Chris Doane AutomotiveCar and Driver
- Kia is discontinuing the Cadenza and K900 sedans for the U.S. market.
- Neither will return for the 2021 model year
- The smaller K5, Forte, Rio sedans and the Stinger hatchback remain part of the lineup.
Kia is the latest automaker to drop several sedans from its U.S. lineup, as the company confirmed to C/D that the K900 and Cadenza will not return for the 2021 model year. The K900 was a large luxury sedan while the Cadenza competed in the dwindling mainstream full-size sedan segment with models such as the Toyota Avalon and Nissan Maxima.
This news doesn’t come as a big surprise, as neither car was crucial to Kia’s business in the U.S. The Cadenza contributed a paltry 1265 sales for Kia in 2020 and the K900 recorded just 305 sales. For reference, the next lowest-volume model in the Kia lineup in 2020 was the Stinger hatchback, which sold 12,556 units.
The continued existence of the K900 also did not make much sense given the trajectory of Genesis, Hyundai-Kia group’s fledgling luxury marque. Genesis’ own flagship luxury sedan, the G90, far outsold the Kia last year, with 2072 units sold. And the Cadenza’s segment has shrunk dramatically in recent years with models such as the Ford Taurus, Chevy Impala, and Hyundai Azera falling by the wayside.
Predictably, Kia said in a statement that this “realignment” has to do with customer demand shifting to SUVs. But unlike the Big Three American automakers, Kia still does offer a fairly substantial portfolio of sedans, including the subcompact Rio, the compact Forte, the mid-size K5, and the Stinger hatchback that competes with entry-luxury models.
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