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The Amanti can be considered a modern interpretation of the Ford Crown
Victoria and the Mercury Grand Marquis. Like those cars, it has a very soft
ride and quite sloppy handling, though its newer platform and the increased
space efficiency of its front-wheel-drive construction give it as much
interior room from a much smaller exterior, and better-shaped and
better-padded seats allow for much more comfort. And the interior is also of
excellent quality, and has clear ergonomics. And the price is much lower. But
the Amanti’s handling is at a level of queasiness unknown even to the outsized
and outdated Ford Throwbacks, and fuel economy is just as poor, both
consequences of a surprising weight. But for its roomy, comfortable, and
high-quality interior, and for its low price, the Amanti merits consideration
from more than the Crown/Marquis crowd.
The Amanti has very soft
suspension tuning that absorbs road imperfections very well but lacks control;
particularly at high speeds, a bump can set it into a rather extensive period
of buoyant motions before it can regain composure. While some may actually
prefer that sort of floaty ride, the corresponding handling response is much
less subjective. The car feels clumsy, with pronounced body roll even in
routine driving, as if the car is always asking to be driven more gently. The
steering is numb and, in some situations, almost disconcertingly slow to
respond. The car’s remarkably substantial weight prevents the 3.5-liter V6
from delivering rapid acceleration, but the car never sounds or feels
strained. Engine, wind, and road noise are superbly suppressed for this price
range. Gas mileage ties with the V8 Chrysler and Ford products at the bottom
of this group.
Inside, the Amanti’s
front seats are high, well-shaped, and supportive, though perhaps firmer than
some may prefer. There is plenty of leg and head space, and the seats are
wide. No front bench seat is offered. The rear is high, well-shaped,
supportive, and very comfortable, and here as well head and leg space are
plentiful. Feet fit comfortably under the front seats, and even
middle-position occupants will be fairly comfortable.
 The interior is of excellent
quality, the high-quality materials fit together very well. The instruments
are logically placed and easy to use, and the gauges are very clear. Drivers
sit comfortably despite the lack of either a telescoping steering wheel or
power-adjustable pedals, and have unimpeded visibility. Wide, well-shaped door
openings, large footwells, and the high roof facilitate entry/exit. The trunk
isn’t very large, and while it is usefully shaped and easy to access, the rear
seats cannot fold to increase capacity.
The Amanti was rated
Good in its IIHS offset crash test, and its head restraints were Acceptable.
The IIHS has not conducted its side-impact evaluation on the car, and NHTSA
has no crash-tested it at all.
The Amanti reviewed here
came in at an impressively low $27,300, very well-equipped. It has no
satellite radio, but heated power leather seats with memory, traction and
stability control,
front-seat
torso-protecting side airbags and curtain-style head-protecting side airbags
for front and rear occupants, a 6-disc CD changer with cassette, and active
head restraints.
Overall, the Amanti
offers as much luxury as any other car in this class, for a price that
undercuts any other contender for such a title. But the car’s sloppy ride and
handling, poor fuel economy, and relative lack of power and trunk space weigh
against its many merits in this group. It’s certainly worth a look for its
luxury for the money, offering its comfort and refinement at mainstream family
sedan prices, and excellent deals can be had on leftover 2005-model Amantis,
of which many dealers still have a surplus. But it is not the well-rounded
package it would need to be to score higher here.
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