2019 Kia K900 Luxury Review By David Colman - It's E15 Approved +VIDEO
Dollar-for dollar, there's nothing that compares in terms of luxury, fit, finish or comfort
By David Colman
Special Correspondent to The Auto Channel
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Not really, because the K900 is primarily a lavish, spacious limousine that has actually grown an inch longer in length (202") and 2 inches in wheelbase (122") for 2019. No matter how you cut it, that's a lot of sheet metal and luxury trapping to jostle through a series of twisty turns. Whereas the departed V8 offered a nimbler power-to-weight ratio of 10.8lbs/hp, the uprated Stinger V6 can't match those numbers at 12.4lbs/hp. Complicating the matter is the power delivery of the V6, which can be quite peaky. At low rpm ranges, when you open the throttle moderately, the twin turbocharged engine responds with such an unexpected surge of power that you can find yourself unprepared for the rush. Yet when you really need that kind of passing power on a two lane road, the Stinger V6 doesn't measure up to the concerted poke of the departed V8.
Considering its size, however, back road handling of the K900 proved surprisingly agile. Kia has fitted this top line offering with All Wheel Drive for 2019, so plenty of grip is available at all corners thanks to AWD and significantly upgraded Michelin MXM4 tires. Flashy 20 spoke aluminum alloy rims added a sparkle to the rather somber looks of our "Panthera Metal" (metallic black) test vehicle. The front rims measured 8.5Jx19" with 245/45R19 tires, while the rear 9.5Jx19" rims carried 275/40R19 rubber. The Michelins were branded with a Treadwear Rating of TW500 and a Traction rating of AA.
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Regardless of the fact that you could buy 4 Rios for the price of one K900, the top Kia is a still a bargain at its base price of $59,900. There's really nothing in the market that compares in terms of luxury, fit, finish or comfort for that kind of money. If you're looking for a comparable product from Mercedes, Audi or BMW, plan on paying about twice as much. Of course, Kia indulged our press test car with one significant option for $4,000: the "VIP Package" which adds among other items, a 12.3 inch LCD/TFT Instrument Cluster. This benign sounding addition will open your eyes just a little wider than ever before thanks to its turn signal keyed live camera feed. This live time picture displays itself on the instrument panel by replacing the tachometer if you're turning left or the speedometer if you're turning right. It's the best parlor trick in the automotive world right now, to say nothing of the fact that it ingeniously contributes to driving safety in a way that's not been done before.
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2019 KIA K900 LUXURY
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ENGINE: 3.3 liter Twin Turbo V6 Gas Direct Injection (GDI)
HORSEPOWER: 365hp
TORQUE: 376lb.-ft.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 18MPG City/25 MPG Highway
PRICE AS TESTED: $64,895
HYPES: Beautiful Interior Fittings, Plush Ride
GRIPES: No Full Manual Override of 8-speed Automatic Gearbox
STAR RATING: 9.5 Stars out of 10