New 2017 Kia Cadenza Built For Large Family Saloon Success

The previous Cadenza has been near the bottom of its segment in terms of sales for the past two years, which is why Kia pulled out all the stops when it came to the new model.

For 2017, the Cadenza features a stylish exterior with easy to notice signature Z-shaped lighting, both at the front as well as at the rear inside the LED taillights. And while a verdict is impossible to give seen as how it hasn’t hit the streets yet, we do know that it’s well equipped to take on its usual rivals such as the Toyota Avalon or the Nissan Maxima.

Powered by a revised 3.3-liter V6 unit, the new Cadenza is said to send around 290 HP to the front wheels (no exact figures yet), via the brand’s first FWD-based 8-speed automatic transmission.

The Korean automaker expects this gearbox to provide “quick and crisp shifts” and that’s going to be important in a segment where everybody is trying to offer increased sportiness on the road.

Of course, the interior of the car counts just as much, and the Cadenza doesn’t disappoint with its high quality soft-touch materials and heavy usage of leather. The fact that Kia saw to lower the driving position is also worth noting because these “little things” do add up in the minds of the consumers.

In terms of connectivity, the Cadenza features Kia’s latest generation UVO system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, while audiophiles will enjoy listening to music through a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon system.

Now all that’s left is for fans to fall in love with the design, which is somewhat of an unknown factor still.