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2015 Kia K900 proves Korea's other brand has arrived

Kia entered the US market in 1993 with the Sephia, a compact economy car you probably don't (want to) remember, and two decades later it has stepped on stage at the LA Auto Show to unveil a rear-wheel-drive, fullsize luxury sedan called the K900. The achievement here isn't the car itself, its handsome styling or the incredible value it might be (pricing has yet to be announced), but rather that no one thinks it's strange for this company that once sold us the Sephia to compete head-to-head with the best luxury brands in the world. It's a testament to what 20 years of hard work can do.
No one thinks it's strange for this company that once sold us the Sephia to compete head-to-head with the best luxury brands in the world.
As for the car itself, it does indeed have handsome styling. Kia's design language wears nicely on the K900's larger frame. The large, 19-inch, multi-spoke wheels keep that big body from looking disproportionate, and the all-LED headlights give the front end a suitably high-tech appearance that's required in this class of overachievers.

2019 Kia K900: Here's the redesigned interior in sketch form

A little while ago, we posted teaser sketches of the new Kia K900 flagship. So far, we've learned how it looks from front to side to rear, but the interior has remained a mystery. Today, Kia released this sketch of the dashboard, which seems to be as restrainedly designed as the exterior. The general shape of the dashboard seems to mirror recent BMW offerings, as it's not pronouncedly driver-centric. There's a nearly full-width strip of light wood that extends to the doors, and the steering wheel has also received its share of the wood treatment as well as the gearshift surround, with a large infotainment jog dial next to the shifter. We also see a virtual gauge cluster, which is complemented by a wide central screen that Kia says is 12.3 inches. The HMI screen has gesture controls, but the interior's trick appears to be what Kia calls an "intelligent lighting system," which includes chromotherapy ambient mood lighting to deepen the sense of being cocooned inside the leather interior. There are several calming interior lighting modes to suit the occasion — maybe it's a way to combat frustration in traffic. Again, if the Stinger's exterior is knowingly busy and its interior is designed to invoke the feel of a GT car, the K900's cabin has traditional "executive sedan" woven into the mix, just like its exterior design. Kia has said the K900 will be out in the second quarter of 2018, so we might just see a reveal in a couple of weeks at the New York Auto Show. Related Video:

Kia dealer: Soul EV nothing but a political statement

It looks like Kia of Vancouver didn't get the company memo. While the South Korean company is expanding the sales area for the Soul electric vehicle, management at a Kia dealer in British Columbia's biggest city isn't convinced of the EV's earth-saving and potentially dollar-saving attributes, according to Inside EVs. Managers spelled out their reasoning in a series of alleged e-mails to a prospective customer, and you have to admire their conviction. One of Kia of Vancouver's managers referred to the Soul EV as a "social/political statement," and spelled out his opinion that the model won't help the environment because of what he says is the extra carbon cost to produce an electric battery (a long-debated subject). A second manager from the dealership took a slightly more conciliatory tone but still questioned whether the extra new-vehicle cost would allow for the prospective driver to save money while calling gas-powered cars "more reliable," according to Inside EVs. The automaker isn't happy. "Kia Canada disagrees with the statements made and is in the process of addressing this matter," Kia Canada spokesman Jack Sulymka told AutoblogGreen. The Soul EV just won the first-ever Canadian Green Car of the Year Award, beating out the Honda Fit, Subaru Legacy and Toyota Camry Hybrid in the process. Related Videos: Featured Gallery 2015 Kia Soul EV: Quick Spin View 37 Photos News Source: Inside EVs via Green Car ReportsImage Credit: Drew Phillips Photography Green Kia Electric kia soul ev