The Amanti is Kia’s toe into the premium sedan segment, and that might seem a strange place for a company whose products have generally been devoted to price-conscious, entry-level buyers. The Amanti is part of Kia’s expanding model line that now includes the Sorento SUV and Sedona minivan.

Amanti, whose retail price starts at $24,995, puts Kia directly in competition with cars such as the Toyota Avalon, Buick LeSabre and Chrysler Concorde. With leather, sunroof, heated seats, Infinity six-disc CD player, traction control, vehicle stability program and anti-lock brakes, the sticker price is $28,290. A 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty is exceptional.

The Amanti is based on a slightly larger version of the platform used for the Hyundai XG 350. Its wheelbase is 110.2 inches, whereas the XG 350’s is 108.3. Amanti arrives as South Korean automaker Kia celebrates its 10th year of selling cars in this country. In 1998, Hyundai, also of South Korea, bought the controlling interest in Kia.

Kia says the Amanti’s design reflects a “neo-classical” look inspired by European design. The twin headlight front end seems to borrow from a Jaguar or Mercedes-Benz, while the curve of the rear roof bears a marked resemblance to a Lincoln Town Car or Jaguar S-Type. The large grille opening is, to me, one of the car’s least elegant features. The taillights are quite handsome.

Like many of its target competitors, the Amanti’s ride is soft and the electronically assisted power steering is rather light. The suspension has double wishbones in front and a multi-link axle in back. The soft ride means more body roll in turns and a slightly floaty feeling on the highway. I would prefer a slightly firmer ride and steering with a bit more feel.

As I slid inside, however, I was impressed with the overall appearance of the interior. The woodgrain trim and leather textures are outstanding, even if the wood isn’t real. It looks so convincing that it takes a sharp eye to detect the difference.

Because it has fully automatic climate control, heated seats and fingertip controls on the steering wheel, the Amanti compares favorably with other cars in the premium segment.

For me, the seats were a little too flat, or lacking in lateral padding, but they were pretty comfortable otherwise. Back-seat legroom, although slightly less than a Buick LeSabre or Toyota Avalon, is more than adequate for adults. Back-seat headroom is quite good.

Wind and road noise are well controlled, making the Amanti surprisingly quiet in most any environment.

Designers gave the interior usable storage. The front doors have hard-sided compartments, the center armrest is good-sized and cup holders in the center console are designed to accommodate two sizes. The center armrest in the back seat has pull-out cup holders.

A 200-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 and a five-speed automatic transmission borrowed from the Hyundai XG 350 provide more than adequate performance. This 24-valve engine is mounted transversely and drives the front wheels. The automatic transmission can be shifted manually by moving the gear lever into a separate slot.

Anti-lock brakes, traction control and a vehicle stability system that integrates both provide excellent stability in snowy weather.