When Kia brought the K900 to the states in 2015, more than anything else, it showed Kia's eagerness to join the luxury fleet. The first generation of the K900 showcased a very brave move by Kia, but not one which was free of glitches. However, things have changed a lot now. The 2020 Kia K900 gets a complete redesign transforming the eagerness into a surprise package.
The new redesigned second gen Kia K900 learns from the mistakes of its first generation and owns them up now, like a champ. It now feels much more premium and also has the heavy presence of a luxury car. Sharing its platform with the Stinger, the K900 is the halo model in the Kia line-up and it serves as a gateway to the world of luxury and is now also a serious contender for the most affordable luxury vehicles on the market.
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Take a look at the 2020 Kia K900 and you cannot resist the erupting expectations in your head. Thats how luxury it looks. At a price tag of $60k, it might be up against the Genesis G80, Lincoln Continental and the Cadillac XT6, but its proportions are similar to that of vehicles above its class.
Its not only the exterior appearance that spills luxury, the interior fit and finish along with the extensive list of standard feautures can challenge any other car in its segment. Most important of all, it rides like a true luxury car as well, let alone the road noise that enters the cabin. What more could you expect from a vehicle at this price point ?
The K900 is a beautiful piece of machinery. Kia has done its best to make it as premium as it could be. However, the Kia badge itself might turn out to be its 'Achilles' heel, as no one expected nor wishes to invest this amount of money in a Kia. A community habid of choosing brand over value will find the Kia K900 a dodgy decision.
2020 Kia K900 front view
2020 Kia K900 rear view
9.0/10 Features
7.0/10 Engine and Performance
6.0/10 Fuel Economy
9.0/10 Exterior
9.0/10 Safety
9.0/10 Final Verdict
2020 Kia K900 Features
9.0/10
The K900 is offered in only one different trim level namely the V6 Luxury. The "Luxury" trim uses a 3.8 liter V6, 311 HP engine and is priced at $59,900. The V6 powerhouse is comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain manages to make the K900 move with ease.
Trims
K900 V6 Luxury
MSRP
$59,900
Features
3.8 Liter Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) V6
8-speed Automatic Transmission
Lexicon Discrete Logic Surround Sound
Nappa Leather Seating Surfaces
Real Wood Console Trim
Voice-Command Navigation System, 9.2" touch-screen and UVO Luxury Services
Heated and ventilated front seats
LED Headlights w/ Dynamic Bending Light (DBL)
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The 2020 Kia K900 is offered only one trim- the 3.8 liter V6 "Luxury".
2020 Kia K900 Engine and Performance
7.0/10
"Under the hood is a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 engine that produces 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. It's the same powerplant found in the sporty Kia Stinger. Attached to it is an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels" - Edmunds
The Kia K900 comes with only one engine option. The 3.8 liter V6 comes standard. This powerplant power plant makes 311 HP and delivers a 293 lb-ft of power. The engine only comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The power is sent to the rear wheels only.
Model
Kia K900 V6 Luxury
Cadillac CT6 Standard
Lincoln Continental Reserve
Genesis G80 Ultimate
MSRP
$59,900
$55,090
$61,710
$57,000
Engine
3.8L GDI DOHC V6
2.0L Turbo I4 DI DOHC
3.7L Ti-VCT V6
5.0L Premium Unleaded V-8
Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
8-Speed Automatic
6-Speed Automatic
8-speed automatic with manual shift modes
Power
311 hp
265 hp
305 hp
420 hp
Torque
293 lb-ft
295 lb-ft
280 lb-ft
383 lb-ft
The K900 and the Genesis G80 have the same power and torque figures because they use the same engine sourced from Hyundai. The K900 otherwise beats both of its American rivals, the Cadillac CT6 Standard and the Lincoln Continental Premier in terms of power figures. The Kia K900 delivers marginally low torque figures when compared to the Cadillac CT6 but delivers 13 lb-ft of torque more than the Lincoln Continental.
Acceleration
The Kia K900 goes from rest to 60 mph in just 5.7 secs and is the quickest car among its competition. This sedan is not the car you generally take to the drag strip and yet if you take it it'll hit the quarter mile mark in just 14.7 secs which is decent for a car of this size. At 4297 lbs. this isn't a light car by any means but credit to the powerful engine that sits under the hood that makes achieving these figures look an easy task.
Model
Kia K900 V6 Luxury
Cadillac CT6 Standard
Lincoln Continental Premier
Genesis G80 Ultimate
0-60 mph
5.7 sec
6.1 sec
6.8 sec
5.2 sec
Quarter Mile
14.7 sec
14.6 sec
14.9 sec
14 sec
Engine
3.8L
2.0L
3.7L
5.0L
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)
8.8
7.1
8.8
N/A
There is no car in the competition that does a 0-60 mph in under 6 secs while the quarter mile timings for all the cars are almost similar.
