2015 Kia K900: For Whom The Bell Tolls

This full-size sedan dares to position itself alongside established European offerings from Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

It takes courage to go against the grain.

Kia has clearly spared little expense in putting together a cabin that features fine-quality materials throughout.

The car’s attention to detail and ability to ride the outer edge of the conservative design languages that dominate the large car sphere make an excellent first impression.

The version of the car I drove also featured a full load of features.

It would be a mistake to assign the 2015 Kia K900 any sporting qualities it simply doesn’t posses.

The K900 is a car that is best enjoyed for the relaxing and confident way it smoothes over rough pavement like a knife spreading creamy peanut butter on your morning toast.

I was quite taken with the ride delivered by the Kia, and it’s clear that cars like the Lexus LS are now playing catch-up.

Kia has dared to drop the bomb that maybe top-level luxury doesn’t have to come with a price tag reflecting one hundred years of carefully-groomed marketing heritage.

Unfortunately, the rotary dial used to interact with the radio and stereo system wasn’t nearly as responsive as I would have preferred.

Nearly transparent is the vehicle’s eight-speed automatic transmission, a gearbox that is well-suited to managing the K900’s output with speed and efficiency.

Safety is of course a going concern in the sedan.

The 420 horsepower, 5.0-litre V8 engine found under the hood of my tester will be familiar to anyone who has driven the Hyundai Equus.