2014 Kia Cadenza: The Future's Past

Somewhere, out there, there’s a group of drivers lamenting Buick’s transition from the purveyor of pillow-soft suspension tuning into a legitimate modern luxury brand.  It would seem that the market researchers at Kia have identified these unique individuals as a target demographic, with the result being the 2014 Kia Cadenza full-size sedan.  The Kia Cadenza serves in many ways as a time machine into the not-too-distant past, a Korean take on an American luxury trope that has faded into the rear-view.

While that might seem like faint praise for the all-new Kia Cadenza, which is intended to serve as the brand’s premium flagship until the more upscale K9 hits dealerships, it’s important to remember that it takes different strokes to move the world.  One man’s marshmallow is another man’s just-right, and there exists a panoply of cars out there that aim to snag the dollars of those who yearn for days gone by.  If you happen to be one of them, then you will certainly want to shortlist the Cadenza when planning out your test drive schedule.

• Also: Teasers Of The Next Kia Cadenza
• Also: First Images Of The 2017 Kia Cadenza

Very Attractive From All Angles

The 2014 Kia Cadenza is unquestionably a large vehicle, but its length and girth are expertly disguised by the automaker’s styling masterminds.  Simply put, the Cadenza is a very elegant sedan, one that borrows the angular look that has spread across the entire Kia line-up and manages to subdue its aggression without extinguishing its vitality.  Unlike other attractive full-size models on the market – the Chrysler 300 springs to mind – the Cadenza avoids emphasizing its footprint in favour of detailed, yet uncluttered sheet metal and glass.

Inside the car it’s much the same story.  There’s only a pair of trim levels for the Cadenza, which means you get near-full-bore luxury even with the entry-level model.  The cabin is enormous – one of the most accommodating I have come across in its class – and from a materials perspective, plastics and leather live together in soft harmony across the dash, door panels, and center console.  I also enjoyed the UVO vehicle interface, a touchscreen that served as my primary point of contact for the entertainment and navigation features of the car as well as its extensive set of communications options and vehicle customization features.  The Cadenza comes across as an excellent road trip car, one that could ferry five adults a few hundred kilometres without threatening anyone’s composure.

Magic Carpet Ride…

This impression is further enhanced after one spends any period of time at all behind the wheel of the 2014 Kia Cadenza.  To put it simply, the Cadenza’s dampers swallowed up a sizable portion of Montreal’s horrific road imperfections without upsetting the car, although larger craters were enough to boom throughout the cabin.  The soft nature of the Kia’s suspension translates into handling reminiscent of being at the tiller of a not-insubstantial sailing vessel.  The car feels big at both city and highway speeds, and the steering’s detachment from the front wheels (you can blame the electrically-assisted setup for that) reinforces this notion.

...With Afterburners, That Is

Balancing out the Kia Cadenza’s less than dynamic handling characteristics is an engine that surprises with its gutsy and smooth power delivery.  The 3.3-litre V6 found under the hood of the Cadenza is shared with the Hyundai Azera, where it also puts out 293 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque.  Personally, I don’t believe that those numbers are accurate, as the sedan shoots forward like a startled cat when the full might of the motor is called upon by the driver’s right foot.  The underrated Cadenza is shifted via a six-speed automatic transmission – which does without the pretension of a Sport setting – and power is shuttled exclusively to the front wheels, as Kia decided against an all-wheel drive option for the vehicle.

An Alternative To The Luxury Leaders

Ostensibly, the 2014 Kia Cadenza is seeking to sway luxury shoppers who crave the well-appointed splendour of cars like the Lexus ES and the Acura TL but who aren’t interested in ponying up the cash required to park either of those badges in the driveway.  To this end the Cadenza is a success, as the vehicle is easily as comfortable – if not nearly as quiet – as either of these listed rivals at a much lower cost, and is also much quicker than the ES could ever claim to be.

In some ways, however, it feels like the Cadenza is a missed opportunity.  Soft luxury isn’t exactly what the brand has become known for after a renaissance period that has focused heavily on style and value.  Furthermore, it’s hard to view the Cadenza as a legitimate stepping stone to the forthcoming K9, which I have to believe will be more in line with the pattern set by the engaging Hyundai Genesis and Equus sedans.  What does the future hold for this seemingly out-of-step vehicle?  As a brand new – and quite fetching – model, I am inclined to cut Kia some slack as it determines what direction the Cadenza will take in carving out its own slice of the premium market.