The first thing you notice about the new 2015 KIA K900 is the way it looks. In a very unassuming way, this car blends in with what has traditionally become the luxury sedan. Smooth lines on the hood that extend to the side view mirrors, a large grill on the front, and some fairly high tech headlamps. And a feeling of substance without knowing you’re driving a Hummer.
When you get inside and sit down, there’s a lot of room. You have full control over your seats from a panel on the door, and should you not be quite able to get it closed, there is a latching mechanism that will take of that for you (it is worth noting we did this several times). Now there are quite a few buttons in the cabin, but nothing overwhelming. A good number of them are actually devoted to climate control, and there also are three zones (Driver, Passenger and Rear seat) which is more zones then I’ve ever used. And because it was a hot day, the cooled seats were something we used a lot. The leather is very comfortable and the onboard computer is also very intuitive. It is easily controlled by a palm sized joystick in the center console. After taking a look around, push to start.
A big thing about this car is how quite it is. While idling, you may have to ask yourself if you actually turned the car on in the first place. The gear shift takes a second to get used to, but the dash board produces instructions when it knows you’re struggling (yes, this was new to me, so the instruction was most helpful). The KIA K900 also offers a 360˚ camera view when backing up. Very helpful when becoming acquainted with a new car.
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The K900 team sent us on quite a journey. From NewPort, we headed out the Ortega Hwy eventually arriving in Temecula for lunch. The car held up quite well through the twists and turns and wasn’t daunted by the steep inclines. The K900 sports an eight gear transmission uniquely designed by and for the K900. You feel that you’re never too far from torque as you come in and out of turns. The balance of the car is also something you become quickly aware of. Whether accelerating or braking, you never as if the car is getting away from you. It rides steady and even, allowing you to try to push the limits. It is again worth noting that while we did not perform an official speed test, the car is very capable of reaching triple digits thanks to its V8 engine and 420 horsepower.
