The Kia K900 and Kia Cadenza full-size sedans won’t return for the 2021 model year. Car and Driver reported the deaths of both big sedans on Monday.
Kia told the magazine that the decision was due to customer preferences shifting toward SUVs. In addition, neither sedan was a strong seller, with Kia selling just 1,265 Cadenzas and 305 K900s in the United States in 2020, Car and Driver noted.
The K900 in particular was always an odd proposition. It launched for the 2015 model year with an optional 5.0-liter V-8 and a roughly $50,000 price tag, a stark contrast with the rest of Kia’s lineup. A second-generation K900 launched for the 2019 model year, using the Stinger’s platform and 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V-6, but still focusing on comfort rather than sportiness. The K900 was never a big seller.
2020 Kia Cadenza
Based on a front-wheel drive platform, the Cadenza served as Kia’s rival to the Nissan Maxima and Toyota Avalon in a shrinking segment. The Cadenza’s sibling, the Hyundai Azera, was already discontinued after the 2017 model year.
Discontinuing the K900 and Cadenza creates more breathing room for Kia parent Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand, which currently sells the G70, G80, and G90 luxury sedans. The similarly-sized G90 actually outsold the K900 in 2020, with 2,072 units finding owners.
Kia may not be done with premium vehicles, though. The automaker is launching an all-electric model with a 300-mile range, which is expected to serve as a halo model for other future EVs. Just don’t expect it to be a big sedan. Kia has said this new model, which will be unveiled later this year, will have a “crossover-inspired design.”