2015 Kia Sedona aims higher

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 11, 2014

Kia doesn’t want you to call the new Sedona a minivan. They prefer the term “multi-purpose vehicle,” thinking that it might remove the family-hauler stigma from the minivan label.

It doesn’t matter what you want to call it, it’s an excellent minivan. The 2015 Sedona is Kia’s best attempt yet of breaking into the top tier of the market that’s dominated by the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country.

With the Dodge Caravan riding off into the sunset in a couple of years, the Sedona is now well positioned to take its market share. With an impressive equipment list and some unique interior features, it should take some sales from the others too. Exterior dimensions are up as well, putting it closer to the size of its competitors.

The Kia goes its own way with some of its interior features, including a center console that flows from the center of the dash between the front seats like most crossover SUVs. It provides huge amounts of storage, but eliminates the ability to walk between the front seats. Most van owners would tell you that they never did that anyway.

The center row of seats flips and folds forward, tucking up behind the front row. While the design doesn’t allow for quite the cargo flexibility of some others, it’s a good alternative to Chrysler’s innovative Stow-and-go seats that fold into the floor. Top of the line Sedona SXL Limited models come with “First-class” seating in the second row. The comfortable seats include extending lower-leg rests and headrests that fold in to cradle your head.

Third-row seating is a bit tighter than some competitors, although that’s where the smallest kids end up anyway, so it’s not really an issue. It splits and folds into a well in front of the rear hatch when not needed.

Under the hood is Kia’s 3.3-liter gasoline direct injection V-6 that puts an ample 276-horsepower to the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission. Kia’s stiffed the structure of the Sedona significantly, allowing for better tuning of the suspension and a better all-around driving experience.

Cabin noise has been dramatically lessened from the predecessor, making the 2015 one of the quietest in the class.

Even the base L model features a high level of standard equipment including Bluetooth hands-free telephone connectivity, air conditioning, cruise control, and Yes! Essentials soil resistant seating fabric.

2015 Kia Sedona

Models: L, LX, EX, SX, SX Limited

Base prices: Range from LX $25,900 to SX Limited $39,700, plus $895 destination

Type: 7- or 8-passenger Front-wheel drive minivan

Engine: 3.3-liter V-6 with gasoline direct injection

EPA Estimated Mileage: 18 city/24 highway (17/22 SX Limited)

Length: 201.4 inches

Curb Weight: 4,414 lbs. (base vehicle)

Final Assembly: Korea

John M. Vincent can be reached at JMVincent2848@gmail.com or @OregonsCarGuy on Twitter.