The first time I drove the Kia Cadenza I fell in love. I was invited on a press trip to spend a few days getting to know the 2014 Kia Cadenza. We were able to drive it along a predetermined route that took us up and down elevations, through valleys, along the coast and even through hairpin turns. But the one thing we did not get a chance to do was drive it at night. Fast forward a year later to Naples, Florida where I had the pleasure of attending the Second Annual LPGA Kia Performance Awards, all expenses paid, courtesy of Kia.
This time, a friend and I were given a Cadenza to use at will for nearly four days. One night, we decided to make reservations at one of the hottest seafood joints in Naples – the USS Nemo. We left the hotel just as it was getting dark, but with an extra 15 minutes to spare. As we pulled out of the lot, Lindsay entered the address of the restaurant into the nvaigation system and we were on our way. It was about the time that we ramped onto Highway 75 that we realized something was wrong, just as darkness fell.
In familiar surroundings, I’m not the best night time driver. Due to an astigmatism, I have a hard time with depth perceptions and the lights at night make it even worse. Factor in a new car, an unfamiliar area combined with a general sense of being lost and I was feeling a little bit anxious. We had T-minus 15 minutes to figure out where we went wrong. While we’re still not sure where we went wrong, thanks to the Point of Interest feature on the Cadenza, Lindsay easily got us a turned around and headed back in the right direction towards the USS Nemo. But it was during those 10 minutes of anxious driving that I discovered 3 features of the Cadenza that made me fall further in love.
First, I appreciated that everything in the Cadenza is arranged facing the driver. This made it easier for me to keep my attention on the road while still able to easily reach the UVO system to navigate the GPS.
The second reason, I discovered completely on accident. When I get anxious I tend to speed so I set the cruise control while we tried to figure out where we were going. That’s when I discovered the Advanced Smart Cruise Control. The ASCC helps maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. It’s truly a next-generation radar-based system. Despite having set my cruise, I was too close to the vehicle in front of me and the Cadenza immediately slowed down to give us space and then slowly regained speed. The car then maintained distance by changing my acceleration as we traveled along the freeway.
Last, I was really able to fully utilize the blind spot detection and lane change assist feature. Blind Spot Detection uses cameras to reduce the blind spot. It then issues visual/auditory signals to warn me of objects not in my field of vision. Lane Change Assist monitors the position of the Cadenza within its lane and helps warn you if it deviates, or is about to deviate from the lane.
You know how it is, trying to maintain speed on the freeway while looking for your exit and then suddenly it’s upon you and you’re in the wrong lane? It happened. Thankfully, I had blind spot detection and lane change assist to guide me across the lanes safely – and with plenty of time to spare.
You can see all of the other reasons I love the 2014 Kia Cadenza – like it’s safety features and first class styling in my full review from last year.
Oh, I love all your 3 reasons, but 2 and 3 are very nice! I need to look at the Cadenza when we’re in the market for a new vehicle! Great review!
So many features! I’m constantly amazed at how many features come with the Kia brand at such an affordable price.