Large sedans are nearly extinct in Europe, where only the biggest German brands maintain a significant presence in this market. There was a time when Japanese and South Korean manufacturers attempted to capture a share of this challenging segment. However, outside of Europe, the South Koreans found success, selling large models like the Hyundai Genesis and Kia Cadenza for many years. Today, we’re taking a closer look at Kia’s newest successor, the Kia K8 – a model we are, unfortunately, unlikely to see in Europe.
From Cadenza to K8
To find South Korean executive cars sold in Europe, we need to go back to 2016, when Hyundai tried their luck with the Genesis before it became a standalone brand. For Kia, the history stretches even further back, to around 2005, when they introduced the Opirus. This model never found success on the European continent. Therefore, it’s no surprise that we will likely never see the K8 on European roads. Still, it’s always intriguing to see what we’re missing out on.
The K8 began its life as the Cadenza, then became the K7, and now it’s called the K8. This name change is part of Kia’s new naming strategy, where all sedans are given even numbers, SUVs start with a “K,” and electric vehicles receive an “EV” prefix followed by a number. The K8 is not entirely a new model but rather a significant facelift of the previous K7. However, the design is distinctive and shares similarities with the larger electric KV9 and the new Kia K4.
Interior Design with a Blend of Familiar Elements
Inside the cabin, many features are familiar to us Europeans from the facelifted Kia Sorento or EV9 (read our test drive here). The interior is primarily dominated by two screens that create the impression of one large, curved display and a minimalist cabin design.
The powertrain options differ from those in the EV9 or Sorento. The K8 is available with two gasoline engines: a 2.5-liter or a 3.5-liter V6 producing 300 horsepower. A 1.6-liter plug-in hybrid is expected to follow later.
We will never see the K8 here but let’s at least hope for the smaller K4
The new K8 is expected to launch first in its home market of South Korea before being introduced to the U.S. market, though we will never see the K8 in Europe. We can only hope that the smaller Kia K4 Hatchback, which may come to Europe under the name Ceed this year, makes its way to our shores.
