The 2014 Kia Cadenza is one of the best-equipped high-end sedans the carmaker has ever released domestically and among the most common observations made so far is that in several regards, the 2014 Cadenza is remarkably German for a Korean-made automobile. This is not a product of happenstance. In fact, only two words are needed to account for the car's apparently Germanic pedigree: Peter Schreyer.
Schreyer is the chief design officer for both Kia and Hyundai and is most famous for his work at Audi. He received international acclaim in 2006 when Car Design News named the Audi TT among "the most influential automotive designs in recent time."
Even though Schreyer is a Kia engineer now, he designed the Cadenza working out of Germany, and the European influence on the sedan is more than apparent. Somewhat ironically, the car perhaps most resembles a BMW 5-series - a vehicle that Schreyer had no hand in designing, at least as far as we can tell.
Under the hood, the Cadenza can hold its own against the best of them. The car boasts the most powered V6 engine Kia has ever put into one of its models and it produces a formidable 292 horsepower.
The specs and aesthetics of the 2014 Kia Cadenza are not the only distinctly European thread in the car's makeup. It also comes with three years of free scheduled maintenance - just like a BMW.
"The Cadenza competes in a class in which customers have higher expectations for their ownership experience. Our complimentary scheduled maintenance program-a benefit many would not have previously associated with the Kia brand-fulfills those expectations," said John Crowe, vice president of service and after sale operations, KMA, in a statement. "The program helps differentiate the Cadenza from its competition and illustrates Kia's intentions of launching a credible contender into the emerging space between mainstream and luxury."
The 2014 Cadenza rolled into showrooms last month and has a price tag starting at $37,795 and the Premium model goes all the way up to $44,995. It will be interesting to see how the car competes against vehicles like the BMW 5-series, which has a much higher price point, but a comparable target demographic.
