IS350jet

The SX Limited is as high as you can go in the Optima. The only way to get the price higher than $34,500 is to add every single factory accessory and even then, it would only add $465 to the bottom line. $34,965 would be it, no higher. That would be MSRP and nobody pays MSRP. I don't think many consumers would define $34,965 as "pushing $40k".

TangoRed

Fair enough, I just went back and checked and I was defintiely still thinking of the Sorrento's price tag. In any event, if you forgo the tech package on the Cadenza the list price is $38,900, which is a great price. The tech pack gives you 19" wheels, all the lane departure/blind spot safety gear, an electronic parking break, adaptive cruise control. I don't think that's a must-have package personally.

In summation, the price is on par with its competition. I do wonder what the sales goals are.

Fizzboy7

Like most new BMW's, this Kia has a serious overbite problem. Front end looks rediculous, but the rest of the package is fair.
Overall, I don't see anything special that will push this car out of dealer lots at an accelerated rate.

LexBob2

The Azera is selling about 1k cars per month in NA. I would guess the Cadenza will sell about the same, maybe a little less since the Azera name is more recognizable to consumers.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Probably less. Like you say, the name is not as recognizable plus the whole segment is never as hot as a step below (ie midsize)

trexlexus

Ya, there are definate things that look like they are "borrowed" (like those A6 taillights), but overall, i think it doesnt look very bad stylistically. At least it doesn't look as derived as the Genesis. My favorite thing about the car is the fact that they didn't do any sort of LED DRL strip on the headlights. LEDs look nice and all, but when they are starting to pop up everywhere, it looks a little "played out".

P.S. If that grille gets any more pinched in the center, BMW will bust a blood vessel.

Whitigir

First look, i read Kia CADEVA, as in a Sink, translated from italia.....LOL

Mike728

I think I showed you this in the 1st "1st Drive" thread. It has the feature. The one I saw at the auto show had them, too.

trexlexus

Now that you say that, i do vaguely recall a conversation about that. But i thought that was a pre-production model. Maybe i am wrong, but i was searching for the Cadenza's features and i couldn't find LED headlights in them. You have any links?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Not sure if we're talking about headlights or drl's now.

trexlexus

Lol, i meant to be talking about DRLs in the beginning. But ya, regarding them, i couldn't find any spec sheets saying that the Cadenza had LED DRLs. Maybe i just suck at searching lol.

mmarshall

Yes, I agree that, in some cases, the potential resale values of some (not all) American-market Hyundais and Kias are not up to some of their competitors. But that just proves my point.....long-outdated views of these vehicles, by the public, keeps holding down their values as used cars. We'll have to want and see how the Cadenza does in the marketplace. But it is clear that its cousin Azera's low sales were not due to being a substandard product, but simply by Hyundai's aggressive marketing/advertising of its own Genesis brother. The Genesis, in ads, was constantly being compared (rightly or wrongly) to ES and GS Lexus models, and a lot of people bought into it and simply by-passed the Azera.

I8ABMR

I have to say I am impressed. I still prefer the Hyundai Azera in terms of looks but this is one hell of a package.

Mike728

I was worried about this with my Sonata when I purchased it in 2008. I lost about $12k over a 5 year period and 75k miles, which I think was outstanding. This was on a trade-in and I was given Black Book value. I lost $20k in 2 years on my previous Chevy.

mmarshall

Although actual depreciation-curves differ by vehicle (and accumulated mileage), most new cars depreciate the most the first year, continue at a steep-though-deceasing rate for the first three years, and then start to flatten out each year after that. By the time they are eight or nine years old, each year after that makes little difference.

That's why a number of people, if they don't keep their cars for the entire vehicle's life, either trade in every three years or get three-year leases. The three-year mark in the life of many vehicles marks a major balance-point between depreciation, reliability, getting as much of your money's worth as possible, and the potential cost of getting into another new car.