2018 Kia K900 Review

"Value" is a loaded word in luxury-car circles. Sure, everyone loves a deal. But a good value implies compromise, and no one wants to compromise on a luxury car. The 2018 Kia K900 has some of that, but there's so much that's good that you might be willing to overlook it.

Few luxury sedans can match the K900's wealth of standard features and interior room. You'd need a vastly more expensive European or Japanese flagship sedan to get a comparable size. Standard features include leather upholstery, heated and cooled seats, and an infotainment system with a 9-inch display and a 14-speaker sound system. Other features such as soft-close doors and a "chauffeur" front passenger seat that slides far forward for maximum rear-seat legroom also make the K900 a true executive-class sedan.

Abundant features can't mask the K900's lack of refinement, however. A short time behind the wheel reveals that this Kia doesn't punch at quite the same weight as its rivals. The interior's controls, accents and materials lack the weight and feel of more established players. The ride quality, though comfortable, doesn't absorb the road's harsher imperfections like the others. And dull handling also misses the dormant sport-performance agility baked into European rivals.

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 2018 K900 excels. But if you're searching for a vehicle that will impress you to the utmost, there are better choices.

The 2018 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.

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 and auto-dimming side mirrors, automatic xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights and foglights, automatic wipers, a panoramic sunroof, a hands-free trunklid, and keyless ignition and entry.

Interior features include tri-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery and panel trim, power-adjustable front seats, heated and ventilated front seats, driver-seat memory functions, a power-adjustable steering wheel with heating, 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 soft-close doors, upgraded leather upholstery, upgraded power seats (with 16-way adjustments), power-reclining and ventilated rear seats, a heated wood-trimmed steering wheel with transmission shift paddles, interior wood accents, a head-up display, a 360-degree surround-view monitor, and a 17-speaker surround-sound system. Automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control also come standard.

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

A VIP package available for the V8 model builds on the V6 Luxury's features plus 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.