2006 Kia Sedona

Welcome to the Driving Range with Dave Jordan - Your Auto Guide to the South Shore of Nova Scotia. All you need to know about Nova Scotia's South Shore Auto scene.

This week, Dave Jordan checks out the 2006 Kia Sedona:

Minivans aren't that mini anymore. Most can accommodate seven passengers and their luggage, or whatever else they need to carry. Ever since Chrysler first introduced the "magic wagon" (thank Lee Iacocca for this innovative idea), upgrades and improvements have been progressively made and additional manufactures have jumped on the people-hauler bandwagon. And why not? Minivans still make up a large percentage of total vehicle sales in North America with this trend expected to continue as long as there are families to transport. Kia has only recently been in the game with their Sedona minivan, now in its second iteration, which is vastly improved for 2006. Thanks to Bridgewater Kia for the opportunity to review this latest creation.

The original Sedona was a bargain on wheels, but frankly lacked many of the dynamic attributes of the competition. Kia, being a wise manufacturer, realized this and has added a host of improvements that have literally transformed this van from an also-ran to a serious competitor in this market segment. The first obvious change is to the exterior styling that is now more modern and sophisticated looking. Minivans aren't the preferred vehicle for designers to express their talents but, nonetheless, the new Sedona is a sleek-looking unit with a distinct "shoulder" at the beltline and tapered creases on the hood adding some character and presence to this very handsome exterior. Kia has stretched the body in all directions, except for overall height, accomplishing more human and cargo carrying capacity all around. Most people purchase vans because they need to transport the kids and their friends to the many sporting and social events today's families enjoy. With this in mind, interior seating and cargo- carrying flexibility have been enhanced substantially, allowing a variety of configurations that should accommodate just about any owner's needs. With the now standard 60/40-split third row fold-in-the-floor seating arrangement, rear cargo space can be expanded at the touch of a few buttons. The second-row seats can also slide and fold forward on their front hinges to accommodate longer items without having to physically remove the seats themselves. And of course the two individual second row seats can be removed easily if necessary. There is a well behind the third row, where these seats would be stored when lowered, that serves as a deep, wide and very useful in-floor storage compartment for things such as coolers and duffle bags.

I drove the base LX model that came relatively well equipped with some unexpected standard features such as the tire pressure warning system, a rear sonar parking monitor, heated front windshield (for de-icing front wipers), tri-zone A/C with separate controls for each zone, heated outside mirrors, windows that lower on the sliding side doors and 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS. The usual power and convenience group is standard as well of course. You can add other niceties, with one of the three upgrade packages, such as power sliding remote control side doors; power-operated, heated leather seats; power adjustable pedals; a better stereo; fog lamps; rain-sensing wipers; traction and stability control; automatic climate control; a sunroof and many more convenience and luxury accoutrements.

The overall interior design is typical minivan with good ergonomics, lots of storage and tonnes of versatility. Fit and finish are very good and all controls operate with a high-quality feel. Buttons and stalks are logically placed for easy access and functionality, highlighting the fact that Kia interiors have drastically improved over the past couple of years.

Safety is always a concern with any vehicle we drive, and Kia takes this very seriously by supplying a multitude of airbags and excellent crash worthiness design. In fact, the new Sedona is the only minivan (of eight) tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that has received top marks in all three crash-rating categories (front, side and rear impact). Very comforting!

The Sedona is motivated by a 3.8 litre 255HP V6 producing 253 lb. ft. of torque. This smooth-running engine exceeds most competitors' numbers and propels this van along with conviction. Engine noise at idle or while highway cruising is imperceptible with only a hint of growl when passing duties are required. The five-speed auto works effortlessly and has a manual shift mode (Steptronic in Kia speak) if you want to have more control over the gear changes, maybe if you are towing something or just sporting around. There is plenty of torque on tap as I proved when I accidentally pulled away from a stop sign too aggressively and caused the front tires to squeal. Burning rubber in a minivan? Not what you would expect. I was also impressed with the handling of the Sedona, which was quite car-like and, considering the size and weight of this unit, fairly nimble. No, this is not a "sport" van, but this vehicle's driving dynamics are notable nontheless.

Kia has always promoted its products as being good value for the dollar. To support this, Kia produces an evaluation sheet comparing the Sedona to its main competitors and, well, the data is pretty compelling. You do get a lot of vehicle for the money. Purchase prices start at just under $29,500 for the LX and go up from there for the various aforementioned upgrade packages.

With major improvements in design and versatility, an excellent 5-5-5 Total Care Ownership Coverage, superior crash worthiness and great driving dynamics, it's hard to argue with the fact that this newest Sedona is still a great bargain on wheels. This vehicle is one of the reasons Kia is the fastest-growing automaker in the world.


Dave's Auto Archive — Kia Motors Corporation was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. They are now part of the Kia-Hyundai motor group.