NEW YORK – Kia stages the global debut of its second-generation flagship luxury sedan, the K900, today at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.
The Korean brand says the vehicle has been redesigned in every aspect, with only the name carrying over.
“The all-new 2019 Kia K900 is much more than a generational redesign, as it takes on a whole new look (and) feel in character over its predecessor,” Orth Hedrick, vice president-product planning for Kia Motors America, says in a statement.
The large luxury sedan was designed primarily at Kia’s Korean design studio with input from its Irvine, CA, studio. The K900 shares mechanical bits with the Genesis luxury brand; both Kia and Genesis are part of Hyundai Motor Group.
While longer and wider than its predecessor, Kia says the K900 looks “tighter” due to a changed profile.
Making a statement is the car’s grille with a new quadric pattern that includes 176 jewel-like cells within the grille. The cells suggest ripples in water moving away from a splash, Kia says.
Other design cues include duplex headlamps and rear combination lamps, a floating hood, satin chrome exterior detailing and integrated exhaust housings finished with chrome.
Kia says the new K900’s interior layout is minimalist, boasting an uncluttered and ergonomic dash.
Buyers can choose from among four open-pore matte woods: walnut, brown olive ash, beige olive ash and engineered wood. Leather is available in black, beige, espresso brown or two-tone sienna brown.
Quilting on seat shoulders invokes what Kia calls “the spirit of clothing worn by Korean kings.”
A mood lighting system featuring 64 colors was codeveloped with Pantone Color Institute, although only seven color settings are specifically by Pantone.
Kia says it was not aiming for overt luxury with the K900, but it notes an exception is an analog clock designed by Maurice Lacroix.
The car also features Harman/Kardon’s 900-watt, 17-speaker Lexicon audio system.
The new luxury car will be powered by the 365-hp 3.3L twin-turbo V-6 from Kia’s Stinger, a winner of a 2018 Wards 10 Best Engines award.
The ʼ19 K900 goes on sale in the U.S. in fourth-quarter 2018.
Kia also debuts refreshed versions of its Optima midsize sedan and Sedona minivan at the New York show.
The Optima has a number of new interior and exterior design cues including two-tone sport seats. Kia also makes standard some advanced driver-assist features and updates the car’s infotainment and telematics options.
The Sedona minivan is updated with new front and rear fascias as well as a new 8-speed automatic transmission paired with the van’s naturally aspirated 3.3L V-6.
