Kia Amanti – 2007 Preview: This is a car without a home. Too luxurious to be another midsize mainstream sedan, too low-brow to be called a premium, the Amanti wanders the corridors of automobilia, searching for a segment so that car buyers will see what it offers, pay attention and take a test drive. And while that may not have been enough to sway a shopper driving the 2006 model, this latest model offers significant improvements throughout the vehicle that may make it more than a match for the likes of the Chrysler 300 or Nissan Maxima. Combined with the Hyundai Azera, it looks like the pseudo-luxury segment is getting itself some new and very serious players.

Discerning car shoppers virtually always demand a level of performance that's a cut above the mainstream. That's why Kia upped the muscle of its Amanti, with a new 3.8-liter V6 engine that delivers 264 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. According to Kia, that's a 32-percent increase in power over the 2006 model. The new engine is coupled with a five-speed automatic Sportmatic transmission and sits in a car that's 251 lbs. lighter than the previous model and rides on a comfort-modified suspension. Additional improvements include 17-inch wheels available in chrome paint and a long litany of safety features, including eight airbags.

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