Yahoo Finance 2019 Kia K900: It's Back and Better-Looking
What It Is: Kia’s large flagship sedan, the second-generation K900. The white car was spotted during a commercial shoot in San Diego and snapped by a loyal Car and Driver reader. Meanwhile, Kia released its first two official pictures of the new model, a home-market version of the K900, seen in black.
Why It Matters: It doesn’t, much, in terms of sales volumes. Sedans of all stripes are losing sales to crossovers, and Kia sent only a few hundred units of the K900 to the United States last year in a vain attempt to compete against established $60,000 luxury cars and its own parent company’s Genesis G90, which didn’t receive that much more attention. Rather than follow up with another forgettable design, Kia brought its California studio into the styling mix this time, and the result is quite handsome, although the rear end is so similar to a Mercedes-Benz’s that it looks like it could bolt right onto an S-class. The interior sports an analog clock by fancy Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix, and the LED mood lighting glows in different colors. The new K900 appears more substantial and upscale from every angle.
Platform: The new car shares its bones with the G90—a competent chassis by any measure—and thus should offer improved performance and a more premium experience. According to Kia, the wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than the outgoing K900 and 2.2 inches shorter than the G90. We hope the new car also will be better to drive; the current K900 is a soggy piece that pales against similarly priced establishment players.
Powertrain: Expect the new K900 to come with the G90’s two engines, a twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 with 365 horsepower and a 5.0-liter V-8 boasting 420 ponies. Kia’s 3.8-liter V-6, currently producing 311 horsepower, may return with slightly more power. An eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive will be standard, while an AWD badge on the white car’s front fenders shows that four driven wheels will be an option, too.
Competition: Acura RLX, Cadillac CT6, Genesis G90, Lincoln Continental.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The K900 will make its debut at the New York auto show and should arrive at Kia dealers in late 2018. Base prices will start below $60,000 and reach up to more than $70,000 for the V-8 model, but the Kia will still be cheaper than a similarly equipped G90.
