2019 Kia K900

Pros: Features per dollar; rear-seat room; smooth ride

Cons: Lack of refinement; low resale value

CG Says: Kia’s flagship large luxury sedan is redesigned for 2019 after taking the 2018 model year off. The 2019 K900 inaugurates the car’s second generation, and as with the previous model, it was developed primarily for Kia’s home market of South Korea. That means the K900 prioritizes rear-seat luxury (for chauffeuring VIP passengers) and ride comfort over sporty handling and an engaging driving personality. The first-generation K900 offered a choice of a 311-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 and a 420-hp 5.0-liter V8. The new car replaces both of those engines with a single powertrain: a 365-hp twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. Available features include heated/ventilated and reclining rear seats and rear climate controls, as well as safety gear such as autonomous emergency braking, surround-view camera, video feed of blind spots, driver-attention monitor, Lane Follow Assist, and a vehicle-exit assist feature that warns of approaching cyclists or vehicles. The Kia K900 sells in extremely small numbers in the US market, so it’s automatically “exclusive,” and it’s priced at thousands less than comparably sized luxury-brand sedans. On a features-for-the-money basis, the K900 is a real bargain to the right shopper, but it offers none of the brand cachet of traditional luxury brands, its styling is rather bland, and its all-around refinement trails premium-large-car class leaders.