Nah, less so RoadMaster/Caprice. If you squint, Deville all the way!

 

Regarding the "everyone copies someone" topic. There are two ends to that spectrum. On one side, you have makers like Bentley, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Ferrari, Jeep, Lexus, and others that successfully create their own styling, and others copy it. Then you have makers like Hyundai, Kia, Ford, and others, that habitually copy someone else. So the idea that "everyone copies someone" is not really the case. A certain brand starts out a style, and someone else may or may not come along to copy it. But the brand that originally started out that look or style, sits a bit higher in originality and credibility. What I see here with the new K900 is a very lazy and plain effort that does little to move the needle. The new Forte, while looking great, is another example of brand copying and lack of in-house talent.

 

+1, well said. I think Genesis products and the K900 all suffer from looking a little like something else - though the G80 (in spite of the totally-not-Audi exhaust finishers) is handsome and has some nice details, like the taillights.

In regards to copying, though, you have to admit, automakers are all jumping on the "floating roofline" bandwagon for their CUVs.

 

Notice, though, that those "classic" Rolls, Bentley, Jeep, etc....designs were often cloned many decades ago (sometimes as far back as the 30s or 40s), long before there were the sheer number of designs that are on today's market. Back then, it was easier to come up with truly new designs that it is today.....that's the point I was tying to make. It's simple math...if you have fewer designs on the market (or that have been on the market), the chances of actually copying one when you do your own are less. The classic slotted Jeep grille, of course, goes back to the original 1941 Bantam/****** Jeep of WWII, and the Rolls grilles before that.

 

I agree 100%. KIA still has no identity.

 

I find it interesting that the new players are criticized for having "no identity" yet some of the established product lines get criticized for looking too much alike. I have read several times on this forum that the Mercedes all look too much alike. The comment was "one sausage cut into different lengths". The same also applies to BMW and to some degree to Lexus.

KIA has their "tiger nose" grill and Genesis has their own grill shape common to all their models. As they evolve, they will establish a unique identity.

I remember way back when the LS400 and Q45 were new. Lots of complaints that Toyota copied Mercedes to produce the LS400 and Nissan copied Jaguar to produce the Q45. Then there were years where the various Lexus models bore no relationship to each other. My 1993 SC400 looked nothing like other Lexus models (except the SC300).

I actually think KIA has established their own identity with the smaller cars. Even the Stinger which is not related to any other KIA model looks like a KIA. Someday the K900 might also fit in with that identity.

 

looks good in black... standard awd

 

I drove the KIA Stinger the other day for a few hours. The Upper end Kia car's are nothing to take for granted. They are well built, drive nice and have a unique kinda of combination mix of both Japanese/German Drive, Ride and feel to them. I really liked that Stinger.

 

nice review... like everything about it except side window shades look manual in the review, not motorized like on my g90.

i think this is a great car and an unbelievable bargain. mmarshall you need to live a little for your next car and get something like this, it will provide you with the comfort you want.

 

Very nice both inside and out. I wonder if Kia offers concierge service for the K900 similar to Genesis?

 

 

Yes, I have a lot of respect for the K900...especially its solid interior materials and overall build quality. The last one I test-drove, however, IMO, was not noticeably any more comfortable than the 18-inch-wheel Lacrosse....at substantially more money. The Lacrosse and Impala, despite the quirks of the new 9-speed transmission, are two remarkably comfortable vehicles for the money. That's why I'm so sorry to see them go.

 

^^ this is a whole new vehicle.

 

My RX lease is up in June and I thought I knew what my next car would be, a Genesis G90. However, there is no longer a Genesis dealer here and the nearest is 90+ miles away. This plus the leaked images of an updated G90 for 2020 have made this option less likely. The new 2019 Kia K900 has been extensively updated from the already nice previous version so I went to take a look. The car, especially in black, looks like a proper luxury car. The interior is fantastic! The leather is very high quality and feels much like the semi-analine hides in the LS. The wood trim is walnut with a flat finish. It looks and feels wonderful. The driver's seat has all the necessary adjustments and plenty of leg and head room. With the front seat set for my 6'2" size, I have about 3" leg room in the back seat and about 2" head room. The trunk space is OK but a bit smaller than the other high end cars.

The drive was even better than I expected. The first impression was silence. This is the quietest car I have ever driven, even quieter than my LS 460 was. The engine and transmission are the same as the Stinger GT but are totally smooth and quiet. Acceleration is pretty good and totally adequate for a luxury sedan. It is similar to the LS500, but the Lexus may be slightly faster. The ride is very good but not quite as smooth as the G90. I think it rides better than the standard suspension in the LS500 but probably not as well as the air suspension version. Handling, however, is significantly better than the G90 with less body roll and better steering response. All 2019 K900's have AWD as standard.

The car I drove was just over $59,000 and had everything I would want. There is a $4000 upgrade package but it is mostly upgrades to the rear seats and that doesn't interest me. I did not get into financial discussions since I'm still several months away from a lease. At list price, this car compares very well with the base LS500 but is $16,000 cheaper plus another $2000 for AWD. The base K900 interior is actually closer to the upgraded interior on the LS.

The car is right, and the price is right but am I ready to drive such a rare car? Not all Kia dealers sell or service them. I really don't care about the brand image so I'm really seriously considering this as my next (and probably last) car.

 

Nice comments, however I do not think quiet and silence is what the "in" thing is right now, a super quiet Lexus would scream boring today. Think of it, Lexus is purposely adding noise to their cars, via simulated sounds and Lexus has relaxed on their drag coefficients. Lexus wants to be know as something as a drivers car and emotional reactions is what they are after.

That said, the K900 is a wonderful car.