2017 Kia Cadenza
The Kia cadenza is a car that always seems to get lost in the shuffle of Kia sedans. It just sits waiting to be dealt to more buyers. Now, those willing to take a gamble on a less familiar name have been coming out winners by paying a little and getting a lot. Well now, Kia is hoping an all-new Cadenza will tilt the odds even more towards a winning streak.
The full-size Kia Cadenza sedan arrived at mid-cycle when it debuted here for 2014. So this 2017 Cadenza is all-new after just 3-years on the market.
When it originally went on sale here, it was Kia’s flagship, and we felt it was worthy of the title. But, being a flagship, limited sales were to be expected. Well, now that the K900 is Kia’s top car, it’s time for the Cadenza to boost sales and be a viable member of their 4-door portfolio.
There are three Cadenza models; Premium, Technology, and SX Limited; all getting distinctive exterior touches, and all looking more luxurious than before.
Apparently this road test was brought to you by the letter Z, as you’ll see hints of the letter throughout the car; particularly in head and tail lighting.
New safety features include automatic braking, which we found to be one of the best systems yet, with quick stops every time; and next-level Blind Spot Monitoring that applies the brakes to keep you from merging into someone.
The Cadenza is still front-wheel-drive only, so essentially it’s a bigger Optima. But it’s standard 3.3-liter V6 is a worthy step up, though we still consider it right about adequate. And, power numbers are actually down slightly from last year to 290-horsepower and 253 lb-ft. of torque.
But, there’s a new 8-speed automatic transmission that makes up for it. We found it silky smooth, but with a definite priority on luxury feel over performance. Gears are selected with a traditional console-mounted shifter.
Ride quality is compliant, more mid-size sedan than full-size luxury; comfortable and quiet with just enough tightness for a hint of a sporty edge. Similar in feel to the new Buick LaCrosse, and every bit as quiet inside as well.
At our test track, after spinning up the tires at launch; it took us 3-tenths longer to get to 60 miles-per-hour than back in ’14, at 7.3-seconds.
The new 8-speed does indeed make up the difference down the track however, as we finished the ¼-mile in the exact same 15.5-seconds at 94 miles-per-hour.
Power delivery is also smooth, and all is very quiet inside even at wide open throttle. In total, it’s a rather posh experience.
And despite a short 118-foot average stopping distance from 60, it remained very calm feeling in panic braking situations as well; with firm and smooth pedal travel, to go with the consistent fade free stops.
And it continued to impress us on our cone course; with nice, flat handling and much more grip through here than expected. It doesn’t pretend to be a sports car, it just has very good balance and manageable amounts of understeer.
Steering was very quick, with good weight and even plenty of feedback.
As you might guess, things are quite luxurious inside, looking fully on par with Lexus and the like. We like the dash layout with clear gauges, and two neatly stacked pods of climate and audio controls. There are also interior features you might not expect like extending seat cushions and self-regulating seat heaters.
There’s a little more legroom in the fixed rear seat than previous gen, thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase; but the sloping roofline causes some headroom tightness for taller passengers.
The trunk too is a little tight for its class at 16 cubic feet. But, there is still an armrest pass through for long items.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20-City, 28-Highway, and 23-Combined on Regular grade. For an average Energy Impact Score; with 14.3-barrels of yearly oil use, along with 6.3-tons of CO2 emissions.
Pricing for the Cadenza starts at $32,890, with top Limited trim coming in at $45,290.
So, with the 2017 Kia Cadenza no longer being a brand showcase, it must establish itself as a true alternative to other full-sizers like the Chevrolet Impala and Ford Taurus; as well as play the premium role against the Buick LaCrosse and Toyota Avalon. That’s a tall order, especially as more and more large sedan buyers are jumping into crossovers. Still, the Cadenza represents an excellent step up from the mid-size Optima. It’s one, big, well executed four-door that should be another Kia winning hand.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.3 liter
- Horsepower: 290
- Torque: 253 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 7.3 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 15.5 seconds @ 94 mph
- EPA: 20 mpg city / 28 mpg highway,
- Energy Impact: 14.3 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 6.3 tons/yr
2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV
It May Not Make A Whole Lot Of Sense, But It’s Still An Awesome Vehicle
The reborn GMC Hummer all-electric pickup delivered all the off-road chops we expect from a Hummer, plus the supercar-like acceleration of a high-performance EV that we didn’t expect. Well, now things have come full circle, as the Hummer is once again an SUV. So, let’s burn up some rubber, and some electrons, and learn what’s next for Hummer.
