2017 Kia K900 Review

Value.

It's a dirty word in material wealth-obsessed circles, but let's face it, everyone loves a good deal. And as big luxury sedans go, the 2017 Kia K900 is a good deal. Exceptional even, especially when you consider that this $50,000-as-new sedan comes from the same automaker that makes the Rio.

For the money, few luxury sedans can match its wealth of standard features and interior room. You'd need a vastly more expensive European or Japanese flagship sedan to get comparable size. And though it's not the quickest big sedan, it gobbles up large swaths of highway without effort. Leather touch points and seating, heated and cooled seats, and a navigation/infotainment system with a 9-inch display and a 14-speaker sound system are just a few other top standard items. Options, meanwhile, range from soft-close doors to a "chauffeur" front passenger seat that slides far forward for maximum rear seat legroom.

But an abundance of features can't mask the K900's lack of refinement, and it doesn't take much time behind the wheel to learn that it's not punching at the same weight as its rivals. The K900 coddles you with luxury touches, but look closer and the materials don't feel quite as nice. Knobs and switches lack the kind of gravitas of the established models, and the ride, though comfortable, doesn't absorb the road's harsher imperfections like the others. Dull handling also misses the dormant sport-performance agility baked into the European models. From these angles, the K900 is in fact too good to be true.

It's all a matter of calibrating your expectations. As a finely loaded and hugely roomy luxury sedan for the cost of a lightly equipped midsize version of the same, the K900 excels. Real estate agents ferrying clients among properties could do worse. But if you're searching for a vehicle to impress you to the utmost, better choices are available.

The 2017 Kia K900 is a full-size luxury sedan that seats five passengers. It's available in three trim levels: V6 Premium, V6 Luxury and V8 Luxury. All three trims come generously equipped, with the V6 representing tremendous luxury value and a smart engine package, while the V8 spares few details and even fewer seconds when squeezing the gas pedal.

The V6 Premium's standard equipment includes a 3.8-liter V6 engine (311 horsepower, 293 pound-feet of torque), an eight-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive, 18-inch wheels, heated side mirrors (with auto-dimming and power-folding functions), automatic xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights and foglights, automatic wipers, a panoramic sunroof, a hands-free power trunklid, and keyless ignition and entry.

Interior features include tri-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery and panel trim, eight-way power front seats (with four-way power driver lumbar adjustment), heated and ventilated front seats, driver-position memory settings, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, heated outboard rear seats and a power rear sunshade. Technology includes a rear USB charging port, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a 9.2-inch central infotainment display (with console-mounted knob and button controls), a navigation system and a 14-speaker sound system with CD player, HD and satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack, a front USB port and media player interface.

Standard driver aids include front and rearview cameras, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

The V6 Luxury adds upgraded leather upholstery, wood accents, a heated, wood-trimmed steering wheel with transmission shift paddles, and a 17-speaker surround-sound system.

At the the top, the V8 Luxury model adds 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, a surround-view  monitor, a credit card-sized smart key and an upgraded instrument/gauge display.

A VIP package available for V6 Luxury model includes the surround-view monitor, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, a head-up display, additional front seat and lumbar adjustments, power headrests, and a simulated-suede headliner. It also includes heated and ventilated power-reclining rear seats with a 60/40-split folding feature, lumbar adjustment and airplane-style cradling headrests.

The V8 Luxury can be outfitted with the VIP Plus package, which builds on the V6's options with soft-close doors, quilted leather upholstery, wood seatback trim and a "chauffeur" switch on the front passenger seat that allows the driver to easily slide it forward for added rear seat legroom.