Kia to discontinue flagship K9 sedan due to 87% drop in sales

Kia has decided to permanently discontinue production of its flagship K9 sedan (known in the US market as the K900). The model, which was supposed to compete with German premium brands, is leaving the market due to a catastrophic drop in demand – sales have collapsed by 87% in seven years, reports Carscoops.

According to a report from the South Korean publication Hankyung, the last Kia K9 will roll off the assembly line before the end of 2026, completing the model’s 14-year life cycle. The rear-wheel drive sedan on the Genesis platform survived two generations and several updates, but could not become a commercial success.

Sales peaked in South Korea in 2012 with 13,931 vehicles. In 2018, after a generation change, interest temporarily revived to 11,843 cars sold. However, then a collapse followed: in 2025, only 1,581 units were sold, which is 87% less than in 2018, and in the first half of 2026 – only 734. For comparison, the related Genesis G80 sold 41,291 units in 2025, and the front-wheel drive Hyundai Grandeur sold 71,775 units.

The decision to discontinue the model will allow Kia to reallocate resources to developing more profitable electric vehicles and commercial vehicles. The K9 production lines will be retooled for future electric models. With the departure of the flagship, the largest sedan in the Kia range will remain the front-wheel drive K8.

It is noteworthy that the Kia K9 never received a hybrid version, offering only a V6. Prices for the model in Korea start from 60.3 million won (about $40,000) and reach 79.9 million won ($53,000) for the top version with a 3.3 turbo engine and all-wheel drive.

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