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Saturday, December 24, 2022

K900 (Kia 900?)


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The appeal of luxury cars all fall in the badge. Certainly buyers choosing a Rolls Royce couldn’t give two fucks about running costs. However, what if you want it all but your wallet says ‘no’. You can certainly have win-win success with the Kia K900.

Even the V6 Premium trim comes with loads of luxury features for the money. The real question however is should you spend your hard earned money on one? We’re here to help.

The standard 3.8 six-cylinder is smooth and offers tons of punch and flexibility while the 5-liter eight-cylinder takes things to a whole new level. It certainly is a firecracker of an engine with no shortage of power, and certainly is a class rarity considering that most of its supposed ‘keen’ rivals are switching to turbo six-cylinder engines. Pick of the range is the 3.8 as it fits the price tag nicely. If you were considering something like a BMW 5-series but the version that you are seeking costs $70k or more, the K900 has more space and more refinement than the 5-series and the only reason to really ignore the K900 is the Kia Badge.

Driving the K900 is simply a real treat. It may not be as driver focused as we’d like, but it doesn’t try to be something that it isn’t. The interior feels posh with very little wind and road noise to complain of. The suspension offers the comfort and agility that makes it feel easy to drive around town and is quick on its toes on the highway. The 3.8 is enough but for those who feel luxury also accounts for size of engine, the 5-liter is an excellent choice none the less. We certainly enjoyed driving the K900 around town and certainly felt more rewarded knowing we what we are driving is far cheaper than some Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

The interior of the K900 lives up to the price tag and can actually be seen as classier than the top German three automakers. What we love the most is the attention to detail. The plastics used are soft to the touch and feel long lasting. The infotainment screen is decently easy to navigate through, although we always recommend getting used to using it first before even attempting to navigate through it while on the go. (Remember always keep both eyes on the road.)

The front seats offer plenty of comfort and adjustability while those in the rear seat will be treated to oodles of leg and headroom. The boot space is generous in space too; even though we certainly wish it were a hatchback like the Audi A7 to increase practicality.


The V6 Premium is the entry-level trim and makes the most sense financially. You get 9.2-inch touch screen infotainment screen, ventilated leather front seats, auto-folding wing mirrors and HID headlights which are fully automatic. V6 Luxury adds Nappa leather seating surfaces, and real wood console trim. Top of the range V8 Luxury adds a 12.3 inch instrument cluster, surround view monitoring system and LED headlights with dynamic bending light. We’ve stated previously that the 3.8 is provides enough in terms of flexibility and decent running costs. You can step up to the 5-liter if you want all the bells and whistles. It may be steep for a Kia but if value for the money is something you’re seeking, this is one of the best options out there.

The K900 is the complete opposite of what a Kia should be. It’s the most expensive of the range and offers the most refined engine options. You’ll certainly want to consider the resale value which isn’t strong and certainly you’ll want to remember that despite having the nice interior and high standard kit list, it’s still a Kia. Badge snobbery is real and if that’s the only reason you’d consider Audi, BMW and Mercedes over anything else. We’d certainly call you daft because there are options out there that may not have the badge appeal but certainly provide compelling reasons to consider them.

Likes: The standard kit is high, the interior is classy and the price tag is within reason and logic.

Dislikes: Residuals are more on the questionable side. It has to deal with badge snobbery.

Our pick: We’d stick with the V6 Premium and not pay a penny more. The V6 Luxury does add nicer leather seats but that leaves us questioning if we should just jump all the way up to the V8 Luxury. This is why we say stick to your laurels and pick the cheapest of the range, unless you are willing to put your money where your mouth is and get the V8.

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