If you long for the return of old-style American cruisers like those once made by Cadillac, Lincoln, Buick, and Oldsmobile, maybe a Korean limo-like Kia's new K900 flagship will give you hope. As today's premium Detroit brands have shifted to the firm-riding, crisp-handling doctrine of European sports sedans, Kia apparently believes there's an under-served US market hungry for the cushy, the plush, and the undemanding.
The K900 is a cousin of the Hyundai Equus and a shade larger than Kia's other large sedan, the Cadenza. Its Korean name, K9, had to be changed for an obvious reason (woof!) and an interim moniker, Quoris, didn't make the grade either, so the namers-in-charge came up with the innocuous K900.
The rear-drive K900 targets the full-sized Lexus LS, Mercedes S-Class, and Audi A8 according to its size and power, but costs thousands less: about $65,000 in top trim instead of around $90,000 or more for the sexy Europeans. Prices start at about $50,000 for lower-trim V6-powered version. As expected, active safety features such as lane-departure, blind spot warning, and collision alert are part of the package.