Used 2020 Kia K900

The new 2020 K900 is largely the same vehicle as last year’s model, but that doesn’t mean this big, comfy sedan shouldn’t make your shopping list. The new Kia is convincingly luxurious and offers a downright sumptuous rear-seat experience for the money — it’s limo-like back there.

And speaking of value, the freshened K900 has loads of it. Instead of asking the buyer to pay extra for tech and luxury, Kia includes almost all of it in its base price of the new K900. And yet it competes on price with machines on the next rung down the luxury-car ladder in terms of size including the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 and BMW 5-Series.

So what’s the biggest downside? Few people know about the K900. And the sedan’s styling is a little bland. It’s the perfect car for those who want to be pampered anonymously. But if you want others to know you’ve bought a $60,000 luxury car — shopping one of the established luxury brands might be a better choice.

The new K900 is one very smooth sedan. This 2020 Kia softly and quietly dispatches with big bumps and gritty road surfaces without jarring passengers. Similarly, the big sedan moves out with a silken ease thanks to the torque-rich twin-turbo V6 and relaxed 8-speed automatic. This car might pack only six cylinders, but it moves off the line more like a V8. If you face a hefty commute each morning, take note: The updated K900 makes long trips feel effortless.

Unlike many in the class, the new K900 Kia comes standard with all-wheel drive (AWD). This system features an electronically controlled center coupling that can transmit as much as 50 percent of the power to the front wheels if needed. For the most part, this means the new K900 drives and behaves like a dignified rear-drive sedan until some wheelslip is detected, at which point varying amounts of power are sent automatically to the front wheels for added stability.

And when the road begins to curve, this Korean heavyweight offers handling poise too, thanks to driving dynamics fine-tuned by the man formerly in charge of BMW’s sporty M division. The flagship Kia has drive modes for Comfort, Sport, Smart, Eco and Custom. Clicking over to Sport brings a more rewarding experience when hustling through canyons. But if we’re honest, we prefer to leave the car’s settings in Comfort mode — a setup that best suits the mission of the 2020 K900.

The 2020 K900 is elegant inside, with a dash that gently wraps into the door panels and attractive open-pore wood trim available in four matte colors. The quiet 5-seat cabin is packed with amenities. Many cars have replaced buttons with touch screens to control nearly every function. But if you like the old-school ease of pressing buttons and twisting switches, this Kia won’t disappoint. That said, the interior doesn’t seem quite as fresh and “of the moment” as some new luxury sedans. And that’s mostly because Kia has retained easy-to-use buttons instead of delegating all those functions to a screen.

The 2020 K900’s interior packs loads of comfort. Those heated and cooled front seats are covered in rich Nappa leather and offer good support and excellent all-day comfort. The driver’s throne offers 20-way adjustability (as opposed to the passenger’s 16). Moreover, this big Kia sedan has ample room in every seating position with enough space in those comfy back seats for NBA-class legs.

While 64 available colors of mood lighting add some welcome ambience, a Maurice Lacroix clock set prominently in the dash adds some sophistication. In back, space abounds in all directions. The VIP package’s heated and cooled rear seats are adjustable in numerous ways, and they’re complemented by a fold-down center armrest featuring a wireless charger for smartphones. The armrest also has individual controls for the automatic climate control and the 900-watt Harman Kardon stereo with its 17 speakers, including a 10-inch subwoofer.

The 2020 Kia K900 is one of the most conservative full-size, luxury-sedan designs available today. The look is handsome, if a little boring. It seems to draw inspiration from quite a few sedans that have come and gone over the years. Still, the new K900 certainly has presence on the road thanks to its long hood and wide stance.

The K900 grille draws lots of attention, too. Kia says its 176 jewel-like cells are suggestive of “released energy,” of ripples moving away from the impact of a splash. The 2020 K900’s C-pillars are handsome and blend elegantly into the rear of the car, where the taillights show a clear stylistic link to the Kia’s LED headlights. Dual exhaust outlets trimmed in chrome add to the luxury.

REAR-SEAT VIP PACKAGE
This package makes you want to ride in the back of the K900, with its heated and cooled, power-adjustable rear seats, 3-zone automatic climate control and wireless charger.

DYNAMIC 12.3-INCH LCD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
When you turn the right-side blinker on, the circular tachometer magically becomes a screen showing the K900’s right-rear blind spot. Works the same way with the left blinker, too. Fun tech that’s very effective.

Besides the twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6, the 8-speed automatic transmission, the AWD powertrain and electronically controlled suspension damping with Sachs dampers, the 2020 Kia K900 boasts a long list of standard equipment. Highway Driving Assist is now standard as part of Kia’s Drive Wise suite of tech. The smart-cruise-control system can adjust and set speed based upon posted highway speed limits. The system uses radar and cameras to help steer the car and maintain a safe following distance.

More standard equipment on the 2020 K900 includes LED headlights and taillights, 19-inch wheels, navigation, a leather interior with wood trim and a 17-speaker stereo. There’s also an acoustic windshield, auto rain-sensing wipers and a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel. Other notable standard equipment includes a head-up display, smart cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, parking sensors with a parking-guidance system, collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, blind-spot view monitor, a power open/close trunk and a nifty fold-down center rear armrest with integral air-conditioning controls.

A 12.3-inch full-color TFT (thin-film transistor) gauge cluster is optional on the new K900, as are a premium headliner, 14-way power-adjustable passenger seat, vented outboard rear seats, tri-zone rear climate control and a wireless rear charger, all part of the VIP package.

The 2020 Kia K900 is powered by one engine: a twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 with 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque, the latter arriving at a very low 1,300 rpm. It’s a smooth and potent V6 that can propel this nearly 5,000-pound sedan to 60 mph in the mid-5-second range.

This is the same direct-injected aluminum-block powerplant found in the Genesis G90 and Kia Stinger, and mates to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Like the Genesis G90, the transmission in this Kia is a 2nd-generation gearbox that’s lighter, quicker-shifting and more efficient. And under most circumstances, it shifts with a relaxed fluidity that makes for restful cruising.

3.3-liter twin-turbo V6
365 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
376 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/25 mpg