Although 18 cm (7 inches) shorter than Honda's large Odyssey minivan, the nicely sized Sedona is 13 cm (5 inches) longer than the base Dodge Caravan. The Sedona is eye pleasing from any angle too, but not eye-popping. The exterior design is definitely - yawn - mainstream if not a little like Ford's Windstar and Freestar designs; not that there's anything particularly wrong with that. It's just that the design envelope has been nudged ahead by the likes of the new
Toyota Sienna and
Nissan Quest vans, which leaves the mainstreamers a little further downstream.
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| All of the Sedona's bits and pieces fit together accurately, more so than on an American made minivan I recently tested. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
One thing Kia has done well with the Sedona is ensure that all of its bits and pieces fit together accurately, more so than on an American made minivan I recently tested. The dual sliding doors, standard on the Sedona, opened and closed with ease and a reassuring thunk, as did all of the Sedona's conventionally opening portals. Once inside the vault-like Sedona interior, I was immediately impressed with the touch and feel factor. Surface finishes impart a sense of quality and refinement usually associated with a pricier product. But that's the Kia way, more-quality-for-fewer-greenbacks.
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| Once inside the vault-like Sedona interior, I was immediately impressed with the touch and feel factor. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Seating in the well-appointed cabin of the Sedona can take on several configurations, depending on the buyer's preference and pocketbook. My test model featured leather seating and second-row captain-style chairs. Standard seating is cloth covered and standard for the second-row is a two-passenger folding bench that can be easily removed and pushed on a small set of wheels attached to the underside. The third-row seat is a 50/50-split bench capable of accommodating up to three narrow rear-ends. Either or both sides of the split rear-bench can be removed and wheeled into storage. Although Kia has made the seat removal process as painless as possible, they have missed the mark by not designing a third-row that tumbles into the floor when not required. Many of the competing minivans have adopted this design, which has been eagerly embraced by many-a-parent. Chrysler currently leads the disappearing seat competition with second row bucket seats that also drop completely flat into the floor. Toyota and Nissan second row seats fold forward but not as flush to the floor as the Dodge and Chrysler vans.
