2006 Kia Amanti

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

69/100

Be careful

AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Kia Amanti, and it carries no recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Power train	10	21%
Vehicle speed control	6	13%
Air bags	4	9%
Suspension	3	6%
Exterior lighting	2	4%
Power train	2	4%
Seats	2	4%
Fuel/propulsion system	1	2%
Electrical system	1	2%
Unknown or other	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

THIS KIA AMANTE IS A 2006. I HAVE 132633 MILES ON IT. LAST MONTH, I GOT AN "AIR BAG" LIGHT ON THE DASH. I TOOK IT IN TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP, THEY CHARGED ME $100 TO TELL ME THE THE AIR BAG IS NO LONGER OPERABLE.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

PULLED OUT OF A PARTING LOT ONTO A STREET. TRIED TO ACCELERATE TO INCREASE SPEED BUT NOTHING HAPPENED...THEN JERKS INTO MOTION. DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH ONCOMING CARS
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system

AIR BAGS NOT FUNCTIONAL STATIONARY AND/OR IN MOTION ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC CONTROLS WOULD NOT LOCK/UNLOCK AUTO DOORS WHILE STATIONARY OR MOVING RADIO PUSH BUTTONS NOT FUNCTIONAL LEAVING IT UNUSABLE AT ALL TIMES
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

3 DIFFERENT TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WITH THE ENGINE ON AND THE A/C WAS ON. THEN I WOULD PUT IT IN DRIVE AND AFTER ABOUT 1-15 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE CAR LOST POWER, AND WHEN YOU PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE ENGI
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

WHEN PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL AFTER STOPPING FOR A LIGHT, ENGINE IS SLUGGISH AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HAD IT IN THE REPAIR SHOP SEVERAL TIMES, CLEANING THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SWITCH CONTACTS, A
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DIAGNOSED AS THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. CAR RAN SLUGGISHLY FOR A SHORT WHILE, THEN THAT STOPPED, LIGHT WENT OFF. TODAY, LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. BACKING OUT OF A PARKING STALL IN A MALL, THE EN
NHTSA complaint: Electronic stability control (esc)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA AMANTI. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STATIONARY POSITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 10 MPH. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR ONCE THE VEHICLE WARMED
NHTSA complaint: Power train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA AMANTI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED TH
NHTSA complaint: Engine

The seven scores

Reliability raw	82	excellent
Longevity est.	80	excellent
Maintenance	76	good
Depreciation	57	average
Performance	57	average
Efficiency	35	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 47% of midsize & large cars
Longevity: better than 70% of midsize & large cars
Running costs: better than 54% of midsize & large cars
Value retention: better than 36% of midsize & large cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 82: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 80: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2006 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 76: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2006 Kia Amanti?

Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 10 of them (21%). No recalls are on record for it.

Is the 2006 Kia Amanti reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2006 Kia Amanti last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2006 Kia Amanti?

AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 69/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.