Sedona will fly with minivan set

Soccer moms and minivans.

What a quaint concept. Seems so Clintonesque, doesn’t it? So redolent of the go-for-broke ‘90s, when America was at peace — give or take the occasional international peacekeeping mission — the economy was booming and soccer moms were fodder for presidential stump speeches.

In the intervening years, the minivan was replaced as America’s glamour car — first by the SUV, and more recently by a new breed of tall, all-wheel-drive station wagons we call crossovers.

But, guess what — someone is still buying minivans. A million new vans roll out of U.S. showrooms every year, a market only the Europeans seem inclined to ignore.

Certainly, the Koreans have gotten the message. Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia continue to pump development dollars into their vans, called the Entourage and Sedona, respectively.

For 2006, both have been significantly revised, although today we’ll focus on the Sedona, the subject of a recent test drive.

To hear Kia tell it, the new Sedona “redefines the term ‘value.’ ”

I’m not sure automakers have license to redefine anything without Webster’s say-so, but I catch their drift: the Sedona rides on a new platform, is larger both inside and out and has a sophisticated new, six-cylinder engine that makes class-leading power and delivers a reasonably attractive EPA rating of 18 city/25 highway.

Despite having grown 8 full inches, the new Sedona has dropped 400 pounds of fuel- and power-robbing weight. The aluminum-block engine, a lighter transmission and a new, multi-link independent rear suspension are the chief contributors to the weight-loss plan.

The obvious result is better acceleration, with no fuel-economy penalty, and a nimbler, more agreeable ride-and-handling package.

In concert with the revised suspension, the newly lengthened wheelbase — it now measures 119 inches — also contributes to the Sedona’s newfound levels of on-road comfort.

It’s not yet the ultimate minivan ride — the Sedona must still contend with such sterling rigs as the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler’s vans — but it no longer follows the leaders by light years.

Expansion joints, frost heaves and the potholes on Fifth Avenue still take its measure, but under normal conditions the Sedona delivers a smooth ride.

And if its steering is numb and uncertain on center, Kia’s van goes willingly where it’s pointed.

Fast, sweeping curves are dispatched with acceptable amounts of body lean, but there’s just no point trying to push this — or any van, for that matter — quickly through the twisties. Someone in the way-back would be sure to throw up, anyway.

Our base Sedona LX ($23.665) offered six-passenger seating (seven, if you count the marginal center-rear position), a full complement of airbags, tri-zone air conditioning, eight-speaker audio and keyless remote entry.

Every Sedona built includes anti-lock brakes, with brakeforce distribution and brake assist; stability and traction control systems; and a tire-pressure monitoring system that reports on the status of each tire.

Regrettably, rear-parking sensors and adjustable pedals are optionally available only on the up-level EX ($24,590).

That model also adds an eight-way power driver’s seat, upgraded cloth upholstery, an MP3-compatible stereo, automatic headlights, auto-dimming mirror and 17-inch alloy wheels.

A number of inviting options are available only on the EX, including power sliding rear doors (all Sedonas come with two) and a power liftgate.

An EX-only Luxury Package ($2,400) fetches leather upholstery, automatic climate control, seat heaters, adjustable pedals, driver-seat memory, sunroof, steering-wheel audio controls, auto-dimming mirror and rear parking sensors.

In terms of options, the LX must make do with a DVD-based entertainment system, roof rails and a trailer hitch.

Another anomaly: only on the EX can the entertainment system be supplemented with a 605-watt Infinity audio system that plays DVDs in 7.1 surround sound through 13 speakers.

Kia makes great claims for the Sedona’s Euro-influenced exterior styling, noting in particular the sloping roofline. I don’t see it — to my eye, it’s just another minivan (I mean, who buys these things for their looks?), and that drooping roofline has the downside effect of reducing interior headroom.

Kia counters by lowering the seat-height of the 60/40-split third-row bench, rendering it essentially useless for all but children and pets.

To maximize cargo space, the third-row bench folds into the floor and the second-row seats slide fore and aft and tumble; to attain a full, flat cargo floor, though, they must be removed.

On balance, the interior is pleasant and functional, although not as plush or sophisticated as those found in the Sedona’s more expensive competitors. Seat comfort and support are adequate and the front-seat headrests incorporate whiplash-reducing technology.

Cupholders, water-bottle indents and covered cubbies litter the interior and the two-tiered glovebox offers abundant, lockable storage.

The Sedona is available only in a basic front-drive configuration, with no mention of AWD to come. However, a short-wheelbase Sedona will arrive soon to compete with the Dodge Caravan and Mazda5.

The 2006 Sedona is a fully featured minivan with a price tag that easily bests the competition. It wears its shortcomings well and all but the most demanding soccer mom will find it more than adequate to the task.