Kia Offers First Look at Second-Gen Cadenza

The decision to redesign the Cadenza, which starts at about $35,000, signals Kia will not abandon its high-end cars despite corporate sibling Hyundai’s campaign to create a dedicated luxury brand, Genesis.

The renderings suggest the next-generation Cadenza will have a more angular look than the current model, penned by Kia president and design chief Peter Schreyer and introduced in South Korea in 2010.

They show a deep crease in the sheet metal above the door sills, as well as a fold in Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille. Accentuating the front end are Kia’s signature LED daytime running lights, which look like a tray of four ice cubes.

Kia launched the Cadenza in the United States in 2013, halfway through the car’s product cycle. With a goal of selling about 12,000 Cadenzas per year, Kia sold 9,267 in 2014 and 5,898 more through the first 10 months of 2015.