The 2019 Kia K900 has been on sale in the US since 2014.
In that time, Kia has managed to sell just 5,900 units. It hasn’t been a huge seller, but that hasn’t stopped Kia from improving the model. Kia just redesigned the K900 for its second generation, introducing a new platform with some familiar components under the hood. Kia invited us to Napa Valley, California to see how their large luxury sedan has evolved for this generation. I can tell you already, the K900 surprised me on a number of levels.
Styling
Most significant among the changes in the 2019 Kia K900 is its new face. Right away, you notice the new headlights. The grille has gotten larger and is more squared-off. Meanwhile, the headlights have gotten smaller. They feature a ‘duplex’ design with two distinct LED daytime running lights. The new K900 is slightly longer, both in overall length and wheelbase. However, Kia has used that length to give the 2019 K900 shorter overhangs and a longer hood.
Styling is always subjective, tell us what you think of Kia’s latest efforts in the comments below. To me, the 2019 Kia K900 is quite handsome. Its road presence exudes luxury and class without coming off as pretentious.
Performance
The 2019 Kia K900 comes with just one powertrain here in the US. The 5.0-liter V8 is no more in this model. Instead, we get a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. In fact, this is the same V6 that comes in the Kia Stinger. Power is sent to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. This setup can waft the 4,650 pound K900 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, according to Kia.
As we concluded in our Hot or Not test, the Stinger is an awesome car to drive. The K900 only gets better due to the fact that it uses the same powerplant. Naturally, given its stature, the 2019 Kia K900 is not quite as fast as the Stinger. Actually, it’s about a second slower to 60. That being said, the power is always available when you need it.
Ride & Handling
As a large luxury sedan, the 2019 Kia K900 needs to have a nice ride. As a modern car, however, it also needs to handle well when the road gets curvy. The K900 features Kia’s adaptive damping system with three ride comfort settings: Comfort, Comfort + and Sport. Comfort is the default setting, while Sport or Comfort + soften or stiffen the ride, depending on what sort of driving you want to do.
Do the drive modes in the 2019 Kia K900 actually work? Yes, they actually work quite well. The ride is exceptionally comfortable when you want it to be. When the road gets curvy, Sport mode can make the K900 a very fun car to drive. Although, there is no amount of adaptive damping that can hide its 4,650 pound curb weight.
Utility
A large luxury sedan’s utility ought to be measured by its ability to comfortably carry people in any seat. The K900’s extra length makes for a large cabin with tons of space. The rear seats have ample legroom. With my 6-foot-2 self in the driver’s seat, there is still plenty of space for myself as a passenger in the rear. Kia says there is 36.6 inches of legroom in the rear.
Moving to the trunk, there was enough room to hold two medium suitcases as well as two camera bags with space to spare. However, official cargo capacity measurements are not available at this time.
Competition, Pricing and Fuel Economy
The 2019 Kia K900 has an interesting competitive landscape. It competes in a crowded luxury field including the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Lexus GS, Cadillac CTS & XTS, Volvo S90, and the Lincoln Continental.
While the K900 is physically larger than those cars, on price basis the smaller group yields a more fair comparison. In this competitive segment, the K900 offers a remarkable value proposition. Starting price for the base Luxury trim is $59,900. Stepping up to the VIP trim doesn’t cost that much more, starting at $63,900. To clarify, these prices are official estimates from Kia, but not the final pricing. Kia will announce that at a later date.
According to official EPA figures, the 2019 Kia K900 scores 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. That averages out to a combined rating of 21 mpg. In our day of driving, we managed about 19 mpg. However, that was mostly on twisty backroads and not highway driving.
Considering the weight and power you get from the K900, this rating seems reasonable, though it is no Prius.
Value
The value in the 2019 Kia K900 comes largely from the amount of standard equipment. That includes a suite of driver assistance features. You get a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, safe exit warning, lane keep assist, and a blind spot camera (that displays on the digital gauge cluster). A heads-up display is available as an option. The VIP package gets you a digital instrument cluster, plus powered rear seats that are 12-way adjustable on the driver’s side, and 14-way adjustable on the passenger side.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All seats in the 2019 Kia K900 are heated and ventilated, plus you get a 17-speaker sound system as well as ambient lighting in your choice of 64 colors.
Overall
The 2019 Kia K900 is seriously luxurious, relatively inexpensive, comfortable and fun to drive. The major detractor to most buyers is the thought of paying $64,000 for a Kia. However, for everything this model includes, it’s worth looking past the badge. It is genuinely good in nearly all aspects.
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