Teresa’s View
My airline seat partner and I were discussing the advantages of the much-maligned minivan. “It’s the most practical vehicle,” he offered. “It can take anyone, carry anything I need and drives — more or less — like a car.”
“What more do you need in a people-mover?” we wondered.
Alas, since the peak of its popularity in the ‘80s, the minivan has been assigned a crass “Soccer Mom” label and dismissed.
Fortunately, some manufacturers — and soccer moms — have not given up on the versatile vehicle. In fact, automakers like Kia are continuing to improve upon the concept. This year, the fully redesigned, second-generation Sedona is significantly larger, more powerful and boasts added safety and comfort features.
Longer and wider than its predecessor, the new Sedona is incredibly versatile. In addition to the laudable cargo space — even with the three rows of seats in place — the third row seat now folds discretely into the floor. Available second-row captain’s chairs can be removed to create room for even the most successful of shopping trips. Optional power-sliding doors and liftgate help when loading kids and their gear. Although I like the power liftgate, my kids find the power sliding doors move too slow for their taste.
A new 3.8-liter V-6 provides adequate power, even when fully loaded and a 5-speed automatic transmission is standard fare. It comes with a manual shift feature for when momma is feeling sporty.
Unfortunately for those of us who experience four seasons, four-wheel drive is not an option.
Fuel economy on our LX tester was a passable 18 mpg city and 25 highway. Even though regular fuel will do, if you want peak performance, you’ll need premium petrol.
What Is It?: The 2006 Kia Sedona is a seven-passenger minivan offered in two trims — a fully loaded LX and even more fully loaded EX. Prices start at $24K including destination charges.
Gadget Rating: 7 out of 10. The LX includes tri-zone air conditioning, cruise control, power windows on the sliding side doors, air-conditioning and power windows, door locks and mirrors. The EX trim adds a power driver’s seat and audio system with MP3 capability; a rear DVD entertainment system is a $1,200 option. A $2,400 Luxury package, available on the EX trim only, includes a handy rear-obstacle detection system, heated front seats, 13-speaker surround sound audio upgrade and a power sunroof.
Safety: Safety features include anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, traction control, brake assist and a tire-pressure monitoring system. This year, Kia added side curtain airbags that run the full length of the vehicle and front-seat-mounted side airbags are standard. The icing on the safety cake came with Sedona’s recent top scores in government crash tests.
Look for It: This fall, Kia promises a short-wheel-base version of the Sedona that is said to retail for $21K.
The Competition: Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Grand Caravan and Town and Country
Cheat Sheet: Kia is owned by Hyundai.