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Until recently, the mid-size sedan market in Korea saw the Genesis G80 as the only domestic brand aiming for luxury, standing out as a premium option. However, with the introduction of the all-new Grandeur in the second half of 2022, Hyundai disrupted the existing market by enhancing the Grandeur's luxurious image while preserving its unique heritage. In this competitive landscape, Kia has now responded with a significant transformation of its own, moving away from its previous focus on value for money. The new Kia K8 has emerged with the brand's signature family design and a more luxurious appearance, effectively raising the stakes in the domestic mid-size sedan market.
The new K8, which debuted in 2021, now presents a facelift model after three years. The updated front design has received praise for its transformation, akin to a full redesign, while the rear maintains the original K8 aesthetics, now appearing more three-dimensional and luxurious. Overall, the refreshed K8 facelift design has garnered widespread acclaim.
Notably, the new K8's front design incorporates Kia's family look with "Star Map Signature Lighting," featuring vertical daytime running lights (DRL) at both ends for a more three-dimensional and larger visual effect. Additionally, the center positioning lamp adopts a vertical format, creating a futuristic vibe reminiscent of the Kia Sorento, Carnival, and EV9.
The side design of the Kia K8 facelift, dubbed "The New K8," features an increase in the front and rear overhangs by 0.4 inches and 1 inch, respectively, along with a voluminous hood design, creating a sleeker and more dynamic impression.
The rear design also receives a fresh touch with a new bumper design, enhancing its overall appearance. Chrome accents at the bottom add a touch of luxury, while the rear combination lamp features vertical shaping at the center, aligning seamlessly with the front design. This intricate and polished design has continued to attract interest even a month after its reveal.
The Kia K8 facelift, "The New K8," boasts an exceptionally attractive design that might raise the question of whether it can be this luxurious. The updated model incorporates futuristic elements, including three selectable patterns for the "Dynamic Welcome Light" and a "Dynamic Escort Light" with pattern lighting, marking the first time this feature has been added to Hyundai Motor Group vehicles. This new lighting greets and bids farewell to passengers with a different light movement than the traditional escort lights seen in previous models.
The interior of the Kia K8 facelift, "The New K8," features new materials that enhance the vehicle's luxury feel. It emphasizes horizontal space and elegant aesthetics, setting it apart from its predecessor. The "Silver Lining Dark Woodgrain Interior," which flows from the crash pad to both front doors, harmonizes with the geometric-patterned speaker grille, creating a sophisticated interior that distinguishes it from the previous K8.
Additionally, the dynamic ambient lighting applied to both sides of the panoramic curved display creates a visual effect that makes the interior space appear larger. Beyond aesthetics, the new K8 enhances safety and convenience features, incorporating various driving aids and ADAS as standard, which not only elevates the vehicle's value but also captures the driver's interest.
Following the Genesis G80, the Grandeur now features preview electronic control suspension, which utilizes information from a front camera and navigation maps to ensure a comfortable driving environment across various conditions, such as speed bumps. This feature has garnered envy from existing K8 owners, and with the facelift, the K8 now matches the level of the Genesis G80 and Grandeur with the newly applied preview electronic control suspension.
Additionally, the new K8 includes highway body motion control, which enhances driving stability during highway driving assistance and smart cruise control by adjusting the preview electronic control suspension when vehicle speed changes. This feature could be another attractive point of the new K8, despite the price increase of approximately $2,250 to $3,000 compared to the previous model, which has generally received positive feedback from consumers.
Moving away from its previous focus on design and value for money, the Kia K8 facelift, "The New K8," sets a new standard for premium vehicles. While this direction may differ from Kia's past, it marks a new starting point to break free from the limitations imposed by Genesis and Hyundai. The K8 aims not only to represent Kia's mid-size offerings but also to become a premium sedan that represents South Korea.
The K8 hybrid variant, expected to be the most popular, features a hybrid engine combining a 1.6-liter turbo gasoline engine with a 47.7 kW electric motor, along with additional hybrid-specific driving technologies. This combination is anticipated to provide a more stable and comfortable driving experience.
Meanwhile, the recently unveiled Kia K8 facelift, "The New K8," is reportedly priced around $230 to $2,300 lower than its competitor, the Hyundai Grandeur, across different trims. The base trim of the K8 2.5 gasoline model, the Noblesse Light, now includes features like lane-keeping assist, smart cruise control, navigation-based smart cruise control, highway driving assistance, intelligent speed limit assist, and steering wheel grip prevention, enhancing its overall value.
Along with the new K8 launch, Kia has introduced two new exterior colors—Ivory Silver and Sunset Beige—and three new interior colors—Lounge Brown two-tone, Neutral Beige two-tone, and Deep Sea Navy two-tone—enhancing diversity in options.
The price of the significantly transformed Kia K8 facelift, "The New K8," is set at approximately $2,800 for the 2.5-liter gasoline Noblesse Light, $3,000 for the Noblesse, $3,500 for the Signature, $3,600 for the Signature Black, $3,200 for the 3.5-liter gasoline Noblesse Light, $3,700 for the Noblesse, $3,800 for the Signature, $3,900 for the Signature Black, $3,300 for the 1.6-liter gasoline turbo hybrid Noblesse Light, $3,800 for the Noblesse, $4,200 for the Signature, $4,300 for the Signature Black, and $3,000 for the 3.5-liter LPG Prestige. The hybrid model's price will decrease further with environmental tax benefits applied.
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