I swear, every time someone asks for advice on which car to buy to haul their three kids and their belongings, and I say they should get a minivan, they all get the same reaction. Their face deforms and their response is immediate: “Yuck! Do I look like someone who wants a minivan?”
And I reply: “Well, obviously not, but you still could use one”.
And they conclude with: “No way! Minivans are boring”.
I can’t blame them. I don’t agree with the general opinion that this type of vehicle is boring, but the perception is that buying a minivan makes you a boring person, and forever tagged as a Soccer Mom, even if you’re a dude. That hurts.
Still, think about it for a second. The 2011 Sedona gets a round of changes, including a new powertrain. The old 3.8-litre V6 is replaced by the 3.5-litre mill and 6-speed automatic with manual mode found in the Sorento. Power is up from 244 to 271 horses; only the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country have a higher stable count, but then again, does it really make a difference at this point?
Zero to 100 km/h takes 7.2 seconds, not bad at all for a 4,600-lb van. Boring the Kia is not, especially if torque steer is entertaining to you. You can blow the doors off many mid-size sedans and SUVs while you’re hauling a sofa and a loveseat.
As for fuel economy, our average of 10.9 L/100 km is actually quite good; we achieved worse mileage during our long-term test of the Sedona a couple of years ago, so the new powertrain has its merits.
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| It may be getting old, but this year’s improvements keep Kia’s minivan in the race. (Photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |
And I reply: “Well, obviously not, but you still could use one”.
And they conclude with: “No way! Minivans are boring”.
I can’t blame them. I don’t agree with the general opinion that this type of vehicle is boring, but the perception is that buying a minivan makes you a boring person, and forever tagged as a Soccer Mom, even if you’re a dude. That hurts.
Still, think about it for a second. The 2011 Sedona gets a round of changes, including a new powertrain. The old 3.8-litre V6 is replaced by the 3.5-litre mill and 6-speed automatic with manual mode found in the Sorento. Power is up from 244 to 271 horses; only the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country have a higher stable count, but then again, does it really make a difference at this point?
Zero to 100 km/h takes 7.2 seconds, not bad at all for a 4,600-lb van. Boring the Kia is not, especially if torque steer is entertaining to you. You can blow the doors off many mid-size sedans and SUVs while you’re hauling a sofa and a loveseat.
As for fuel economy, our average of 10.9 L/100 km is actually quite good; we achieved worse mileage during our long-term test of the Sedona a couple of years ago, so the new powertrain has its merits.
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| The Sedona is now equipped with a 271-horsepower, 3.5-litre V6 and 6-speed automatic. (Photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |