Here's Why The KIA Cadenza Was Discontinued

You may not realize it, but South Korean automaker Kia has been manufacturing cars for the better part of the last century. Over that span, the company has released vehicles of all shapes, sizes, and classes on city streets and freeways across the globe. However, not every Kia model has been adored by the auto-loving masses upon release, with even the most successful cars not guaranteed to sell well in the long run. Of the Kias in that category, the Cadenza is perhaps the most prominent.  

Also referred to as the Kia K7, the full-size 4-door sedan hit the market in 2010 as a modestly upscale option among the automaker's more budget-friendly fleet — one meant to rival similar models from competitors like Nissan and Toyota. The Cadenza initially did just that, with Kia keeping their sedan in production for the entirety of the 2010s. But in 2021, the automaker unexpectedly announced the Cadenza would be discontinued, and it would appear that poor sales in the U.S. were to blame.

In January 2020, it was reported that Stateside sales for the Cadenza peaked at a meager 1,265 units. With numbers like those, it's easy to see why Kia pulled the plug on their once-beloved luxury model.

The Kia Cadenza was not the only 4-door sedan that went the way of the Dodo at the dawn of the 2020s. In fact, the beginning of the decade saw a steep decline in sedan sales, with even some of the biggest automakers in the game re-thinking their place in the market. But those in the know could see the writing on the wall well before the axe finally fell on the Cadenza and its class brethren, as SUV sales had been gaining on sedans for several years prior. According to reports, the popularity of SUVs on the consumer market ultimately doomed many sedans to exile.

Those same reports confirm SUVs had long outpaced sedans in units sold, first eclipsing them in sales in 2015. As the market continued to swing the way of SUVs, manufacturers set about elevating the driving experience for the sport utility set, with many models rivaling luxury sedans' style, comfort, and smoothness of ride. As the upgrades continued to roll in, most SUVs even began matching sedans in fuel efficiency, with manufacturers even offering hybrid and electric models.

By 2019, SUVs were reportedly out-selling sedans two to one in the United States, accounting for almost 50% of U.S. auto sales. A bottom line like that is impossible to ignore, with Kia savvily following the almost market-wide pivot to luxury SUVs. To their credit, Kia's Telluride continues to stand out as one of the best-rated sport utility vehicles on the scene.