bars and reinforced pillars enhance passenger protection in the event of a side collision.

The front wheel-drive Amanti is motivated by a refined 3.5-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve V6 engine. The powerplant puts out 195 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 217 ft-lbs of torque at a class-leading 3,500 rpm. Amanti’s powertrain includes a best-in-class five-speed automatic transmission, which incorporates a sequential manual mode to provide the driver with a choice between pure automatic shifts or the control of manual gear selection.

The Amanti’s remarkable ride comfort begins with an independent double wishbone front suspension with coil springs and a stabilizer bar. The double wishbone system offers many advantages, including optimum tire grip, improved traction and excellent camber control with the lower wishbone arm particularly good for enhancing lateral rigidity and reducing road noise.

At the rear, the Amanti rides on an independent multi-link suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar. This combination gives the Amanti maximum agility, predictable steering and handling behaviour during cornering and excellent directional stability. Gas-filled shock absorbers are standard equipment, providing consistent damping to absorb anything from small imperfections to large bumps.

Amanti’s ideal blend of size, comfort, interior room, distinctive styling, long list of convenience features and comprehensive active and passive safety systems will make it a formidable competitor in its segment. By following the Kia formula that has made the company one of the fastest-growing brands in U.S. history, Amanti will take the key ingredients of value, quality and safety to an entirely new group of consumers. Add in the peace of mind of a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty, and few would argue that Kia’s new Amanti sedan will be a significant new presence in the market.

Sorento
For 2004, the mid-size Sorento SUV, a certified hit in its debut year, returns with few changes. The five-passenger Sorento, which recently won top awards from the New England Motor Press Association, Northwest Automotive Press Association Auto Pacific, MotorWeek and Strategic Vision, offers power, utility and style that set a new standard in the mid-size segment. Some changes for 2004 include:

• Availability of 5-speed manual transmission
• Availability of “Sport Package” that will include 5-speed manual transmission, side step bars, Michelin tires, alloy wheels, roof rack, leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless remote locking, LX trim on two- and four-wheel-drive models
• Metallic interior accents replacing wood grain
• New design of keyless remote unit
• New two-tone gray interior color

Optima
The Optima starts the 2004 model year with a new, horizontal-motif grille and gains a new, larger wheel-and-tire package to make it even more desirable in the hotly competitive mid-size sedan market. The key changes:

• Fresh, new front grille with Kia badge
• 205/55R16 Michelin tires standard on LX V6 and EX V6
• New 16-inch alloy wheel design
• In-glass antenna replaces power antenna on EX
• In-glass antenna available on LX trim with AM/FM/Cassette/CD audio system
• SE trim level becomes EX trim level

Sedona
After becoming a mainstay of the Kia line with class-leading 5-Star safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Sedona returns with minor changes for 2004. They are:

• New front grille with larger Kia logo
• New alloy wheel design for EX trim
• New wheel cover design for LX trim
• Center tray table with handy cupholders, which was previously standard on EX trim Sedonas, is now standard on LX trim as well, giving the Sedona 10 cupholders
• New interior fabrics, patterns and key holders

Rio
As one of the top small-sedan values in the country the Kia Rio, and the Rio Cinco five-door sport wagon, receive minor changes of the 2004 model year. Among them:

• Alloy wheels standard on all Cinco models
• Body-color rear garnish on all Cinco models
• Body-color fog light blanks
• Lumbar support added to driver’s seat in all models
• Color door pull/switchplate on door panels
• New rubber pad in rear storage bin of center console
• New screw cover on door handle escutcheon

Spectra
The 2004 Kia Spectra, one of the best-value compact sedans on the market, will enter the new model year with virtually no changes. It will be replaced by a completely new Spectra after the first of the year. The key (and only) change is:

• Tachometer added as standard on base 4-door model.

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