Save for the grille, it looks right at home at any country club or outside any five-star eatery. No apologies are necessary for the interior. Quite the contrary, as that's easily the Amanti's top bragging point.

With the Amanti, Kia has removed any remnants of an econo-class stigma from South Korea's carmakers and tendered an impressive opening gambit in a class heretofore the exclusive property of the U.S. and major Japan brands.