You might be thinking it’s a little too early for a new-generation Kia Cadenza since it was only just launched in North America in 2013, but that’s probably because you’re not aware of the K7.
Kia uses the Cadenza nameplate in global markets, including North America, Brazil and the Middle East, but sells the car as the K7 in South Korea where it has been available in its current form since 2010, so it’s starting to get a little long in the tooth.
A replacement is scheduled for next year (possibly as a 2017MY in the States), with our spies capturing a prototype of Kia’s near-luxury sedan enduring cold weather testing on ice tracks in Northern Sweden.
The Korean brand’s engineers made sure to cover up most of the car to hide its design, but one thing we noticed aside from the more adventurous roofline with the sloping rear windshield is the addition of a third profile window pane on the C-Column. For the styling of the front and rear ends, we’d look towards the new Sportspace Concept for clues, as it was made to showcase Kia’s evolving design language.
Engine options for the US model will probably include a carryover 3.3-liter V6 with some updates, connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The addition of four-cylinder hybrid version is a possibility down the road.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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