US-Spec 2019 Kia K900 Is Here With A 365HP Turbo V6 And AWD

While we can say we’re hardly surprised to see the 2019 K900, as we’ve already published images of its K9 Korean sibling, the fact that the Hyundai Group went all luxury on us on the New York Auto Show, first with the Genesis G70 and now with the brand-new K900, shows that they are dead serious about making it in that segment.

Based on a totally new platform, the second-gen K900 features a redesigned exterior that was styled in Kia’s California and Korea centers following a philosophy named ‘The Gravity of Prestige’ (try not to cringe, please…) and is leaner than that of the model it replaces, with a Cd of 0.27.

It is also bigger in all dimensions: it is 201.6 inches long, 75.4 inches wide and 58.7 inches high, while it’s wheelbase is a generous 122.2 inches long. Kia, however, notes that due to its new proportions it looks tighter than the outgoing model. Highlights include the new grille, with 176 jewel-like cells, the chrome lower strip that runs from the front to the rear wheels and the new LED head- and taillights.

“The all-new 2019 K900 is much more than a generational redesign, as it takes on a whole new look, feel and character over its predecessor. Only its name – K900 – is carried over,” said Kia Motors America vice president of Product and Planning, Orth Hedrick“Our designers and engineers have done an extraordinary job of reimagining the K900 to fully meet the needs and desires of consumers shopping in the luxury sedan segment with the promise of a tremendous value proposition that only Kia can deliver. The all-new K900 is a push into new territory and serves as further evidence this brand is moving in a forward direction.”

Of course, the 2019 K900 features an all-new interior, too, with a less cluttered design than before and a lot of premium materials such as leather in Black, Beige, Espresso Brown or Sienna Brown two-tone, metal inserts and a choice of four wood trims (Walnut, Brown Olive Ash, Beige Olive and Engineered Wood) – and if you insist, Nappa leather is available as an option.

The driver’s seat is 20-way adjustable, featuring power air cells, while the front and rear passengers will have to make do with 12- and 14-way power adjustable seats. The dominant feature in the dashboard is the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that can also be operated by the rotary dial on the center console. Moreover, the instruments cluster features a 7.0-inch TFT screen as standard and a 12.3-inch one as an option, and there’s also a 9.7-inch HUD (Head Up Display) that shows info about the speed, navigation and various driver assist systems.

Kia emphasizes its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that include a surround view, 360-degree monitor, blind spot monitor, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic avoidance alert and smart cruise control. Audiophiles will be glad to hear that the K900 comes with a Harman Kardon 900-watt, 17-speaker audio system that, according to the company, provides an excellent acoustic experience.

The 2019 K900 is powered by the Stinger’s 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 that puts out 365 HP and is mated to an in-house developed and built eight-speed auto gearbox with a shift-by-wire gear selector. Power is distributed to all four wheels, with as much as 50 percent of torque being sent to the front axle and as much as 80 percent to the rear, while, after the Stinger, the K900 is the second Kia model to benefit from an electronically controlled rear diff.

Featuring a McPherson front and multi-link rear, electronically controlled suspension, along with a variable-ratio steering, Kia’s new executive saloon is supposed to be more agile and, at the same time, more comfortable than the first-generation model.

The 2019 K900 will be manufactured at Kia’s Sohari plant in South Korea, alongside the Stinger, and will be available in the U.S. at the fourth quarter of the year, with pricing (and, we guess, performance figures) to be announced closer to its launch date.

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