Test drive: Kia’s All New K7 full-size sedan suitable 30-something people

A full-size sedan and younger generation are generally considered to be incompatible. The term "full-size sedan" in itself exudes a sort of prejudice by reminding people of middle-aged businessmen, who pursue comfort.

Kia's All New K7 seems to be distant from such prejudice. Since the car’s debut this year, statistics have shown that the portion of people in their 30s who signed contract to buy the car, which came to 31.5 percent, exceeded that of people in their 40s (31.4 percent). Is it because the car’s performance that makes it fun to drive coupled with its design that looks luxurious? This reporter test drove a "3.3 GDI model" of the All New K7 in a 160-km course from W Hotel in Seoul’s Gwangjin district to Chuncheon in Gangwon Province through Seoul-Chuncheon Expressway on February 2.

Through the test drive, this reporter found the new K7 is a full-size sedan that is suitable for people in their 30s. The vehicle is large in size, but offers appearance that is sporty and youthful to a large extent. The inwardly curved radiator grill and "z’"-shaped headlamp light naturally make people find the vehicle to be gorgeous in looks. The car looks quite luxurious but is hardly overdone in luxuriousness.

It offered the exactly kind of performance that I had anticipated. There was no "crazily" rapid acceleration, but the car offers smooth acceleration as it is equipped with 3.3-liter GDI engine that offers 290 break horsepower and 35 kgf.m (kilogram force meter) of torque, and with eight-speed front-drive automatic transmission, which has been introduced for the first time in its class.

The All New K7 also comes with high-end options that enhance convenience to its driver. When you drive a vehicle, you often fail to perceive vehicles that are approaching your car from behind through rear-view mirrors. The All New K7 presents the driver with signals to alert an approaching vehicle on the next lane through the head-up display (HUD). The driver can recognize immediately whether it is safe to change lanes, even without shifting his sight significantly.

The All New K7 is also equipped with the Krell premium audio system, which is the first time in its class. One can experience multi-dimensional sound through 12 speakers that surround the interior of the car including rear doors. If you are very keen on listening to music while driving, you may as well wish to buy the car.

However, loud noise that you come to hear while driving at high speeds is something that may need improvement. When I sped up the car over 100 km per hour, I continuously heard noise from not only road surface but also the engine. The noise might be okay to folks who value performance, but this reporter missed an optimal condition in terms of quietness.

박은서 기자clue@donga.com