To say that the Hyundai Group has come out of the last decade as the automaker with the most improved image is an understatement. Now, even Kia can make Americans lust after a car they aren’t allowed to buy.
The latest such car is the K9, which was sold in the U.S. as the K900 until it was announced that Kia would discontinue the car early this year, and is referred to as such in the following video.
This video appears to be from a first-drive press event that was held in Korea and shows off some of the car’s fancier features, like stop-and-go cruise control and predictive shift technology. That tech uses the GPS along with the car’s radar sensor and its cameras to help the eight-speed automatic transmission behave more intuitively so that shifts are as smooth as possible. Although the nature of the system makes it hard to film, the video’s host says the car is, indeed, very comfortable.
Read Also: 2022 Kia K9 Flagship Luxury Sedan Gets A THOR-ough Facelift In Korea, Won’t Come To America
He also calls it pretty quick, saying it pulls linearly and powerfully. The version of the car seen here uses the same 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that powers the Stinger. It makes 370 hp (375 PS/276 kW) and 376 lb-ft (508 Nm) of torque. In sends its power to all four wheels and is surprisingly capable.
On a tight on-ramp, the driver hustles the car and reports that it feels really good, especially considering its size. At 202.3-inches (5,138 mm) long, it’s longer than the Genesis GV80, which is 194 inches (4,945 mm) long.
So should you feel jealous that Kia isn’t offering the K9 Stateside anymore? Maybe you should, yeah.
