PRICE : Sedona L 3.3L GDI V6 - 6 A/T $25,900
PRICE : Sedona LX 3.3L GDI V6 - 6 A/T $28,100
PRICE : Sedona EX 3.3L GDI V6 - 6 A/T $32,100
PRICE : Sedona SX 3.3L GDI V6 - 6 A/T $36,100
PRICE : Sedona SX Limited 3.3L GDI V6 - 6 A/T $39,700
The minivan segment has been dominated for years by Chrysler, Honda and Toyota, but the all-new 2015 Kia Sedona is out to crash the party. Replacing the functional but forgettable second-generation Sedona, the redesigned 2015 model wears crisp, muscular sheet metal that Kia says is crossover-inspired, accented by a prominent grille with the company's trademark style. Inside, the crossover theme continues with a driving environment that resembles a cockpit, including a prominent console between the front seats -- unique among minivans -- where the shift lever resides. Throw in competitive versatility and Kia's value-oriented pricing, and you've got a compelling new option that deserves close consideration alongside the usual suspects.
Despite the 2015 Sedona's dramatically different appearance, this isn't the sort of revolutionary product that we've come to expect from Kia in recent years. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Chances are, you're not looking for a revolution: just sliding doors, spaciousness, flexible seating options, plenty of safety and up-to-date equipment, all of which the new Sedona provides. The crossover design cues are where the Sedona goes a step further. Kia knows a lot of buyers skip over minivans because three-row crossovers simply look and feel cooler, so the 2015 Sedona is a novel attempt to meet them halfway. If you're sensitive to the stigma associated with diaper-toting minivan ownership, perhaps this Kia will make you think twice.
At heart, of course, the Sedona is as much of a box on wheels as the next minivan. But some nifty features lie within, including the SX-L model's fixed lounge-style second-row seats with generous slide-and-recline adjustments, lateral sliding functionality and extendable leg rests. In all other trims, the second-row seats collapse upright behind the front row to facilitate cargo-carrying, an interesting solution that eliminates the common minivan chore of removing those heavy chairs. On the other hand, maximum cargo capacity suffers as a result, leaving the Sedona marginally behind its main rivals (and woefully so in SX-L trim).
Those rivals are well-established, starting with the 2015 Honda Odyssey, which wins in fuel economy and road handling, but carries a steeper price. The refreshed 2015 Toyota Sienna runs neck and neck with the Odyssey in most respects, but the Sedona is again likely to be the better value. Although the 2015 Chrysler Town & Country's Stow 'n Go seats are the slickest in the business, the van's overall interior quality pales in comparison to the Kia's. Dark-horse candidates include the Nissan Quest (if cargo space isn't a high priority) and the 2015 Mazda 5 (if a smaller minivan would serve you better).
So where does that leave the 2015 Kia Sedona? Right in the thick of things, we'd say. Although it doesn't notably raise the bar, the Sedona possesses many strengths that make it a must-drive if you're shopping in this segment.
EXTERIOR
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At the back, square haunches have been adopted to carry a more muscular appearance and let’s not just forget about that new rear spoiler and those LED tailights, both of which are now standard on the Korean minivan.
Overall, it’s a sharp new look that deserves a lot of praise. Well done on this one, boys.
INTERIOR
The Sedona also is the only vehicle in the segment outfitted with standard YES Essentials™ fabric technology to provide anti-microbial protection from spills, anti-static protection from irritating electrical shocks as well as stain-repelling and stain-releasing fabric characteristics appreciated by anyone who leads an active lifestyle.
The Sedona's sophisticated interior design theme is brought to life with a modern color palette featuring solid or two-tone color options in beige, gray and burgundy for a warm and inviting atmosphere. The top-line SXL trim features standard ultra-soft Nappa leather seating surfaces throughout the cabin, the same Chromium-free leather found in the K900 luxury sedan.
SPECIFICATION
►Make:Kia
►Model:Sedona
►Price:$ 25900
►Engine:V6
►0-60 time:8 sec. (Est.)
►Top Speed:110 mph (Est.)
FEATURES
Available on the Sedona SX Limited models, these 2nd-row captain's chairs recline within about 25 degrees of horizontal, and the vertical sections below the seat cushions extend to become footrests. Behaving very much like First Class airline accommodations, the seats are aptly named.
►SLIDE-N-STOW SEATS :
The new Sedona's solution for achieving maximum cargo volume with a flat floor is track-mounted middle row seats that fold up and slide forward to stack against the front row. Third-row seats fold below floor level to create a substantial cargo hold.
COMFORT & QUALITY
By the numbers, that makes it 201.4 inches long, with a 120.5-inch wheelbase. Total volume behind the front seats is 142 cubic feet, or 78.4 cubes behind the second row and 33.9 cubes behind the third-row seat. A Honda Odyssey, for comparison's sake, is 202.9 inches long on a 118.1-inch wheelbase, with 148.5, 93.1, or 38.4 cubic feet of space behind its seating rows.
On our personal usability scale, it's in a tier above the smaller and narrower Mazda 5 and Nissan Quest, roughly on par with the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, and not quite as all-around flexible as the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, which have our beloved stow-away second-row seats.
