2012 KIA K9 / K900 3.8L V6 8AT RWD (311 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Kia introduced the K9 as its flagship model in 2012 on the Korean market, and later on, it took it to other markets, including U.S., Canada, Russia, and Middle-East.

While the Europeans were crying for the luxurious Korean sedan, other customers were happy with the badge-engineered Hyundai Equus and Genesis. Kia took its gloves off and tried to make it into the premium segment with the K9, also known as K900, to the States customers.

A rear-wheel-drive Kia was unusual, but that was what the K9 was. Its LED headlights with aggressive styling and the signature “tiger-nose” grille made it look important, even though it didn’t have the same stance as a premium German vehicle. On the sides, the car featured two vents on the front fenders. The overall cab-rearward design emphasized the rear-wheel-drive architecture, with a pushed-back C-pillar and a short trunk lid.

Inside, Kia installed everything it got in its R&D department. Apart from the luxurious leather-wrapped interior, it loaded the car with tons of technology, including soft-close doors, bird-eye-view around the vehicle, head-up display, and the infotainment system that could have been controlled by the rear-seat passengers as well. In the instrument panel, Kia dropped the analog dials and installed a large TFT display. For the American equivalent, the K900, the Korean luxury sedan came equipped with analog dials.

Under the hood, the K9 featured a direct-injected 3.8-liter gasoline engine. It sent the power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.