Kia continues to expand its brand, offering a large luxury sedan for 2015. The K900 is the “next logical step,” according to the South Korean auto manufacturer.
What’s so logical about this move? Kia keeps expanding upward, moving from the Optima, to the Sorento, and recently the Cadenza, an upscale sedan that’s a favorite here.
The K900 gets an endorsement here as well. It’s a serious option when considering a luxury sedan. And the appeal is a serious cost-saving one as well. The K900 provides real value when stacked up against the top luxury European. Who doesn’t like saving $10,000 to $20,000? The K900 costs just under $60,000.
But name brand and the status that comes with buying K900 rivals – Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes S-Class – remains an obstacle with Kia, which still lacks true respectability among many car shoppers.
Many car experts believe that the K900 isn’t quite top-of-the-line like the aforementioned group. The ride is good – but not great. It doesn’t provide the overall driving acumen of the European brands for several reasons. The interior quality comes up a bit short, all-wheel drive is not an option, braking isn’t as responsive, and the infotainment controls are lacking a bit as well.
Despite the minor deficiencies, this is still one great sedan that possesses a touch of exterior elegance that will appeal to both men and women.
Besides being its first luxury sedan, there are a lot of firsts that come with this Kia. The K900 is the first Kia with a V-8 engine, the first rear-wheel drive sedan, and the first to employ both and pre-collision and rear cross-traffic alert warning systems.
2015 Kia K900
- Performance: 3.8-liter, V6, 311 horsepower; 5.0-liter, V8, 420 horsepower
- Mileage estimate:18-27 mpg; 15-23 mph
- Estimated price: $59,500
- Warranty: 5years/36,000 miles; drivetrain: 10 years/100,000 miles; roadside assistance: 5 years/60,000; corrosion: 5 years/100,000
Like all luxury brands, the K900 comes loaded with numerous standard features. They include: adaptive xenon headlights; LED foglights; power-folding and auto-dimming mirrors; front and rear parking sensors; front and rearview cameras; emergency assistance and teen-oriented monitoring features; tri-zone automatic climate control; leather upholstery; eight-way power front seats (with driver four-way power lumbar); driver memory settings; heated and ventilated front seats; heated rear outboard seats; a ski pass-through opening; power rear sunshade; Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity; 9.2-inch display screen; front and rearview cameras; 17-speaker Lexicon surround-sound audio system with a CD player, iPod/USB interface, satellite and HD radio.
The rear-wheel drive K900 comes with two engine choices. If you’re looking for top-tier performance, go with the 5.0-liter, V8 that produces 420 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. This optional model accelerates from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, which makes it quite the fun car in any driving situation.
The standard K900 has a 3.8-liter, V6 with 311 horsepower and 293 lb-ft of torque. The V6 gets better gas mileage (18-27 mpg) than the V8 (15-23 mpg).
The K900 has an interior design that is well thought out and features a sizable 9.2-inch multifunction display that’s mounted in the middle of the dashboard. The cabin is extremely roomy up front and offers plenty of comfort in the back seat as well. The K900 has a cargo capacity of 15.9 cubic feet.
If your ego doesn’t require a European brand to make you happy, the K900 should definitely be considered. The savings are enormous with this luxury sedan that comes up only slightly short of the refinement offered by its notable rivals.
