1) Yes, I would still buy it. 7 months, 6500 miles, two long trips (one 800 miles round trip, the other 1000 miles round trip.
2) The only "issue" I've had with mine was a flat on rear driver's side on one of the aforementioned trips. Not really a fault of the car, obviously. So far it has had fewer issues (zero) than my last car in the same initial time of ownership, and that car was also new.
3) I'm one of the few people who bought the base trim level, and I regret it. Yeah, it will save me a little money over the life of the loan, but I miss having a sunroof, and in south Louisiana vented seats would be awesome. Also would like the lane change assist for when I'm merging on the interstate, which is multiple times a day.
I only have a few complaints:
- the car's handling isn't full-on boat, but you can definitely tell you're driving a big sedan. I would have liked for the handling to be a touch more nimble.
- the transmission can sometimes be sluggish when choosing a gear, e.g. when you punch it looking for more power or when you've let off the accelerator to slow down then press it again
- as stated here and in reviews, the front wheels and steering take a lot of input from the road and at higher speeds you will find yourself correcting the car more often than you may be accustomed to. Doesn't bug me necessarily but it is noticeable.
Other high points:
- my dealership (Kia of Baton Rouge) is awesome and has so far treated me really well, but YMMV
- the car really does look great
- minor quibbles aside, the mapping software works really well, gives me better routing information than Google Maps and is especially effective if you pay for the traffic data from Xm
Bottom line:
If you're not hung up on brand name snobbery, I think this car is a good buy assuming that either you lease it or plan on owning it long enough to pay it off. If you're a "trade every 3 years" person, then I'd think twice. As much as many of us love our Cadenzas, it is a Kia, and luxury car or not, that name will have a negative effect on secondary market/trade-in values. Not saying stay away, but definitely know that you can afford the hit you're going to take if you want to sell/trade that soon.