The Sedona offers seating for up to eight, as well the kind of versatility that always seems to be at its best in minivans. Kia has raised the seating position of the driver's seat somewhat for better visibility, and though the higher dash slims the view outward a little, the front seats seem like they could soothe adult bodies on a cross-country family vacation.
In the second row, Kia tries to have it both ways. It doesn't tuck away its seats like the Chrysler vans--a feature we believe really maximizes the utility of a vehicle meant to be a do-it-all. However, on most versions, the Sedona has what's called Slide-n-Stow, an arrangement that can slide middle-row seats forward and flip up their bottom cushions, compacting the seat vertically in a space very close to the front seats. It leaves behind a low, level floor without the need to remove the seats, though there's not the internal length to do some of the things Chrysler's vans can do--haul a full-size sofa with the tailgate closed, for example. A 4X8 sheet of plywood will fit in back, but only if it's loaded at an angle over the tipped-forward second-row seats.
On the top Sedona SX-L, Kia rips out those non-removable sliding seats and installs so-called 'first-class' lounge seating with retractable lower leg rests and headrests with winglets. These seats can also move a limited amount side to side, to make a wider path from the front to the rearmost seats, but they also can't be removed. Kia thinks it's an acceptable trade-off and distinct enough from the Japanese minivan offerings, which don't have any tuck feature, either. The Sedona's exposed seat tracks are open to attracting a lot of gunk, but they're wide enough to be cleaned easily.
As for the third row, it's small, and not suitable for teenagers or adults, unlike the Sienna and Odyssey back seats. Headroom is shy and the entry space is barely a foot wide, even with the sliding seats moved forward. The third-row seat does split 60/40 and folds flat right into the floor.
Elsewhere in the Sedona, storage is pretty vast. There's a huge, deep front center console and several usable storage bins around the doors and dash. Top-end Sedonas have a sliding armrest on the console and a tiered tray. USB and charging points are easily accessible, and some models offer high-powered USB ports and 115-volt outlets for charging on the go.
In outgoing versions of the Sedona, refinement was somewhat behind the curve; Kia now describes the Sedona as the quietest in its segment, with all sorts of new measures like wheel-house padding, double-sealed sliding doors, and new engine-compartment sound deadening. In the vehicles we drove, all SX Limited models, the Sedona was exceptionally quiet, with a substantial feel you just don't get in a Chrysler van. It's tasteful at this $42,000 level, but we haven't yet seen one with the base cloth or Yes! Essentials spill-proof interior trim.
DRIVETRAIN
Among minivans, the Sedona is exceptionally quiet, as engine, road and wind noise are all held to reasonable levels. The ride quality is agreeable on most surfaces, though the SX-L's 19-inch wheels can make bumps a bit more vivid than they need to be. Around turns, the Sedona acquits itself well for a big people hauler. There's nothing particularly memorable about driving Kia's latest minivan, but that approachable character should endear it to potential buyers.
PERFORMANCE
The Sedona shares the 3.3-liter V-6 found in Kia's Cadenza sedan and in the Sorento crossover. It makes 276 fuss-free horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, and has a nicely rounded engine note as it winds through its powerband and through lots of layers of sound deadening.
The powertrain is saddled with a lot of curb weight, though--the Sedona weighs 4,414 pounds in base trim, and up to 4,720 pounds in loaded models. Compared to a Honda Odyssey minivan, it's up on horsepower, about even on torque and weight, and unremarkable in its moderate acceleration.
Power is delivered to the front wheels through via a six-speed automatic transmission. The Sedona can tow up to 3,500 pounds, but a full passenger load and a trailer will take patience.
The Sedona rides on a basic strut suspension design in front and multi-link rear, with new bushings at the rear crossmembers and better isolation at the rear suspension for a better ride. In tuning, the Sedona feels like heavier Chrysler minivan in ways, with some minor shake in the steering column and a mostly well-damped ride that can get bouncy as it encounters rhythmically placed bumps. It's nearly wander-free on the interstates we drove, but push it briskly in corners and the Sedona's weight and suspension failsafe into minivan mode, tires lodging lots of complaints, just like your passengers will.
Only the top versions will have electric power steering, but unfortunately that's the only version we've driven to date. It's fairly fast off-center like the Chryslers, with enough weight added in to keep the Sedona tracking true on highway slogs.
Kia fits ventilated discs in front, solid discs in back. Base models get 17-inch steel wheels, but nicer wheels on nicer trim levels range from 17-inchers to 19-inchers, which didn't seem to ruffle the SX Limited's ride at all.
ENGINE
►3.3-liter V6
276 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
248 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg
SAFETY
Only advanced smart cruise control, forward collision warning and lane departure warning are optional, and exclusively available on Limited models with the Limited Technology Package.
FUEL ECONOMY
How's that again?
There's one key difference that separates most Sedonas from the top SX and SX Limited trims: electric power steering. On the models equipped with throwback hydraulic-boosted power steering, gas mileage is rated by the EPA at 18 miles per gallon city, 24 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined.
Electric steering helps the Sedona SX up to 18/25 mpg, or 21 mpg combined. But opt into the SX Limited and it falls to 17/22 mpg, or 19 mpg combined, in spite of the more efficient steering. That's because the SX Limited has lots of standard features not found on other models--lounge-style second-row seats and a panoramic sunroof--that add weight to its bottom line.