The Cadenza banishes any lingering thoughts of Kia as just a manufacturer of cheap and unrefined cars. Well-rounded and thoroughly likable, this modern large sedan scores near the top of its category.
Pulling that off requires a long list of positives and the Cadenza has them, along with very few faults. The cabin is quiet, well-finished and spacious. It also has super-simple controls, which is rare in a fully featured luxury sedan.
The 3.3-liter V6 provides plenty of power as well as 22 mpg overall, which is par for this class. Ride comfort is fine, but the isolation is a half-step behind the best-in-class.
Despite Kia's traditional emphasis on value, our Cadenza lacked some features we'd expect for the price, such as blind-spot monitoring, certain seat adjustments and a ventilated passenger seat.