Kia K9 2019: When Is Mercedes-Benz E-Class Rival Coming To The US?

Kia Motors recently unveiled the revamped version of the K900, its full-size luxury car that debuted six years ago. The company has already started accepting preorders for the vehicle — which is debuting as the K9 — in its home country, with April as its target release month. For consumers outside of South Korea, Kia has also disclosed some information about the car’s overseas debut.

Korea Herald reported Tuesday that Kia’s vice president Kwon Hyuk-soo has said at a media event that the 2019 luxury sedan will reach other countries including the U.S. in the second half of this year. Kwon also reportedly indicated that per year, Kia is looking to sell 6,000 units of its new K9 overseas. This is significantly lower than its aim of selling 20,000 units a year in its home turf.

There’s no specific date given regarding the overseas debut of the K9 yet. However, Kwon did say that while the new vehicle is scheduled to officially debut in South Korea this coming April, production for overseas shipments won’t start until September.

Kwon is confident that the new K9 will perform well even in the face of foreign rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class series. This is because K9 is not only the largest K-series model, but it is also the ultimate luxury car that Kia is offering right now.

The manager of Kia’s domestic product marketing team, Kim Dae-hwan, is also optimistic. He said that the K9 will outdo the Mercedes-Benz E-Class series in terms of performance and technology. The design of the car also gives it an edge over its rivals. Its Duplex LED headlamps that are surrounded by metallic bezels and its quadric pattern grille simply scream luxury.

The interior of the vehicle is just as luxurious as its outer shell. There’s an ambient light system that provides comfort to tired drivers and separate screens for back-seat passengers. The sedan has a 12.3-inch center display, and just below this and between the center air vents is an analog clock from Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix, according to Motor Authority.

The new K9 is longer and wider than its predecessor. The vehicle seen in leaked images is the one for the Korean market. It’s possible that some design modifications and enhancements will be made for the one that is reaching the American shores.

There are three engine options for the K9: a 3.8-liter gasoline, a 3.3-liter turbo gasoline and a 5.0-liter gasoline. A Kia official has confirmed that the company does not plan to develop hybrid or full electric models for the K9.

Kia is showing off the K9 2019 at the New York International Auto Show that is scheduled to commence on March 28. More details about the K9 that’s heading to the U.S. will be announced at the event.