Ride and Handling
Most of the owners of the Kia K900 won't be driving it and will prefer to be chauffeured around while they are being pampered by the luxuries offered in the back seats. Even then if you ever wish to get your hands on the wheel, you will find the K900 a little big and heavy on the road while you manoeuvre it around the traffic. The power assisted steering wheel is a little bit on the lighter side and lacks the feel, yet it allows you to dive into the corners confidently. You certainly cannot expect sports car like driving with this car.
Back seat riding experience is something that should bother you and the Kia K900 does deliver a smooth, quiet and a bump free ride. The MacPherson struts and the rear torsional beams make sure that you don't hear any creaking or rattles even when you the sharpest of the potholes and speed bumps.
Braking
The Kia K900 311 HP luxury sedan and bringing a 311 HP car to a stop is not a very easy task. You require your car to be equipped with solid brakes in order to get you a confident driving experience. The K900 come 60 MPH to a complete halt at a distance of 115 feet thanks to the 13.6 diameter disc brakes at the front and the 12.4 diameter disc at the rear.
Model
Kia K900 V6 Luxury
Cadillac CT6 Standard
Lincoln Continental Premier
Genesis G80 Ultimate
60 - 0 mph
115
123
110
N/A
Curb Weight (lbs.)
4297
3666
4224
4716
Brake (Front)
13.6
12.6
13.9
14.2
Brake (Rear)
12.4
12.4
13.6
12.4
The Kia K900 is not the best car among its rivals when braking power is compared. The Lincoln Continental is the one with the better brakes among the lot while the Genesis shares the brakes with the Kia. The Genesis has the best stopping distance figures followed by the Lincoln, the Kia and the Cadillac.
2020 Kia K900 Fuel Economy
6.0/10
The Kia is not the best car when it comes to the fuel economy. Driving in the city the K900 can only go a 17 miles per gallon while on the highway it can travel for 25 miles for every gallon of fuel. This car offers a combined efficiency of 20 miles per gallon. While we call this car less fuel efficient, we must remember that this is the car with 311 HP engine.
Model
Kia K900 V6 Luxury
Cadillac CT6 Standard
Lincoln Continental Premier
Genesis G80 Ultimate
MPG (City)
17
22
17
15
MPG (Hwy)
25
30
26
26
MPG (Combined)
20
25
20
18
Although the Genesis uses the same engine as the Kia, it is 2 mpg more efficient than the K900, partly because of its lower curb weight. The Cadillac delivers the fuel efficiency numbers of 25 mpg since it has the smallest and the most underpowered engine. The Lincoln Continental delivers a combined efficiency of 20 mpg, equal to the Kia K900.
2020 Kia K900 Interior
"On the inside, the changes are fewer but still important. The S gets push-button start, power front windows with one-touch operation, and a key fob that opens the trunk, too. The EX gets new leather seats with seat heaters, optional ambient multicolor interior lighting and a heated steering wheel. SX buyers can option red and black or bronze and black leather seats with the SXL package."- Edmunds
When hop on to the inside, the K900 does feel plush and upmarket. For a moment you even might forget that you are in a Kia. The gauges, the screens and the buttons on the dash board are thoughtfully placed the plastics used are of good quality and there is no shaky equipment on board. Overall, Kia has designed the interiors of the car to offer you the best possible in ride experience.
Seating and Comfort
This car is equipped with leather upholstery and power-adjusted front and rear seats. The seats at the front and the rear are heated and ventilated while you have to extra to get reclining rear seats. The K900 can practically carry only 4 people although you can fold the armrest in the second row to accommodate the fifth passenger. With passenger volume figures of 110.8 cubic feet, this is the most spacious car in this segment. The head room, leg room and shoulder room are great so that you can easily stretch yourself and you don't get fatigued during long journeys.
Model
Kia K900 V6 Luxury
Cadillac CT6 Standard
Lincoln Continental Premier
Genesis G80 Ultimate
Passenger Capacity
5
5
5
5
Passenger Volume (Ft.3)
110.8
106.0
106.4
107.7
Headroom (Front/Rear) (in.)
40.2/37.6
40.2/38.0
39.3/37.7
41.1/38.2
Legroom (Front/Rear) (in.)
45.6/38.2
46.4/40.4
44.4/41.3
45.7/35.0
Shoulder Room (Front/Rear) (in.)
59.1/57.2
58.3/56.2
58.3/55.9
58.3/57.1
In spite of not being the longest car in the segment, the K900 manages to create the best room on the inside. The rivals of the K900 are not even close to it when it comes to comparing seating and comfort.
Infotainment System
Kia has offered some high tech gizmos with the K900. It comes loaded with a large 12.3-inch touch screen display, satellite navigation, front and rearview cameras, Bluetooth, satellite radio and rear seat controls. Also, you get an excellent 17 speaker audio system that delivers great audio clarity. It has Kia's tried and tested UVO system which is not that swift but is more convenient than its brutish German counterparts. It can split the screen into 3 different sections to support multitasking for various systems in the car. The system is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, making it easier to use voice control and navigation even more. It delivers exactly what you would expect of an infotainment system in a luxury sedan, nothing more and nothing less.
