Kia Cadenza first images
October 19, 2009 by Alborz Fallah
20/10/09 – Update: Kia Australia says the Cadenza is only destined for Left Hand Drive production at present so we won’t be seeing it here.
Although Kia Australia is not competing in the large-car segment (even the mid-size Magentis is no longer high on the agenda), we were all amazed to see the first images of Kia’s new large car, the Kia Cadenza.
The new European inspired designs from Kia are starting to set design standards in the Asian manufacturing world. The Cadenza, which will replace the Kia Opirus (known as Amanti in North America) is Kia’s full-size luxury car.
Known in South Korea as the Kia K7, the Cadenza appears to be almost identical to the KND-5 concept we saw earlier this year at the Seoul Motor Show, not that we’re complaining as any car company that can keep their production design close to its concept is doing something right.
Being Kia’s luxury car the standard features list is relatively extensive. For the Korean domestic market it includes; heated steering-wheel, ventilated driver’s seat, front and rear parking assistance system, tyre pressure warning system, reversing-camera, satellite-navigation system, panoramic sunroof and even lane departure system.
Powering the large sedan via the front-wheels will be either a 2.4-litre four-cylinder or a 209kW, 3.5-litre Lambda II V6 engine. Rumors suggest Kia might even try its luck with a 2.7-litre LPi engine (using LPG fuel), of course there is no reason to think a diesel variant won’t be available in the future either. Transmissions include six-speed manual and automatic.
With the Cadenza Kia has shown that it can design good looking cars in all sizes. The Cadenza’s global debut will take place later this year, whether or not it will come to Australia is a question CarAdvice has already asked Kia. Article will update once we hear back.
If Kia Australia can secure LPG powered Cadenzas should it bring this model to Australia?
Print it: 
Seems Kia has done really good job here. The front is the mix between Audi, Volvo and Lexus, the side profile screams extended version of Lexus IS, particularly rear quarter panel. The “shark fin” antenna is obviously similar to BMW.
I see Holden Caprice in the headlights. Looks like a nice car.
no bad comments here. at least kia are making better looking cars
Is it just me or does something say Suzuki Kizashi about it?
Gimme a break, how can anybody mistake a Shreyer grill for a Kizashi!
It’s not the grille, its the headlights, wheels and profile.
Just an observation- no need to be defensive ;)
…and the Kizashi is just a wannabe Jetta.
Agree with Buck.
Martin I think the Jetta lost the beauty contest in that case!
Gilly, At least the Jetta looked original when it came out and not some knock off.
A Golf with a boot…..original??
These days they are all knock offs of each other.
If one would dare say it the AU Falcon was knocked off by the CLS and now Passat CC but obviously both detailed executions in a way that Ford could only dream of but still the basic design template belongs to Ford.
That’s just it, the Jetta is just a Sedan version of the Golf. Not as though Volkswagen copied another brand. Which Suzuki clearly did with the Kizashi.
The AU looks nothing like the CLS, apart from maybe the minor similarities with the rear lights and the Passat CC looks completely different again.
The Kizashi concept went through 3 incarnations and the 1st was the best and unlike anything out there. The 3rd is more production ready and the only similarity it shares with the Jetta is the front grille.
http://images.google.com.au/im.....0%26um%3D1
http://images.google.com.au/im.....G%26um%3D1
Obviously the production version is tamer still but I think Suzuki had bigger aspirations than to copy a Jetta with the Kizashi concept, its biggest market is still in Japan and the Kizashi was designed to compete with other JDM models like the Mazda 6.
As for the AU design look at it in the most basic silhouette with the drooping bonnet, boot and rounded roofline.
looks hot! When are Hyundai/Kia bringing a 2 door rear drive coupe to Aus???
Go for it Kia – looks like it has the goods – and might just inspire Hyundai to bring in the Genesis!
kia has bought a 2 door coupe to aus its called the koupe
Lol thanks for the update…
Unfortunately its not rear drive though.
saab grille, audi lights, subaru liberty lower grill, opel vectra (soon to be released version) side door profile, BMW hood creases, with a mix of an audi and Beemer side silhouette. looks nice for a Korean car.
James,
Your kidding right?
Surely a manufacturer cannot “copy” everyone else in the game?
It might come to Australia, coz its sibling – Hyundai Grandeur – already been here.
I really doubt this car will make it here.
Although it looks nice & probably drives nice, Australia doesnt have the market for this type of vehicle.
Eventhough I am all for the Korean cars, I am not quite sure a consumer will pay 40-45k for this type of car.
Why not. If the consumer is willing to pay 40-45k for a Large Jap or Aussie car then surely this car with all the extra kit and good engines will definetley sell. THe only thing with Korean manufacturers is they cant market their products compared to the locals. If they hired some of Holdens marketing department then their products would be walking out the door.
Agreed.
However dont you rememeber how Hyundai Marketed the new Sonata. How it was overtaking audis, bmws, mercs etc…
Although the sonata did sell alot more then the Kia Magentis, it didnt sell enough!
