2011 Kia Cadenza

2011 Kia Cadenza

2011 Kia Cadenza

2011 Kia Cadenza

2011 Kia Cadenza

Kia Cadenza — at least for markets outside of Korea — the new sedan is the production version of the KND-5 show car. Developed under the codename KND-5, the luxury sedan will stand as Kia’s flagship sedan.

The car rides on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the Hyundai Azera, known as the “NF” chassis. Powering this new sporty sedan will be Hyundai’s Theta four-cylinder mill, although a V6 engine hasn’t been completely ruled out.

Despite what has been suggested by some media reports, the Cadenza is not necessarily a replacement to the aging Amanti flagship sedan. A larger model — codenamed “CH” — has been rumored to be the Amanit’s successor, although the Cadenza could still fill that role.

It remains unclear exactly what price point the VG will hit, but Kia is likely eyeing the coveted, yet crowded, volume mid-size sedan segment. However, it will be priced somewhere below the Amanti, which starts around $26,000 in the United States.

The front of the car sports Kia’s family-look grille which is “based on a symbolic representation of a tiger’s roaring countenance,” the company says. Overall the Cadenza strongly resembles its show car counterpart, although some features — such as the concept’s 20-inch wheels — look to have been toned down for production.