The Cadenza
was Kia's first foray above the
$40,000 base-price level, and just in the year since it's been introduced, it's
already been joined by a larger luxury-minded sedan, the rear-drive K900. Other
models, like the Kia Sorento
SUV, can be optioned past that $40k mark, but the Cadenza represents Kia's desire to be taken
seriously as a luxury brand, even if it still puts emphasis on value. It's a
true test of the brand's boundaries
The
2015 Cadenza continues to
try to erase memories of the similarly-sized Kia Amanti while injecting the
brand's latest European-influenced design and sporty demeanor, without actually
being sporty. The Cadenza is closely related to the Hyundai Azera, but the two
are well differentiated by unique exterior and interior treatments. The Azera's
smooth, flowing design and deeply sculpted sheetmetal stand in contrast to the
Cadenza's taut, more athletic look.
Kia isn't actually
calling the Cadenza a luxury sedan--just a 'premium' one. And it's in an
in-between market niche that some shoppers might find just right. At $35,700,
the 2015 Cadenza includes lots of standard equipment and is quite the value
considering it's about the same price as a well-optioned Optima (SX Limited),
Accord, or Camry, all of which are smaller. With the Luxury Package and the
Technology Package added to that, you get things like a panoramic sunroof,
power retractable sunshade, Nappa ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel,
19-inch alloys, smart cruise control, blind-spot detection, and lane departure
warning—all for about $42k.
The
2015 Kia Cadenza
feels quick and responsive relative to other large front-drive four-doors; it's
not a true sport sedan by any stretch. Power is provided by a 3.3-liter V-6,
making 293 horsepower and 255 pound-feet. The V-6 doesn't make all that much
torque at the low end of the rev band, which means that stepping away from a
standing start, or up a steep hill, feels a bit more sluggish than you'd guess
from its power output—until the revs build, and then you rocket ahead. Steering
lacks road feel and requires a lot of small corrections to stay on course on
the highway. When driven at anything but a sport-sedan pace, this is a car that
feels confident on the back roads yet maneuverable in town.
The Cadenza has
top-notch interior comfort, without those boat-like old-fashioned big-car
motions. It's also luxury-car quiet inside. Get the Luxury Package and you'll
have ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and even an extendable driver's
thigh bolster—something rare in this class of cars and something that will be
appreciated by tall drivers. In back, the available panoramic roof really
limits headroom, though.
Once
you're in, this is a sedan, that won't let you down on the subtle details. The
Cadenza is a very quiet-riding sedan, with almost no wind noise, and very
little road noise, at highway speeds. Materials, and the leather upholstery,
are very impressive throughout the cabin.
The
Cadenza gets Kia's UVO
eServices system, which provides integrated roadside assistance, diagnostics,
and other services, through a paired smartphone (no separate subscription is
required). It also has Kia's
eight-inch touch-screen system that responds well to natural voice commands and
includes plenty of traditional physical buttons to back things up. Navigation
is included as a standard feature, and it's one of the best systems on the
market, with clear, colorful displays, live traffic information, and
easy-to-intuit split-screen views.
Luxury
badge or not, that's going to seem like a deal to a great many families and
comfort-minded folks.
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