The Kia Cadenza (also known in South Korea as Kia K7) is a

full-size Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars, it is the largest size class for cars. In Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment. ...

executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...

sedan manufactured by

Kia Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...

. It was launched in 2010 to replace the Kia Opirus/Amanti. As of January 2014, it was sold in South Korea, United States, Canada, China, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, and the Middle East.

First generation (VG; 2009)

The Cadenza uses the new

front-wheel-drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longi ...

''Type-N'' platform with MacPherson front suspension and a multilink rear suspension. The Cadenza was offered with three gasoline engines ranging from 165

horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...

to 290 horsepower for the 3.5-liter ''Lambda''. A new 2.4-liter ''Theta II'' with gasoline direct injection (''GDI'') that produced 201 horsepower was also available. A hybrid K7 700h was available in Korea, featuring a 159 hp four cylinder engine and a 35 kW electric motor. The Kia Cadenza was designed by Kia design chief

Peter Schreyer Peter Schreyer (born 1953) is a German automobile designer widely known for his design contributions to the Audi TT. He has been the chief design officer at Kia Motors since 2006 and, on 28 December 2012, he was named one of three presidents of ...

who was chief designer at

Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. Th ...

and uses Kia's corporate ''Tiger Nose'' grille. In January 2013,

announced that the Cadenza will be available in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It is Kia's version of the

Hyundai Azera The Hyundai Grandeur ( ko, 현대 그랜저) is an executive sedan manufactured and marketed by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai since 1986. From 1986 to 1996, the Grandeur was the flagship for Hyundai's South Korean range before the Hyunda ...

. Standard features will include leather seats,

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...

, a

navigation system A navigation system is a computing system that aids in navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board the vehicle or vessel that the system is controlling (for example, on the ship's bridge) or located elsewhere, making use of radio or othe ...

Kia UVO Kia Connect, formerly UVO eServices, is a subscription-free OEM infotainment and telematics service offered by Kia Motors America on select vehicles for the United States market. The system allows users to make hands-free calls on their smartph ...

alloy wheels In the automotive industry, alloy wheels are wheels that are made from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium. Alloys are mixtures of a metal and other elements. They generally provide greater strength over pure metals, which are usually much softe ...

, and other

luxury car A luxury car is a car that provides increased levels of comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and associated status compared to moderately priced cars. The term is subjective and reflects both the qualities of the car and the ...

features. This was one of five

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

luxury sedan A luxury car is a car that provides increased levels of comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and associated status compared to moderately priced cars. The term is subjective and reflects both the qualities of the car and the ...

s sold in the

at the time, the other four cars being the

, Hyundai Genesis, Kia K900 and

Hyundai Equus The Hyundai Equus () is a full-size, front-engine, rear-drive, four-door, five passenger luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by Hyundai from 1999 to 2016. The name ''" equus"'' is the Latin word for "horse". In 2009, Hyundai released the sec ...

. The car features Nappa leather seats, a feature commonly found on more expensive vehicles such as those from BMW and

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...

. The Nappa leather is available in three colors: black, beige, or white (the white interior requires all three packages available on the Cadenza: the Luxury, Technology, and White Interior Packages). The driver's seat is both heated and ventilated, and the passenger's seat is heated. The rear seats can also be heated. A dual sunroof is available. The car features the 3.3L, 294 horsepower V6, the most powerful engine available for the Cadenza. The engine is used in the Cadenza's platform mate, the Hyundai Azera, and is a Hyundai-built engine from the Lambda engine family.

Powertrain

Gallery

Kia Cadenza 01 China 2012-05-13.JPG, Kia Cadenza in China File:Kia Cadenza VG facelift 01 Auto China 2014-04-23.jpg, Kia Cadenza facelift File:Kia Cadenza facelift 02 Auto China 2014-04-23.jpg, Kia Cadenza facelift File:00 kia k7 2 1.jpg, Kia K7 facelift File:00 kia k7 2 2.jpg, Kia K7 facelift

Second generation (YG; 2016)

Released in Fall 2016, the second generation Kia Cadenza was redesigned by Peter Schreyer. The car is offered with a revised 3.3-liter V6 that generates . Aside from the 6-speed automatic, the Cadenza is offered with a new in-house developed 8-speed automatic with a drive mode select system.

2019 update

The Cadenza received a facelift in June 2019. Mechanical changes include a new 2.5L SmartStream G engine replacing the 2.4L Theta II GDI engine while the 3.5L Lambda II MPI engine replaces the 3.3L Lambda II GDI engine in some regions. For styling, the update includes a new grille and hood, new front and rear bumpers, new wheel design and a new 12.3 inch infotainment touchscreen. The Cadenza was discontinued in Canada after the 2019 model year, and in the US after the 2020 model year. Kia cited the market transition from large cars to crossovers and SUVs. Production ended in January 2021 to make way for a new model, the Kia K8.

Powertrain

Safety

The Cadenza received a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a U.S. nonprofit organization funded by auto insurance companies, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle traffic collisio ...

(IIHS).

Gallery

File:2019 Kia Cadenza Limited, rear right, 11-01-2022.jpg, Rear view File:20190723 K7 Premier Hybrid Front Side.png, K7 facelift front File:20190723 K7 Premier Hybrid Rear Side.png, K7 facelift rear

Sales

References

External links

* (English) * (USA) {{Kia Motors Cadenza Cars introduced in 2010 2020s cars Full-size vehicles Sedans Front-wheel-drive vehicles Hybrid vehicles