2020 Kia Cadenza: Review, Specs and Price in UAE

The 2020 Kia Cadenza has just undergone an exterior and interior facelift. It now sports Kia’s iconic “Tiger Nose” grille, a slightly redesigned hood, modified front & rear bumpers, and an upgraded dashboard that gives this underrated sedan a fresh, classy appearance. Ride comfort is big in the Kia Cadenza, one of the reasons is the shock valves being redesigned to be less susceptible to vibration. Handling on the other hand is average and needs to improve a bit. If you keep in mind that this is a front wheel drive, you won’t be complaining though. There are four drive modes in the Cadenza (SMART, ECO, COMFORT and SPORT). While I did not feel much difference in acceleration in between most of them, the steering wheel does become heavier and more responsive in the SPORT mode. 0-100 kilometer dash is clocked at 7.2 secs which is kind of slow as compared to other cars in its class. Fuel economy is very good on the ECO drive mode being 9.4 liters per 100 kilometers. Luggage space is also generous, bigger than the Toyota Camry and you can fit in 2 large suitcases plus some more easily. While the trunk does not have a close button, it can however be opened by just tapping on the letter “I” in the KIA logo on the rear.

Specs:

Engine: 3.5 Liter – 6 Cylinders Horsepower: 290 Bhp Torque: 337 Nm Drive System: Front Wheel Drive Transmission:  Automatic – 8 Speed

Exterior:

The highlights of the 2020 Kia Cadenza exterior style are the beautiful Tiger Nose grille, sculpted hood, sleek LED headlamps and stylish day time running lights. Rear end also gets a style upgrade with chrome accents around the lower bumper and new tail lights going all the way across the trunk. Standard wheels are 18 inches but the top trim that we tested has 19 inch alloy wheels.

Interior:

Game changing upgrades in the Kia Cadenza are found inside the cabin. The headliner is hardened rubber, the leather wrapped steering wheel is neat and feels premium upon touch. Cabin has a wood grain finish and the Nappa leather seating feels comfortable and looks carefully crafted. The instrument panel has gone all digital with display showing different visuals when you switch between drive modes. What I loved the most is the camera display in the instrument panel when you activate the turn signals. It kind of saves you from making exaggerated movements to check blind spots etc.A large 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is loaded with a state of the 3D full navigation system among other features, like pairing more than one device on Bluetooth at the same time and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto.An all glass panoramic sunroof adds to the overall luxurious appeal of the Cadenza.The center console has 2 usb cable connections, wireless charging pad and good cubby space. Icing on the cake is the Harman Kardon 12 speaker / amplifier audio system. It sounds explosive.Kia Cadenza’s second row seating has very generous head and leg room. It can comfortably accommodate three passengers in the back without much fuss.Comfort is also high in the second row with powerful air conditioning and two USB ports for charging mobile devices.

2020 Kia Cadenza price in UAE: AED 149,900 (top trim)