The Kia Cadenza, which saw its debut earlier this year, has managed to beat the Toyota Avalon on Consumer Reports’ top large sedans rankings list. It came in second place, putting the perennial favorite Toyota Avalon in third.
The gasoline-powered Toyota Avalon may have missed the Kia Cadenza with its third place ranking, but Toyota can take some solace for the performance of their hybrid version of the vehicle. It tied for second place with the gasoline-powered Cadenza thanks to the heavy weighting given to fuel economy in Consumer Reports’ rankings.
At the very top of the list, beating out both the Avalon and Cadenza, was the 2014 Chevy Impala. This vehicle was given a big makeover for the 2014 model year and it looks like the work has paid off for General Motors. The Impala makeover made improvements on all fronts, creating a better-looking and better-driving vehicle than in previous model years.
The last time Consumer Reports released rankings for large sedans was back in 2007. That’s a turbulent six years in the auto industry. Back then, the Toyota Avalon sat happily at the top of the list, but companies like Kia and and General Motors have taken great strides toward improving their brands’ images.
While a focus on improved quality at General Motors helped give the Impala its win, Kia earned its place for choosing a new direction. It’s no longer the bargain brand that people once associated with the name.
The Kia Cadenza is an effort to go more upscale, a word no one would have associated with Kia back in 2007. They even debuted the brand with this vehicle at the Concours d’Elegance auto show earlier this month. It’s a significant change for the auto manufacturer and one that, according to the Consumer Reports’ rankings at least, seems to be working.
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.