The second-generation Kia Cadenza is here, and its mission stays the same: Provide comfortable, stylish transport with little regard for fun and frolic.
Like its predecessor, the 2017 Kia Cadenza is powered by a slick 3.3-liter V6 engine, but in the new car it makes 290 hp, down slightly from the last model. The V6 is mated to the company's first use of an eight-speed automatic transmission in a front-wheel-drive car. Though this transmission is designed to improve fuel economy, we think it could stand a touch more development before singing its praises; the gearbox is not quite as responsive as the best out there.
After spending some time behind the wheel of a rented 2017 Kia Cadenza, we felt that the ride and handling were nothing special. The dynamic behavior is not offensive, but it isn't engaging in terms of handling nor cushy in terms of ride comfort.
But considering the Cadenza's ultra-quiet interior and clear visibility, this car is easy to live with. Kia says the new Cadenza is the same overall length as the last model but the wheelbase is longer, which results in more room all around—especially for those riding in the backseat. We doubt anyone would complain about the accommodations. In addition, the car has grown slightly wider and is a bit lower.
The interior of the top-shelf SXL model we tried was gorgeous, with comfortable heated and vented seats that had fancy diamond-stitched quilted seat bolsters. There are also lots of convenient bins, cubbies, and USB and power outlets scattered about the center console. A beautiful panoramic sunroof is optional on the base model and standard on the higher trims. Other interior enhancements include an available head-up display, a super-nice surround-view monitor (which gets you a bird's-eye view of the area around the vehicle), hands-free trunk opening, and a wireless smartphone charger. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.
On the safety front, you can get the 2017 Kia Cadenza with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring.
Pricing starts at $31,990 and tops out at $44,390 for the fully equipped Limited version.
The previous version did well in our testing, offering a spacious and comfortable interior, super-simple controls, and a smooth, efficient, and punchy powertrain. Reliability, too, was top notch. The Cadenza also marked the end of any lingering thoughts that Kia is just a manufacturer of cheap, unrefined cars.
But who buys a car like the Cadenza? It's certainly not for those looking for a tied-down sports sedan from the likes of Audi and BMW. And even an upscale Kia isn't regarded as in the same league as luxury brands like Cadillac or Lexus.
We think the well-rounded and thoroughly likable Cadenza competes well with the somewhat limited range of "big" cars such as the Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler 300, Ford Taurus, and Toyota Avalon. And it just might be able to run with the best of them.
We'll see how the new one fares when we buy one for our test program.