True. I still wasnt convinced much by those adds.
well the new sonata will proably be advertised witht eh cls then
The Aurion that should have been!!!
yeah I can’t think of another car more similar to it (the front from the side)
wow what a great effort from kia this is a fantastic looking vehicle – makes our current-gen Commodore look cheap and outdated (which it is).
what happened to the magentis, was it THAT much of a sales flop??
kia’s track record hasn’t been good in the mid-large sedan segment but this vehicle could change that…
I can see a little bit of Lexus LS460 in the side view, but the Lexus looks better (even though it’s been around since 2006). For those of you who like it, too bad, this car definitely won’t be coming to Australia. Kia have this year discontinued the mid-size Magentis here, so it looks like they are just focusing on small cars and SUVs for the time being. Even though Hyundai has the Grandeur, it sells ridiculously poorly and Kia is seen as even more of a budget brand than Hyundai, so there is no chance.
I quite like it… too bad they wont bring it over here.
It looks exactly like an Opel Insignia
Exactly? How so? The Insignia has very different tail lights and the boot lid has a very distinctive lip on it, I could go one with many other design features that set it apart from the Insignia.
I agree with Sammy- it does look like an Insignia (not that it’s a bad thing). The Kia has a similar shaped large grill and headlights and the crease down the door is Insignia inspired except they just got it running along the top instead of down the bottom.
Similar, similar, similar. I believe the word he used was Exactly, I was simply pointing out it isn’t exactly.
I still hope Kia will bring it here. I will buy one
Anyone know whether Magentis is available in Aus? Sadly Magentis havent got the facelift
READ my post above. Jesus. The Magentis was withdrawn from sale here this year. Sales were terrible – even worse than the previous model Optima (which was a Sonata with a different front & rear).
Nice but slightly expected. Looks like they’ve redrawn an Aurion/Liberty/Falcon with a bit of Audi/BMW influence.
I want this car, lpg or not.
It looks very nice and yes i would have one of these with a gas engine as well please.
I think it’s copied every single friggen car out there! It has 4 wheels, headlights and taillights damn it!
Ford Falcon “FAIRMONT GHIA” BF Series II 2006-2007 5.4Litre 230kW/500Nm hooked up to a 6SPEED ZF is the cheapest luxury car with the best ever engineered 5.4Litre SOHC VCT 3V eight cylinder engine, tuned for reliability, long live and quietness.
It has massive 462Nm of torque from just 1500rpm and at 2000rpm it makes almost 98% of peak 500Nm of torque.
All on RON91 petrol.
These cars are cheap now days and can be bought for less than thirty grad! the best thing for the money, specially the models with beige leather in seduce red with a V8 badge on the side.
They are the best cars on EARTH for cash and the V8 , may be only 230kW, but it can crack 0-100km/h in under 6.5s and with moon reaching gear ratios purrrrr at 120km/h at only 1500rpm in 6th along side its tall 2.53 final drive ratio.
That is a car you should all be looking at and chasing to buy before they totally disappear.
a V8, get a V8, Aussie engineered car with the best bulletproof V8 Barra230/Triton engine…….. which was discontinued due to its never failing nature and very little spare parts being sold for it because it never stops.
thanks for reading
Dave don’t you have to lock up the Ford Dealership now?
ROFL
You bring up a good point, as good as these Korean cars are they are competing with known nameplates on the second-hand market (like all cars i guess). Agree on the Fairmont Ghia, just a stunning car – and still under new car warranty.
run it on RON98 and you get 246kW and massive 540Nm and at lower RPM, we’re talking about 230kW at 5350rpm on RON91 and 500Nm at 3500rpm on RON91, run it on RON98 and you get 246kW at 5000rpm and massive 540Nm at just 2800rpm! thanks to the 2nd knock sensor.
Something that was never ever mentioned in magazines, online or marketed.
Just run it on RON98 , don’t try 95 it wont budge, try 98 and you will see how much extra fee you get between idle and from around 1000rpm to about 3500-4000rpm, so much more torque which makes it feel even stronger than G6E Turbo and its no joke, its even stronger than F6E Turbo.
these are either facts, or possible facts …. leaked information;)
Dave, the Dealership still needs locking up.
“so much more torque which makes it feel even stronger than G6E Turbo and its no joke, its even stronger than F6E Turbo.”
Dave has had a bit too much ‘Pineapple Express’
Thanks Dave. I was going to buy a sensible Kia, but instead have now decided to opt for a low km red BF V8!
I love Kia more and more these days and this looks great,but really, Cadenza? It sounds like a STD for goodness sakes. A vaccination with every sale….
P.S: Amanti sounds much better.
In Korea it is getting the K7 name. When I read Cadenza, I think George from Seinfeld, haha, Costanza – Cadenza.
Oh and on V8’s Dave, Hyundai’s Tau V8 4.6 Litre has been named one of the world’s top ten engines. Ford’s 4.6L V8 modular has won more awards than your beloved 5.4, so which is the better engine now?
Modular probably means the 5.4 is a enlarged version of the 4.6!
you could be right, but you’re not. The 5.4 was a completely different design using a taller block,longer stroke, but the same bore to save on further machining costs.
Nice try though.
Is this Kia coming here with a V8?
I heard the top variant would be V6 3.5 GDi
Dull….
First the Venga, and then this Cadenza wont come to Australia :(