CADENZA TAKES AIM AT THE RICH
Kia’s upscale sedan offers top value
Aiming at a richer clientele when a company is better known for selling entry- level cars and not luxury conveyances is a risky venture. Some have made the move and lived to regret it, while others, such as Hyundai, have blossomed because of the shift upmarket. The surge not only broadened its portfolio, it also raised awareness in a lucrative shopping class.
Kia made the leap into the unknown when it launched the Cadenza. It was a bold step: at the time, it was the most expensive car in the company’s arsenal. As such, the Cadenza’s thrust was — and is — not difficult to grasp: equip it with more amenities and luxury than its peers, but make it more affordable at the same time.
The 2016 model starts at $ 37,995 and tops out at $ 45,595 for the Tech trim level we have here.
The list of standard amenities on the tester included a fully articulated power driver’s seat with a memory system that includes steering- wheel and mirror positions, heated and cooled leather- clad front seating, a GPS navigation system and a rear- view camera. Also included were a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats and a raft of safety technologies: an irritating lane- departure warning system, blind- spot monitoring and an advanced adaptive cruise control system. The list was so complete there was only one option: paint colour. The model we tested was finished in Snow White Pearl, a $ 200 option.
The Cadenza’s cabin is comfortable and surprisingly quiet; the hush factor is on par with many a Lexus. One neat touch is found in the hydrophobic frontdoor glass: it has rain sheet to keep the side view clear. It also helped to keep the glass cleaner, because of the sheeting action.
The instrumentation is configurable and the remaining controls proved to be readily mastered. Unlike so many, the infotainment/ navigation system was not designed for a technophile. The combination of hard buttons, touch- sensitive screen and voice commands made access simple and straightforward — and that included the process of pairing a smartphone.
There is also a surprising amount of room. While the car is best suited to four occupants, the rear seat does have enough room to accommodate three if necessary. While the tunnel intrusion is smaller than most, it still interferes and the centre armrest becomes the backrest, which hampers comfort.
Behind that is an accommodating 451- litre trunk with boxed- in deck- lid hinges. Surprisingly, the one item missing from the Cadenza Tech’s lengthy list of standard fare was a power deck lid. My suggestion? Ditch the power rear sunshade and add the missing ingredient.
The Cadenza arrives with a direct- injected 3.3- litre V- 6 under the hood. It makes a healthy 293 horsepower and 255 pound- feet of torque and works nicely with the six- speed automatic.
The transmission is worthy of note because the paddle shifters remain active regardless of where the shifter is — drive or manual. Powering the front wheels, the combination provided a decent turn of speed.
The run from a standstill to 100 km/ h came in at 7.1 seconds, which is strong for the segment. It also managed to turn the more important 80- to- 120 km/ h passing move in seven seconds flat. The good news is it delivered this level of performance while consuming a test average of 10.1 L/ 100 kilometres. That’s not bad for a luxury sedan that tips the scales at 1,717- kilograms.
The Cadenza was also pleasantly surprising in the handling department. I did not, frankly, expect it to hug the road as well as it did, given the cosseting nature of the ride. It proved to be comfortably compliant and firm at the same time, which boils down to the sports suspension and mechanically adaptive shock absorbers. The latter changes the level of damping, depending upon the driving condition. When loafing along the highway the damping is softer, but through a corner the damping is automatically firmed up, which limits the amount of body roll and sees the Cadenza take a quick set. The combination delivered capable road manners.
The electrically assisted steering, which can be adjusted for weight, has a connected feel, which furthered this driver’s confidence.
Head into a fast corner, pull back on a paddle shifter to make use of engine braking and the Cadenza sailed through in a refined and unflustered manner. It’s not a Porsche by any means, but the level of competency surprised me, especially when the road surface deteriorated. Under these conditions the rear end did not washboard out.
There is no question Kia took a risk with the Cadenza, but those looking for a capable near- luxury ride costing less than $ 40K could do a lot worse. The 2016 Cadenza is amenity rich, it has a driver’s edge to its road manners and it has a commendable balance between power and fuel economy.
Yes, the badge- conscious will lift their noses at the thought of parking a Kia out front of a minor mansion, but if you look past the name, the value for money is undeniable.
Overview: Affordably priced entry- level luxury car
Pros: Long list of amenities, ride/ handling balance, quiet cabin
Cons: No power trunk, iffy centre rear seat Value for money: Excellent What I would change: Ditch the power rear sunshade in favour of a power trunk lid