2019 Kia K900
01-28-19, 12:21 PM
#181
Lexus Fanatic
I personally don't like the looks of the car. IMHO the G90 and the LS500 both are better looking. I haven't driven it, but I have sat in it...its very nice. Personally, I want a luxury brand and I want luxury level service, so if looking between those two I would want the G90.
The K900 is actually a firmer car than the G90, the G90 is a softer suspension design also.
The K900 is actually a firmer car than the G90, the G90 is a softer suspension design also.
01-28-19, 12:29 PM
#182
Lexus Fanatic
I've heard (though I can't find a link to specifically prove it), that the Koreans do their American-spec vehicles with slightly firmer suspension tuning than their Asian counterpart versions. Alex mentioned it once or twice, but I don't remember in which video. In Asia, and particularly in China and Korea, a soft cushy ride (MM style LOL)
seems to be held in higher esteem than it is here in the U.S., where soft-riding vehicles are looked down on by the auto press and often classed as "Grandpa" or "Vanilla" machines.
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-28-19 at 12:34 PM.
01-28-19, 12:32 PM
#183
Lexus Fanatic
The Koreans do American-spec vehicles with slightly firmer suspension tuning than their Asian counterpart versions. In Asia, and particularly in China and Korea, a soft cushy ride (MM style LOL) seems to be held in higher esteem than it is here in the U.S., where soft-riding vehicles are looked down on by the auto press and often classed as "Grandpa" or "Vanilla" machines.
seems to be held in higher esteem than it is here in the U.S., where soft-riding vehicles are looked down on by the auto press and often classed as "Grandpa" or "Vanilla" machines.
01-28-19, 12:35 PM
#184
Lexus Champion
I do respect the K900, but preferred the styling of the previous version, though the new one has a much better interior. That 3.5tt is a beauty of an engine though.
01-28-19, 01:26 PM
#186
Racer
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.
That said, the K900 is a wonderful car.
01-28-19, 05:10 PM
#187
Driver School Candidate
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.
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.
01-28-19, 05:37 PM
#189
Lexus Fanatic
01-28-19, 06:02 PM
#190
Lexus Champion
^^^ Yep. People want comfy, cushy quiet SUVs. It's funny that we're hearing about artificially generated sound in the luxe cars now. There's a thread by one of the posters, that measured quiet cars and the LS was fairly quiet. Surprising to hear that now "noisier" cars sell better in the flagship category? IMO, doesn't MB pride itself on just how quiet its S class is, while still performing well?
WRT, to the K900, it's what the folks who have owned LS cars since probably forever, wanted the LS 500 to be, but are not in the prime demographic for Lexus' new direction. Nothing wrong with the K, but naming it like it was a nuclear submarine doesn't help its marketing.
WRT, to the K900, it's what the folks who have owned LS cars since probably forever, wanted the LS 500 to be, but are not in the prime demographic for Lexus' new direction. Nothing wrong with the K, but naming it like it was a nuclear submarine doesn't help its marketing.
01-28-19, 06:14 PM
#191
Lexus Fanatic
^^^ Yep. People want comfy, cushy quiet SUVs. It's funny that we're hearing about artificially generated sound in the luxe cars now. There's a thread by one of the posters, that measured quiet cars and the LS was fairly quiet. Surprising to hear that now "noisier" cars sell better in the flagship category? IMO, doesn't MB pride itself on just how quiet its S class is, while still performing well?.
01-28-19, 06:16 PM
#192
Lexus Fanatic
01-28-19, 07:17 PM
#193
Racer
Thread Starter
Nope, the local Hyundai dealer refused to build another store for Genesis so there are no 2019 models here. There are also no 2018 G90's left. Earnhart in Gilbert is the closest.
01-28-19, 07:25 PM
#194
Racer
Thread Starter
I personally don't like the looks of the car. IMHO the G90 and the LS500 both are better looking. I haven't driven it, but I have sat in it...its very nice. Personally, I want a luxury brand and I want luxury level service, so if looking between those two I would want the G90.
The K900 is actually a firmer car than the G90, the G90 is a softer suspension design also.
The K900 is actually a firmer car than the G90, the G90 is a softer suspension design also.
01-28-19, 07:34 PM
#195
Lexus Fanatic
I like a more formal look too, to me the K900 just isn't it. I especially don't like the front end which makes me think of the ovular years of the Ford Taurus. I don't love the styling of the G90 either, but IMHO its more elegant than the K900. Having owned a Kia also, the ownership experience and dealer experience didnt do much for me, and absent Genesis' delivery concierge program the overall package just doesn't do it for me.