2017 Kia K900 Review

The base V6 Premium comes loaded with creature comforts, but unfortunately you can only get the optional, desirable tech and driver aids (adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, surround-view display) with the V6 or V8 Luxury trims. We'd recommend a V6 Luxury trim with VIP package. The V6 engin...

Supple gas pedal and easy-to-modulate brakes make the K900 driver-friendly. The automatic transmission shifts smoothly, though with eight speeds it will downshift up grades.

With 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds, it's not as quick as the supercharged/turbocharged six-cylinders from Audi and BMW, but the 420-hp V8 moves the K900 with ease. Extra power is summoned with just a slight prod of the gas pedal. Sounds good, too.

Around town, the brakes feel like they have plenty of stopping power. An intuitive pedal feel means it is easy to bring it to a halt exactly where you plan. In Edmunds' emergency braking test, the K900 stopped from 60 mph in 130 feet, which is longer than typical, even for a big sedan.

Steering is a sore point. Effort is too light except for parking lot duty. It tightens up some as speeds increase, but it never offers much feel to the driver. We also noticed more kickbacks than usual over bumps.

Unlike the BMW 7 Series and Audi A8 but similar to the Lexus LS, the K900 feels soft and squishy through turns. Its actual grip limits are low, too, so the tires squeal through corners earlier than you might expect.

Supple gas pedal and easy-to-modulate brakes make the K900 driver-friendly. The automatic transmission shifts smoothly, though with eight speeds it will downshift up grades.

Even if it doesn't offer the performance of its more expensive competitors, the 2017 K900 is right there with them in terms of passenger comfort. The seats are plush at all four corners; the cabin is quiet. The ride, though, showed some of the big Kia's lack of refinement.

Front seats (heated and cooled) are wide and plush and even have some lateral support and adjustable thigh support. The armrests could use softer padding. The rear outboard seats are thick and comfy, with optional power recline and ventilation.

It soaks up big bumps without a fuss, as if they're not even there. Yet smaller road ripples sometimes send a surprising amount of vibration to the steering wheel and seats, unexpected in this class.

In most settings this is an exceptionally hushed automobile. Near-zero wind noise. The V8 is barely above a purr on the highway and never gets obnoxious during acceleration. The large tires exhibit some flap over concrete expansion joints.

The air conditioning quickly blows the entire interior cold even after the car has soaked in the sun for hours. Even during the middle of an Arizona heat wave, the inside temperature stays at a consistent 70 degrees.

The headroom isn't quite as abundant as you might imagine it would be, but in general the 2017 Kia K900 has lots of space to spread out. The rear seating area in particular is terrific. Outward visibility is quite good.

Most controls make sense, but the infotainment system has a learning curve. The head-up display is handy but takes too many steps to adjust height. The main controller knob is nice for radio tuning. Rear seat passengers can adjust their climate control.

The large doors and tall roof height make getting in and out up front easy, despite wide doorsills. Perfectly normal step-in height. The large rear doors open quite far. The entryway is wide but not overly tall, so you have to duck your head a bit.

The driver seat has just eight-way power adjustments, though you can get more with the optional seat upgrade. In general, most drivers should be pretty happy and be able to adjust the K900 to their liking.

Front headroom isn't exactly abundant, but it should prove enough for most people. Tons of legroom and elbow space. The center console infringes slightly on the driver's right knee. Rear headroom is not exceptional, but legroom is fantastic.

Outward visibility is good thanks to moderately sized roof pillars and helpful extra rear side windows. Tall front side windows, too. The rear window is wide if not overly tall. The standard rearview camera has a large screen, multiple views.

The build quality of this K900 is decent but not up to the level of Audi, BMW and Lexus. Some switchgear seems right off the Kia parts rack. The leather and suede-like headliner aren't as soft as those of rivals. Also noticed a rattle or two.

You'd hope that a big sedan like the 2017 K900 has a big trunk, and it does indeed deliver. The acres of rear seat legroom make child safety seat installation a breeze, too.

The small front door bin has a security door to hide music devices. The front cupholders have an anti-tip design, but the fold-out door pockets don't have bottle holders. Good-sized two-tier center bin.

With 16 cubic feet of cargo space, the trunk is huge, one of the largest in its class. Hidden gooseneck hinges keep bags and soft items from being crushed. We were able to fit four 16-inch tires in the trunk with room left over.

Massive rear legroom makes swift work of child seat placement. Forward- or rear-facing seats present no issue for 6-foot drivers, with plenty of room remaining for forward/aft driver seat adjustment.

The K900 offers a nice suite of tech including a multiview parking camera, head-up display and digital gauge display. Kia's Uvo Luxury services also integrate smartphone control of convenient functions (remote start, lock and unlock, etc).

Upgraded 17-speaker, surround-sound Lexicon system isn't on the same level as the boutique hi-fi systems in the German cars, but it's still very nice with good tonal balance and detail. The control-knob interface for nav/infotainment works fine but is prone to electronic glitches.

Various functions (remote lock/unlock and teen driver limits, for instance) are available through the Kia Uvo smartphone app. The app is fine, but other luxury-brand apps are more useful. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered on the K900.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are new standard features for 2017 (previously optional). But only the Luxury trims offer additional safety aids. The adaptive cruise control's operation is OK, but the automatic brake application can be a bit abrupt.

To learn more about the Kia K900 of this generation, read our updates from a full year of living with a 2015 Kia K900. We cover everything from seat comfort to real-world fuel economy. Please note that the 2017 Kia K900 differs from our long-term K900 in that it now offers a standard V6 engine, and...