At under $10,000, the Kia Rio is the cheapest car on the market. For that reason, I’ve always though of Kia as the “vehicle of last resort.” Since our readership demographics don’t lend themselves to that, I’ve not bothered too much with either driving or reviewing them. However, when the Kia Sorento won not only its price class, besting vehicles from Honda and Toyota, but the best overall SUV value as well at Mudfest, the Northwest Automotive Press Association’s SUV of the Year competition in 2003, it made me take notice.

However, what has really made me sit up and pay attention is the new 2004 Kia Amanti. At consumer clinics with no nameplates visible, Kia’s new, full-size sedan was so well received that many people thought it was European, terming it “elegant” according to Kia officials.

I understand why. The full-size Amanti that reminded me of European and Japanese luxury cars in more ways than one.

Walkaround: Front styling on the Amanti features four elliptical headlamps similar to previous versions of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Jaguar S-Type. It’s long and low-slung, with a front grille style akin to the new Chrysler 300 and a roofline comparable to a Lincoln.

The Amanti also has many standard features that are either options on the competition or not offered at all. For example, the Accord and Avalon’s base wheels and tires are only 15 inches in diameter compared to the standard 16’s on the Amanti, while power front seats, floor mats, wood-look trim and keyless remote entry that are standard in the Amanti are all options on the base 2004 Toyota Avalon XL. The Amanti also is longer, wider, and taller than the Avalon.

Interior: The very first thing I noticed was seat illustration for the power seat adjustments, which are mounted on the Amanti’s front doors — it looks and is mounted exactly like the one in a Mercedes. The second thing I noticed was the chrome door strikers — a small touch that’s usually only found on luxury cars like Lexus.

The analog instrumentation is easy to read and virtually every button and control inside the Amanti is illuminated at night when the headlights are on — including the steering wheel mounted controls. But the steering wheel only tilts up and down, it doesn’t telescope.

The front seats are wide, comfortable, rich looking and adjust every way you can imagine. Although leather-seating surfaces are optional, there was no obvious leather smell in my test car.

The Amanti’s rear seat is roomy enough for two adults, with plenty of space for a third, although the middle person has a small hump in the floor to deal with. The Amanti offers more front and rear headroom, and more front legroom, than the Avalon. Although the Accord has a touch more front and rear headroom it tops the Accord in front and rear leg and shoulder room. The Avalon’s 40.1 inches of rear-seat legroom bests the Amanti’s 37.2. The Avalon’s 15.9-cubic-foot trunk is marginally bigger than the 15.5-cubic-foot trunk of the Amanti, which tops the Accord’s 14-cubic-footer.

I found the rear door windows surprisingly large, offering good views out.

Under the Hood: Kia and Hyundai are owned by the same South Korean company, so it’s not news the Amanti is based on an evolved version of the platform used in Hyundai’s large car, the front-wheel drive XG350, and use the same 3.5-liter, double overhead cam V6 and five-speed automatic.

The Amanti’s V6 generates 200 horses and 220 foot-pounds at 3500 rpm compared to 194 horses and 216 foot-pounds at 3500 rpm in the XG350 and 210 horses and 220 foot-pounds of torque at 4400 rpm in the 3-liter V6 in the Avalon.

The Amanti also uses a drive-by-wire electronic throttle, which means there’s no mechanical link between gas pedal and engine. Even though company officials claim this is the most technologically advanced Kia ever, the Amanti engine doesn’t have variable valve timing, which other automakers use to improve fuel economy — an area Kia continues to lag other manufacturers. The Amanti is rated at 17city and 25 highway, while the Avalon (which offers variable valve timing) is pegged at 21 and29.

 Behind the Wheel: I found the ride to be quieter than the Avalon or Accord, with just a bit of wind noise at highway speed. It’s comfortable but not exactly sporty, and it minimizes bumps to such an extent ithe ride might be called plush — but without that floaty feel. That’s because underneath, the Amanti offers independent double wishbone and coil springs up front and independent multi-link suspension in the rear. It tracks well through curves and feels connected to the road with power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering that adjusts according to vehicle speed. But it has a mostly mainstream feel that doesn’t necessarily respond in a quick reaction fashion.

My test car moved well in traffic, with engine noise only noticeable under hard acceleration. It shifted smoothly between gears, but I wished for a bit quicker automatic kick-down to a lower gear at times.

The Amanti’s stylish good looks also attracted considerable attention, even from younger people asking what it was.

Etc… With a starting sticker price just under $25,000 (Our fully-loaded test car stickered at just over $28,000), the Kia Amanti isn’t necessarily gunning for the big luxury names, but more at folks looking for a big, V6-powered sedan at a mainstream price, such as the 2004 Toyota Avalon, which starts around $26,000, and buyers of imports like the Honda Accord V6 sedan, who might desire a bigger four door than the mid-size Accord which starts at just over $23,000.

Whines: Some upscale features such as a navigation system, tire pressure monitor, reverse park assist and true, premium sound aren’t offered in the Amanti.

 Bottom Line: Don’t let Kia’s reputation as the lowest-priced new car in America influence you. It’s being advertised in the Wall Street Journal, which is better known for its Jaguar and Mercedes car ads. The Amanti, is Kia’s newest largest and priciest car ever — and easily, it’s most impressive. It also comes with a 10-year/100,000 mile warranty.

Frankly, the more I drove this car the more impressed I became with it. It’s worth your time to check it out.