Driving the 2008 Kia Sedona this past week proved to be an unexpected treat. This was my first experience driving a Kia, but it definitely won't be my last! The Sedona handled and performed like a more expensive van, even when fully loaded.
I wasn't the only one pleased with the Sedona, since I had from 5-7 passengers with me for several different cross-town trips. All expressed their surprise with the leg room in the spacious and comfortable passenger van, and a few of them remarked on how easy it was to get in and out of both the second and third row seats.
The seven-passenger minivan offers impressive luggage space as well. Five friends accompanied me to an outdoor performance of "Othello" at the Shakespeare Festival in the Park Saturday night, and we had room to spare for lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets and our coolers.
If there was a downside to driving the elegant-looking Glacier Blue/Gray Kia Sedona EX last week, it was that I had to do all the driving. No one else offered to take their car or drive all week long, so I was beginning to feel like a professional chauffeur, or maybe a Soccer Mom. The Sedona features a 3.8-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 engine that produces 250 hp and 253 pound-feet of torque. EPA fuel estimates for the Sedona are 13.2 L/100 km in town and 8.8 on the highway, which isn't bad when you divide the cost by a family of four or five or more.
The Sedona's starting price is $32,795, and all Kias offer a generous list of standard features including six airbags, a five-speed Sportmatic transmission, captain's chairs for the second row, and keyless entry. The Sedona EX also has fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a trip computer with compass, and a roof rack.
The EX Luxury model I drove also featured leather seat trim, heated front seats, 2-position memory for driver's seat, outside mirrors and power adjust pedals, power sunroof, backup warning system, steering wheel audio controls, and an automatic Tri-Zone Climate Control which kept even the back row passengers nice and cool in spite of temperatures nearing 38 degrees outside. Total price is $38,795.
The EX Power model includes a DVD player with 8-inch monitor, Infinity Audio/MP3/CDC and speakers, and Surround Sound System and fun-to-watch sliding doors and lift gate. Total price, is $34,795.
The Sedona received the company's first five-star crash safety rating for each seating position from the U. S. government and was named a Top Safety Pick by IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) in 2007. Along with six standard airbags, like all Kias the Sedona is covered by a ten-year or 100,000 km limited power-train warranty and offers a five-year/60,000km roadside warranty.
Jo Ann Holt is a columnist and car writer based in Dallas, Texas, and a member of the Texas Automobile Writers Association (TAWA).
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