2015 Kia Sedona SX Limited Review By John Heilig

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REVIEWED MODEL: 2015 Kia Sedona SXL
ENGINE: 3.3-liter DOHC V6
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic
HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 276 hp @ 6,000 rpm/248 lb.-ft. @ 5,200 rpm
WHEELBASE: 120.5 in.
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 201.4 x 89.3 x 68.5 in.
TIRES: P235/55R19
ECONOMY: 17 mpg city/22 mpg highway/19.6 mpg test
FUEL TANK: 21.1 gal.
CURB WEIGHT: 4,720 lbs.
STICKER: $43,275 (includes $845 delivery, $2,700 options)

BOTTOM LINE: The Kia Sedona is a solid minivan with plenty of room. It combines food power and handling in a nice-looking package.          

As constant readers of these ramblings may remember, the Heilig family grew up in a full-size van that took our girls from Brownies through college. So, even though Mom and Pop now drive a sedan, all the girls and their families are minivan people, just to haul all their cargo around.          

This back history made me interested in the Kia Sedona, which turned out to fit somewhere between the early Plymouth Voyager minivan (which was ridiculously tiny compared to what all manufacturers offer today, and our big Chevy. Yes, minivans have grown.

Styling has always been a problem with minivans. After all, there isn’t much you can do with a basic box. Honda fought this with their “Lightning Bolt” side sculpturing, and Kia has joined the ranks with unique side styling that will help you recognize the Sedona in a crowded parking lot.       

    Sedona’s 3.3-liter V6 delivers good power for the fairly heavy minivan. In addition, overall ride quality is good, which is important so the kiddies won’t be constantly complaining. There is a switch on the center console to adjust ride modes among “normal,” “eco,” and “comfort.” We drove in “normal” mode primarily, and couldn’t note any major differences in the other modes in the short time we spent in them. We averaged nearly 20 mpg in our test, which is significantly more than we achieved in our old family van.          

The front seats are comfortable and are heated and cooled, depending on your preferences. They offer good side support. Second row seats offer excellent legroom, with leg rests that would be ideal for smaller children. The third row bench folds easily into the cargo area well to create a larger cargo box. Access to the third row, while narrow, is easy with the second row captain’s chairs. All three rows have assist handles.          

The overhead console up front is a busy spot. First, there are the power side sliding door controls, plus a power tailgate switch. What I found most interesting, and something we could have used in our van 20 years ago, was a convex “spy mirror” where the sunglass holder is normally located. This helps the front seat (usually adults) check on what’s going on with the young ones in the other rows.          

Like all responsible family vehicles, the Sedona has blind spot warning, lane departure warning and traction control for safer driving.          

Added features include a USB and AUX connection at the base of the center stack, plus another USB connection in a deep console ahead of the main arm rest/console that is deep enough to hold a water bottle.          

There is yet another USB connection for the second row passengers, as well as a 12-volt plug, at the rear of the main console. In the cargo area, there are 12-volt and 115-volt plugs.          

My one complaint with the Sedona was that the navigation system couldn’t find an address I was looking to find. I could program it in manually, though. The on-screen map is clear, and the audio and HVAC systems worked well.          

The Kia Sedona qualifies near the top of the minivan segment. It is large, so it would probably accommodate all the camping equipment we often carried in our full-size van. And yet it is small enough to park easily and maneuver in tight spaces.

© 2015 The Auto Page Syndicate