Modern and elegant, the
2016 Kia K900 signals a new era for Kia. The K900 advances the brand to new levels of sophistications. When it arrived for test driving, two functions for your reviewers dictated what this car was about. It was about luxury in the full-size sedan market. This is the market dominated primarily by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus, Audi, Cadillac and Infiniti.
The two functions were a power sunshade for the rear window plus power for each of the two split rear seats. Rear seat occupants can power the splits into a reclining position for sleeping or more comfortable resting positions.
Other dead giveaways that this car was designed to compete with the orthodox luxury sedan legends were Napa leather trim, wood accents, perforated front and rear seats for heating and cooling purposes, plush floor mats, lighted and badged sills, a 900-watt speaker system with 17 speakers, power trunk lid plus a panoramic sunroof. That power tilt and slide full-length panoramic sunroof also comes with power shades.
Napa is a tanned and dyed soft leather usually made from unblemished calf or lamb skin.
For good measure the expected luxury feature includes dual occupant memory system for driver's seat, steering wheel, outside mirrors, climate control and audio system. Not bad.
Also standard are a heated steering wheel, hard drive navigation system with up-to-date weather and traffic, rear reading lights, power remote vent controls for climate settings in front and rear seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers, satellite as well as AM-FM high definition radio, USB port, iPod interface and a port for other compatible devices. Navigation is standard in the latest Kia version of a UVO infotainment system.
Four power windows (express), a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, power and heated exterior mirrors and door locks are standard. The rear center armrest can fold for a pass-through to the 15.9-cubic-foot trunk.
The windshield wipers sense not only rain, but humidity as well. Thus, if the windshield begins to sweat, the wipers clean the glass automatically.
At first glance, the K900 is designed to leave an indelible impression. The long wheelbase swept rake of the greenhouse, subdued cut lines along the doors and high rear deck lid lends a muscular tension to the sheet metal.
With 16 LED bulbs providing powerful, natural light for enhanced luminosity, the beams, which adjust to follow the bends in the road, shimmer beneath crystal clear lenses that pull back deeply into the front fenders. Soft-glow LEDs frame the multi-faceted headlights.
K900 pricing in 2016 ranges from $49,000 to roughly $62,000. A new V6 engine was introduced this year to inspire K900 sales, which were anemic in 2015 at 2,524. The unofficial main competitors that Kia is taking aim at are the BMW 5-Series, Audi A7, Lexus LS and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Sales in 2015 for the 5-Series totaled 44,162. For the LS the total was 8,409 and for the E-Class it was 49,736. The Audi came in at 7,721.
Kia's K900 has the full-size sedan luxury features of those luxury brands but is priced thousands of dollars less, probably close to $15,000 less for a comparably equipped full-size sedan. Rear-wheel-drive, a powerful engine and an electronic-controlled air suspension system are shared features in this luxury market.
Kia does not have the cachet of mainline luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus, Audi, Jaguar, Infiniti, Cadillac, Acura, but competitors better take note. The K900 has a quiet cabin, a rocket of an engine, big and solid tires, wheels and brakes, and the looks (much of it stolen from Mercedes) of a player in this market. As an example of design theft, for years Mercedes used the outline of a seat as a guide to the driver and front passenger seats. In the K900, the seat outline (headrest, lumbar support, bottom) is placed on the doors for easy visibility and usage.
Like competitors, badging is modest on the K900. Exterior badging is limited to the Kia name centered front and rear plus a K900 badge on the trunk lid.
The tested K900's dual overhead cam 3.8 liter Lamba V6 engine develops 311 horsepower. It's the most powerful V-6 in the Kia lineup. The larger Tau DOHC all-aluminum 32-valve five-liter V8 engine produces a respectable 420 horsepower and designed with gasoline direct injection and dual variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed shiftable automatic transmisison. During the test week, the time from 0 to 60 miles per hour with the V6 was 6.3 seconds. Not overwhelming. Braking from 60 to 0 miles per hour took 130 feet. Not bad for a 4,555-pound car.
Fuel usage was 20.1 miles per gallon of gasoline with mostly one person (the driver) onboard in mixed suburban and interstate driving. The V6 K900 can run on regular gasoline but premium is preferred for performance. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the V6 at 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.
The tested K900 V6 rides on 18-inch alloy aluminum wheels with P245 tires mounted on them.
Weight is distributed 50-50, front and rear. The engine, transmission driveshaft and rear differential provide good balance for this car, especially in wintry and icy conditions. Disc brakes can bring this car to a stop from 60 miles per hour in a distance of less than 130 feet.
Warranty coverage is five years or 60,000 miles including roadside assistance and 10 years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain. Scheduled maintenance is free for three years or 37,500 miles. Luxury manufacturers take care of their buyers.
The flagship K900 comes in $49,000 Premium, $54,900 Luxury V6 and $61,900 Luxury V8 trim levels. Extra on the upgrade tested Luxury V6 were a heated leather and wood steering wheel with paddle shifters, upgrade leather and more wood trim.
The K900 is a product of Kia Motors Corp., which is a subsidary of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, with headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. Hyundai owns 34 percent of KMC. The K900's cousin is the Hyundai Equus.
Kia has changed the name of its flagship three times. The Kia Amanti, born in 2002, became the Cadenza in 2010 which now is the K900.
FAST FACTS
Vehicle: 2016 Kia K900
Type: full-size, four-door, five-passenger, rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Price: $54,900
Engine: 3.8-liter, 311-horsepower V6
Transmission: eight-speed shiftable automatic
Fuel tank: 19.8 gallons
Fuel: regular or premium
Wheelbase: 120 inches
Length: 201 inches
Width: 75 inches
Height: 59 inches
Weight: 4,555 pounds
Trunk: 16 cubic feet
Tires, wheels: 18-inch
Brakes: discs
Assembly: Korea
Warranty: five years or 60,000 miles including roadside assistance, 10 years or 100,000 miles powertrain
Information: www.kia.com/us