What a roller coaster the Hummer has been on. In seemingly no time at all it went from aspirational military-inspired ruggedness, to the poster boy for excess and environmental irresponsibility; and then just as quickly, it disappeared altogether as a casualty of GM’s 2009 bankruptcy.
Well, then under the GMC banner, the 2022 Hummer EV Pickup flipped the script by becoming the ultimate pollution-free EV at a time when EVs were just becoming mainstream. Since this 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV more closely resembles the original, it looks like we’ve come full circle.
Most of the same stuff that made the pickup version so unique and so awesome are here: interactive LED lighting, Crab Walk, Super Cruise, Extract Mode, Watts to Freedom… just slightly less of it as the SUV version has four fewer modules in its double-stacked battery assemblies that make up this Ultium platform.
This 3X uses the same three-motor arrangement as the pickup, one up front and two in the rear, but “only” 830 horsepower here, due to the smaller battery; though 11,500 lbs. of torque is plenty enough for any land-based automotive task we can imagine. As to range, if you opt for the Extreme Off-Road package, which comes with mud-terrain tires, you’ll be limited to just 298 miles; but the standard setup here is rated for 314.
We saw as much as 305 available in the gauge display, so we planned a 302-mile road trip and still had an indicated 46 miles remaining at the end of it, putting us on pace for a range of 348 miles.
It can be a handful when you give it a foot-full, as Watts to Freedom launches are no joke.
With a 9-inch-shorter wheelbase, the SUV’s tidier package makes for better off-roading agility; that is, if you’re comfortable hammering through trails in your six-figure EV showpiece. And the SUV has also brought a few new things to the Hummer portfolio such as satellite-based trail mapping as part of the myGMC app and a Power Station onboard generator that gives you 19.2-kW of power for charging things out on the trail, including other EVs.
Much like the Hummer EV Pickup, it can be a handful when you give it a foot-full, as Watts to Freedom launches are no joke. Then only 3.6 seconds to 60 for a borderline cinematic experience with unique displays and sounds along for the ride.
Nothing is held back here. Full power is unleashed whether there’s enough grip for it or not, so you tend to get pulled in different directions as you take off and, for the most part, the whole way down the track. We cleared the quarter in 12.3 seconds at 112 mph as power never really lets up.
It’s easy to say that an 8,500-lbs. vehicle probably shouldn’t be moving that fast, but a few trips through our handling course reveals it has more than enough stuff to handle that weight. If you’re not afraid of some body roll, you can push it quite hard, and it will turn in without issues; the four-wheel steering clearly helps. And it dealt with that weight just fine in panic braking runs too, stopping us from 60 in a respectable 130 feet with no drama.
With everything forward of the rear seats the same as the Hummer Pickup, the interior is very familiar. There’s plenty of comfort and space for three in the rear seats, plus lots of flexibility. Cargo area is accessed through a side-opening, power-operated door that reveals 35.9 cubic-feet of space, which expands to 81.8 cubic-feet with the seatbacks folded; and of course, there’s also 11.3 cubic-feet in the front under hood cargo area.
But even with the shift to battery power, this Hummer remains very thirsty, using 63 kWh of energy per 100 miles. Pricing for this 3X starts at $106,945, the two-motor 2X at $98,845. Both the same as the Pickup.
While it can seem more ridiculous than practical, it’s hard not to love the reborn Hummer. Not only is it a purely unique automotive experience, but it’s a rolling example of what’s possible with battery power, while at the same time being incredibly fun and surprisingly easy to drive. The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV delivers much the same macho bravado of the original Hummer H1, but does it for a new era.
Specifications
As Tested
- Motor Setup: Tri Motor
- Battery Size: 212 kWh
- Horsepower: 830
- EPA Range: 298 miles
- 0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 12.3 seconds at 112 mph
- Braking, 60-0: 130 feet (avg)
- MW Test Loop: ~ 349 miles