Once my husband and I ticked off the 3 children check box we
consciously chose to be a minivan family.
Our current minivan (2005 Honda Odyssey) is coming up on 10 years.
Through all of those years it’s been reliable, practical and comfortable. However it was with great anticipation that we
got to review the Kia
Sedona SXL since we’re in the market for a new van. It would be great to
see what’s changed in the 10 years since we’ve had our minivan.
Smooth as Silk
First off, the Koa Sedona SXL is a slick, silky
vehicle. I have to say it truly handles
much nicer than my Odyssey. It was one
of the smoothest rides I’ve ever experienced.
The electric power steering makes driving a breeze. While my current van has a back-up camera,
the Sedona has front and rear cameras that help during parking and exiting a
parking spot. The navigation screen displays
both front and back views in a split screen so you can clearly see what might
not be as visible just with the naked eye.
There’s the added benefit of an audio feedback system that lets you know
if you’re getting close to an object. That’s
a great feature and very handy for those teen drivers. It works not only in a tight parking spot but
also while driving and changing lanes.
Ready for a Road
Trip?
The Sedona delivers 276 horsepower and a super quiet and
smooth drive. Both active and passive
safety features provide the utmost safety whether you’re going to the grocery
store or a cross-country road trip.
Driver View
The Kia Sedona was named Best New Car Design at the 2014 New
York Auto Show. It’s definitely a winner
and was a dream to drive. The dashboard has loads of features. The steering wheel has a bunch of buttons to
maximize the safety of having 2 hands on the wheel at all times. You can answer the phone, lower the media
volume, and manage cruise control and other car settings. The comfortable driver bucket seat allows for
2 different drivers to have preset settings so you never have to grumble about
your husband changing the perfect seat height and mirror view. The
front passenger seat also has electronic control seat settings. There is a sunroof in the front, which I find
I don’t use much in my current van. Both
seats have heating and cooling settings – true comfort in the cockpit. There’s also ample room to store commuter
mugs, snacks, small bags and more in the center console.
Passenger View
My 3 kids tested the second row and marveled at the
comfort. Not only are there two captain
chairs but they come complete with ottomans or foot rests that make traveling
first class. The middle row also has a separate sunroof. Perhaps that makes up for the lack of an entertainment
center. I don’t find the lack of an
entertainment center a concern at all now that most kids have their own
hand-held device whether it is a smartphone or tablet.
Kia’s UVO eServices
App
Kia’s UVO is a subscription-free media service offered by
Kia Motors America. Besides hands-free
calls using your smartphone and the built-in Bluetooth you can also stream
music, download apps from the UVO Download Center including Yelp and Google
Maps and register your account to view maintenance information. Available for both the iPhone and Android you
can sync between the phone and car and take note between your parking location,
get roadside help plan stops along your trip.
Doggy and Luggage
View
The third row and trunk space offer lots of convenience you
don’t find in an SUV. You can fold both
the single seat or double seat or just one at a time. When flattened my only complaint is the floor
is not completely level. A flat surface
would mean it would be easier to sleep in the vehicle of you were using it for
camping or to transport something that required a level surface. My two big dogs are often relegated to the
back of the van so having a level surface means more comfort. I would add some blankets to make up for the
bump in the back. But beyond that minor
inconvenience there’s plenty of room to pack, store and move lots of
stuff. Again, something most SUVs are
incapable of carrying as much as a minivan.
That to me is reason enough to go with a minivan.
For me it was a welcome bonus to have an trunk door that
opens with the click of a button on the remote.
You can open it with the remote or by pressing a button above the
license plate of the trunk door. Then
simply press the button on the base of the door to gently close. My two dogs, a Golden Retriever and a
Labrador Retriever, had no problem jumping in the back of the van. The height
of an SUV is typically too high to allow your dogs to jump in the back.
Nice to Have’s
A few of the niceties with the van include two USB ports in
front, one in the back and two 110v outlets (front and rear). The outlets are very handy when camping,
charging or using a device that does not have a USB port. On more than one occasion we’ve used someone
else’s outlet to blow up our mattress when camping or use a blender at a
tailgate. So it’s a great ‘nice-to-have’
feature.
Some other awesome features include the cooling glove box
that comes standard on the EX, SX and Limited and optional on the LX. The trunk light is detachable for those times
when you need a flashlight – ingenious!
The exterior has a lot to offer too. The sleek looking grill mimics the lines of
the windshield. There are interior
window shades and the overall comfort level is outstanding. It rated very high in the crash test scores
with an overall score of 8 out of 10.
What’s the Bottom
Line?
After driving the Kia Sedona SXL for a week, I have to say
we are seriously considering buying or leasing this minivan as our next
vehicle. While Toyota and Honda minivans
are often the top pick, their many recalls and hefty price-tags make the Kia
Sedona is definitely a heavy contender.
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