Review: Kia K900

By Ben Aghajanian

Kia has come a long way in the past few years. The company was known in the not-too-distant past for small, economical vehicles like the Spectra, Sephia, and Rio (which is still in production). However, last year, they introduced a full-size, luxury model. I recently drove the $66,000, 5.0L direct-injection, V8-powered, Kia K900 sedan, for a few days. Yes, a $66,000 Kia. The car targets full-size luxury sedans such as BMW’s 7 series and Lexus’ LS, while still admittedly undercutting them in price. So, does the fully loaded K900 measure up? Furthermore, does it FEEL like it measures up?

The first thing I noticed was how “old-school luxury” the K900 felt. Jumping in for the first time to run a quick errand, I hastily adjusted the seat (forward, this car is huge), tapped the electronic shift lever into gear, and floated away. The steering was very light, the seat was very soft, and I felt like I was driving a 1999 Lincoln Town Car Bill Blass Edition. No, seriously, this was one of the softest cars I’ve driven in a long time.

The best attribute of the K900 is probably the 5.0L V8. Shared with the Hyundai Genesis and Equus, the second generation of Hyundai’s in-house V8 is thoroughly enjoyable to exercise. Boasting 420hp, the V8 provides effortless acceleration and a throaty exhaust note at both low and high RPMs. It gets down and boogies. It also got around 16mpg in our driving.

The Kia is completely loaded with features. Our tester featured the VIP package, including a heads-up display, active cruise control, extra adjustments for the driver’s seat, around-view camera, adjustable rear seats, a panoramic sunroof, and much more. Most features one would find on a high-end German luxury sedan can be found here, and everything I tested worked flawlessly.

The active cruise control was especially impressive. Kia’s system will not only slow you to a crawl from highway speed in traffic, but stop the car completely, remain stopped, and resume accelerating when the car in front of you begins to move again. You can adjust the K900’s following distance to several different interval lengths, and in a lengthy traffic jam, genuinely have to never touch a pedal.

K900 versus Hyundai Genesis

Like the Hyundai Genesis we tested a few weeks ago, the K900’s 8-speed automatic offers 3 drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. Like the Genesis, you can tell the difference between the modes, but not by much. Unlike the Genesis, the Kia does not offer paddle shifters. It seems that while the Genesis is benchmarked against driver’s cars like the BMW 5-series, the Kia is designed to just set-it-and-forget-it. If you must, though, there is a manual gate on the shift lever. This is largely unnecessary, as the transmission is well-behaved, smooth, and rarely caught in the wrong gear.

Besides the V8, other high points include the multimedia interface. Kia’s UVO-branded system works very well. I found it interesting that despite the corporate ties to Hyundai, the K900’s system was noticeably different than the Genesis’. First, the Kia didn’t have a touchscreen, instead relying on a joystick-esque knob surrounded by several buttons for specific functions, like phone and maps, on the center console. I quickly became familiar with the system, which was logically designed and quick to respond. The navigation knob even allowed for simulated frequency-by-frequency tuning, a la classic AM/FM radio. Neat touch.

The K900 is very impressive until we revisit its sticker price. The Hyundai Genesis undercuts the Kia by over $15,000 base-to-base or nearly $28,000 as tested, yet feels like a more modern and sophisticated car, even without the abundance of options. It handles better and the structure feels more taut. This all makes sense, to a degree, because the Genesis rides on a newer platform, whereas the K900 is built on the older Hyundai Equus platform.

Hyundai is viewed by many as a higher-end brand than Kia. So far, the market has agreed, as the Genesis is outselling the K900 more than 28:1 year-to-date. Hyundai’s push upmarket has happened more gradually than Kia’s, with vehicles like the 2^nd and 3^rd generation Santa Fe, the Veracruz, the 2005+ Sonata, and the Azera. This has facilitated the acceptance of cars like the Genesis. Furthermore, a Lexus LS460 starts within $7,000 of the K900, which means that it will likely have a lower cost-to-own over time, as resale on the Lexus will be higher. Taking market factors into consideration, we have a Kia that has outpriced Lexus’ flagship.

So there you have it. The K900, objectively, is well executed in many ways. It has the style and luxury features of a bona fide luxury sedan. It also is priced accordingly, so it has a bit of an identity crisis. To me, the Hyundai Genesis represents the better buy, with the V8 or without it (as tested).

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