2020 has been a difficult year, and it’s been a tricky year for auto sales as well. The pandemic led to a plunge in sales during the second quarter. The third quarter rebounded but still lagged behind 2019, according to CNN Business. The Kia brand felt the decline, like other manufacturers, across many of its models, but the Kia K900 saw particularly dismal sales numbers. Here’s a look at the Kia model that sold fewer than 500 units in 2020.

Kia’s overall 2020 sales

Kia Media has reported that so far 2020 saw a decline of -6 percent across all the Kia models when compared to sales in 2019. It wasn’t all bad, though, since the Kia Telluride had an increase of 25 percent in units sold when comparing year over year. Other models, like the Seltos and K5, were new for 2020.

The Kia Rio and Kia Sportage saw only small declines, with -4 percent and -5 percent respectively. Other models, like the Optima (-46 percent), Niro (-28 percent), and Soul (-27 percent) saw much steeper drops. However, only two vehicles had fewer than 10,000 units sold during 2020: the Kia Cadenza, with 1,136 to date, and the Kia K900, with 272 to date.

Sales of the Kia K900

The Kia K900 stands alone with its miserable sales total for 2020. It saw a decline of -24 percent when compared to 2019. However, even sales in 2019 only totaled 360 units. Sales in 2019 had shown a 20 percent increase over the total of 299 in 2018. There had been ongoing steep drops in sales in 2016, 2017, and 2018 though.

The K900 had its best sales in its first three years, in 2014 with 1,237 units sold, in 2015 with 2,362 units sold, and in 2016 with 754 units sold. Even so, it never got close to 10,000 units sold in a year and never even broke 2,500. The 2015 model year was the first for the car, and there was no 2018 model year.

The 2020 K900

While the pandemic certainly has affected sales, the Kia K900 likely has bigger problems to face. Consumer Reports mentions that the K900 is Kia’s “flagship sedan” and that it’s positioned as a “value-driven luxury car.” However, Kia doesn’t really have a reputation as a luxury brand.

The K900 shares some of its design with the Genesis G90. It has a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, which generates 365 hp, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It also includes all-wheel drive. It’s nicely finished with larger screens and a 9.7-inch head-up display. The advanced safety features include some luxury features, like a live video feed of adjacent lanes turned on with the turn signal, an exit assist that checks for hazards, and a driver attention monitor.

Car and Driver says that the K900 has nice handling along with a lower price and an excellent warranty. It provides plenty of value, but its interior design isn’t quite as luxurious, and its fuel efficiency isn’t as good as that of competitors. It also doesn’t have the “snob appeal of rival luxury sedans.” U.S. News ranks the K900 third on its list of luxury large cars. It agrees with other reviewers that the ride and the features provide a lot, but the fuel efficiency and interior quality aren’t as good as some rivals’.

As the end of 2020 nears, the Kia K900 has recorded a tough year, with fewer than 500 units sold all year. While that fits in with a slow year overall for Kia, the K900 saw truly terrible totals. However, it’s still a strong luxury sedan option, especially for buyers looking for great value.