What year Kia Amanti should I avoid?

The 2005 and 2006 model years are the ones to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 75, the two highest among all Amanti years covered.

Is there a best year for the Kia Amanti?

The 2007 Amanti is rated Good with a complaint index of 25, the lowest verdict-eligible score, but no year earns a Best rating.

What is the most common problem with the Kia Amanti?

Across all years, engine complaints are the largest category at 55 complaints, or 32 percent of the total, followed by electrical system issues at 19 percent.

Is the 2008 Kia Amanti reliable?

The 2008 Amanti is rated Caution, with a complaint index of 50 and its top problem area being the electrical system at a median failure mileage of 43,118.

Does the Kia Amanti have any recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns across the Amanti lineup, affecting the 2007, 2008, and 2009 model years, with none listed for 2005 or 2006.

Kia Amanti Best and Worst Years (2005–2009)

Avoid the 2005 and 2006 Kia Amanti, which lead the model with complaint indexes of 100 and 75 and heavy engine and transmission complaints. The 2007 is the only Good year (index 25), while 2008 is Caution and 2009 has too little data for a verdict.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2005 Avoid 2006

Model years: 5; 2005–2009
NHTSA complaints: 174
Recall campaigns: 2
Crashes reported: 14
Fires reported: 0
Top problem area: Engine

Amanti Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Kia Amanti problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2005	Avoid	100	83	5	0	Engine	18	—
2006	Avoid	75	47	6	0	Engine	18	—
2007	Good	25	15	0	2	Electrical System	19	—
2008	Caution	50	25	2	1	Electrical System	19	—
2009	No verdict	0	4	1	1	Engine	19	—

Amanti years to avoid: what went wrong

2005 Kia Amanti Index 100 · 83 complaints · 0 recalls

The 2005 Amanti has the highest complaint index of any year at 100, driven mostly by engine problems, which make up 42 percent of its complaints with a median failure mileage of 45,907. Owners describe sudden acceleration while braking, including incidents where the car surged forward and struck other vehicles or objects. Airbag complaints, 19 percent of the total, include reports of non-deployment during side-impact crashes at a median of 58,000 miles. Transmission and powertrain issues added another 14 percent. NHTSA lists no recalls for this year, so these reported problems were not addressed through a recall campaign.

2005 engine problems →2005 airbags problems →

2006 Kia Amanti Index 75 · 47 complaints · 0 recalls

The 2006 Amanti carries a complaint index of 75, the second-highest for the model. Engine complaints account for 30 percent of reports, with a median failure mileage of 35,500, and owners describe hesitation followed by sudden unexpected acceleration. Transmission and powertrain complaints follow at 28 percent, including reports of the car lurching forward when shifted into reverse and failing to respond to braking. Fuel system complaints appeared at a median of just 7,782 miles. No recalls were issued for this model year despite the pattern of acceleration-related complaints.

Most common Kia Amanti problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Engine55 (32%)
Electrical System33 (19%)
Transmission & Powertrain29 (17%)
Airbags28 (16%)
Other19 (11%)
Fuel System15 (9%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires15 (9%)
Brakes12 (7%)
Structure & Body7 (4%)
Visibility & Wipers6 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

Frequently asked questions

What year Kia Amanti should I avoid?: The 2005 and 2006 model years are the ones to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 75, the two highest among all Amanti years covered.
Is there a best year for the Kia Amanti?: The 2007 Amanti is rated Good with a complaint index of 25, the lowest verdict-eligible score, but no year earns a Best rating.
What is the most common problem with the Kia Amanti?: Across all years, engine complaints are the largest category at 55 complaints, or 32 percent of the total, followed by electrical system issues at 19 percent.
Is the 2008 Kia Amanti reliable?: The 2008 Amanti is rated Caution, with a complaint index of 50 and its top problem area being the electrical system at a median failure mileage of 43,118.
Does the Kia Amanti have any recalls?: NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns across the Amanti lineup, affecting the 2007, 2008, and 2009 model years, with none listed for 2005 or 2006.