(By Tom Lohnes) – The Kia K900 has been somewhat of a failure in America, moving only 305 units in 2020. With a luxurious interior and optional V8 power, it’s anonymous looks hold it back in a segment full of standouts. Well a new facelift has been called for, and maybe some more sales will come with it.
Although a small update, the new look on the front actually makes the K900 look like the luxury car it is and not just an upsized optima. The front and rear both receive Kia’s new badge, which helps with the upscale look. Power remains the same, with the base 3.3-liter Twin-Turbo V6 or 5.0-liter V8 available making 365 and 429 horsepower respectively. The K900 takes a different approach to luxury than its German rivals, with softer suspension, a quieter ride, and a focus on interior quality over sportiness and tech.
The problems with the K900 begin when all the things I listed above end, however. Kia is effectively cannibalizing themselves on sales because the Genesis G90 is the same car underneath and inside, just with a more striking design and maybe the coolest wheels on the Market. Like the dearly departed Hyundai Eqqus, the K900 is a premium car from a mainstream brand, and that can be a hard sell.
If you do want a K900, there is definitely no shortage of them, go find one at your local Kia dealer and you’ll be pleased to find that they are prices tens of thousands of dollars below competitors.
The Genesis G90 is “cannibalizing” Kia K900 sales? Last I looked, Genesis only moved about 1800 G90’s for all of last year. That’s like cannibalizing a skeleton! You mention there are is “no shortage” of K900’s. Using the Kia factory website, there are three, count ‘em 3, K900’s in New Jersey right now for sale. That’s three vehicles for 9,000,000 prospective customers! Seems to me you have a corporation that doesn’t WANT to sell this car!
The same reason Ford quit making cars. Nobody wants them.
My wife had a 2000 Hyundai Sonata, complete unreliable POS. I will never, ever have another Korean car I don’t give a damn how may times Consumer Reports says they are the second coming of Honda and Toyota. They are not selling because they are Kias. If you have K900 money go get a top of the line Accord.
Because it says KIA on it. I love the Stinger I’m not spending 40+ on a KIA. I’d buy this car if not for that. Genesis dosent say Hyundai on it.
Because kia is a total pos
As said before, Kia’s are cheap disposable garbage cars. I hardly ever see any Stingers in my area. In fact, there are more McLarens then Stingers. This turd is more expensive than a Stinger. Why would you buy this instead of a Lexus, Caddy, Buick, or some Eurotrash?
GM was mocked (and deserved it) for poorly done brand management in the ’90s and early 2000s. But this car is an example of what happens where brand management was needed and didn’t happen. Kia is a brand people associate with cheap transportation. They have a ways to go on selling people on believing they’re cheap dependable transportation. A Kia definitely isn’t going to impress the neighbors, which means the only way to sell a car like this is with a “You’ll like driving it a lot better than anything else you can buy for $60,000”. Not an easy sell.
Because kias are Chinese garbage? You really had to ask?