There are also several other connectivity features such as Bluetooth, auxiliary input, AM/FM/HD radio, and USB ports. The system can be paired with an optional Heads-Up Display on the windscreen and rearview mirrors. In terms of audio, there is the 900-Watt 17-speaker surround sound system that gives any Burmester or B&O competitor a run for its money.
Interior Features
12 way adjustable front seats
Heated steering wheel
Turn by turn navigation system
3 zone climate control
Electrochromatic inside rearview mirror
Universal remote transmitter
Cargo Space
Being a full size luxury sedan, the K900 has a lot of boot space on offer. With 15.9 cubic feet of trunk volume, it can easily swallow a couple of golf bags and you can still have some volume unoccupied.
Model
Kia K900 V6 Luxury
Cadillac CT6 Standard
Lincoln Continental Premier
Genesis G80 Ultimate
Trunk Vol. (Ft.3)
15.9
15.3
16.7
15.3
The Lincoln Continental has the largest cargo volume at 16.7 cubic feet while the Cadillac and the Genesis have lesser cargo space when compared to the Kia K900.
2020 Kia K900 Exterior
9.0/10
"You'd have to park the 2018 and 2020 Kia Optimas side by side to spot the specific differences, but the styling refinements enhance Kia's design language."- Edmunds
Dimensions and Weight
The Kia K900 is a big and a heavy sedan. It weighs about 4297 lbs. The K900 is 200.6 inches long, 74.8 inches wide and 58.5 inches tall. These dimensions ensure that you get that extra bit of room on the inside and you get an upscale riding experience. Also the K900 has the best in class ground clearance of 5.7 inches just so that don't scratch your bumper on a speed bump.
The Cadillac CT6 is the longest car in the segment at 204.1 inches. The Lincoln happens to be the widest car at 75.3 inches. The Genesis though happens to be the shortest and the least wide car in the competition.
Model
Kia K900 V6 Premium
Cadillac CT6 Standard
Lincoln Continental Premier
Genesis G80 Ultimate
Curb Weight (lbs.)
4297
3666
4224
4716
Wheelbase (in)
119.9
122.4
117.9
118.5
Length (in)
200.6
204.1
201.4
196.5
Width (in)
74.8
74.0
75.3
74.4
Height (in)
58.5
58.0
58.5
58.3
Ground Clearance (in)
5.7
N/A
5.5
5.3
Track Width - Front (in)
63.8
63.4
63.2
64.1
Track Width - Rear (in)
64.1
64.0
64.1
65.3
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2020 Kia K900 Safety
9.0/10
Kia K900 is built to carry the rich and important people. Now Kia knows that most people buying a car in this segment would give safety great importance and so, to meet their expectations Kia has stuffed this car with lots of safety features. Some of them are listed below.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ABS And Driveline Traction Control
Side Impact Beams
Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
UVO Luxury Services Emergency Sos
Front And Rear Parking Sensors
Blind Spot Detection Blind Spot Sensor
and Rear Cross Traffic Alert Rear Collision
Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
Airbag Occupancy Sensor
Rear Side-Impact Airbag
UVO Luxury Services
Rear Child Safety Locks
Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc: Rear Center 3 Point, Height Adjusters and Pretensioners
Back-Up Camera
Front Camera
2020 Kia K900 Competition
The Genesis G 80 Ultimate
The Genesis G80 is Kia's South Korean rival. It is based on the same platform and both the cars have many things in common. Both the K900 and the G80 use the same engine sourced from Hyundai and deliver almost the same performance figures. The Genesis is almost $8000 cheaper than the Kia but it is the smaller car of the two and also loses out on some important equipment. If you really wish to save your eight grand and are ok with lesser interior space and equipment, then the Genesis makes more sense. On the flip side though, for just eight grand extra you get loads of features and also some more extra interior room then you should opt for the Kia K900.
The Cadillac CT 6 Standard
The Cadillac CT 6 Standard is almost five grand costlier than the Kia K900 and also has an underpowered engine under its hood. The Cadillac loses on the equipment front too making the Kia K900 the clear winner of the comparison. The Cadillac only scores on the Kia in terms of fuel economy.
The Lincoln Continental Premier
This is where the competition gets tough. The Lincoln only 6 horses deficient to the Kia and almost has the fuel efficiency ratings. Moreover, the Lincoln is 4 grand cheaper than the Kia and also offers better boot space. Also, there are only a slight differences on the equipment that is on offer. If you can compromise a little bit on the interior space, then go for the Lincoln and you get that Lincoln badge on your car just to add up to your snob.
2020 Kia K900 Final Verdict
9.0/10
The K900 is complete package. It is well balanced on all the fronts and is a very likeable car. This luxury sedan is a no nonsense car and it means business. It looks and feels upmarket inside and out. All in all a brilliant product from Kia and a great value for your money.
The only thing that might disappoint some people is the Kia badging but hey, people are to turn their heads around when they see an unusually large and plush car with a Kia logo on it!
