2015 Kia
Sedona

Ten Things to Know About the 2015 Kia Sedona

Don’t call it a minivan! Kia wants the Sedona to be known as a multi-purpose vehicle, or MPV, the term the world outside of North America uses for minivans.

The Kia Sedona ditches several miniva– sorry, MPV traditions, including the dash-mounted transmission shifter. The Sedona has a full-size center console between the front seats, similar to an SUV or a car. This eliminates the walk-through area, a feature minivan owners told Kia they rarely use. Materials are excellent, befitting a luxury car.

Despite the big center console, back-seat passengers still get the “all in one room” feel of a regular minivan, which is one of the aspects of this Kia Sedona we like best.

Most versions of the Sedona can be had in 7- or 8-seat configuration. The second row seats have a nifty “Slide-n-Stow” function that allows them to collapse almost flat against the front seatbacks, making for good third-row access and providing extra cargo space. They take up more space than seats that fold into the floor (as found on Dodge, Chrysler and Nissan minivans), but the seats themselves are more comfortable to sit in.

The top-of-the-line SX Limited model comes with “business class” second-row seats that recline nearly flat and feature a pop-up foot rest. They’re fabulous for taking snooze on long, boring stretches of road. The downside is that these seats make for a less comfortable third row (there’s less room for feet under the seat) and they don’t have the Slide-n-Stow function.

The Sedona’s third-row seat reminded us of an SUV rather than a minivan, and that’s not a good thing. The seat is close to the floor and short on thigh support; it’s fine for kids but not great for adults.

The Kia Sedona uses the same “disappearing” third-row seat as other minivans. With the seat in use, there’s a deep well for luggage and groceries; when not needed, the seat folds down into the well to form a flat cargo floor. Folding and unfolding is easy thanks to well-positioned levers and straps. Pricier Sedonas have an exclusive feature that will automatically open the tailgate when you stand behind the car — handy for when your hands are full and you can’t get to the remote.

We drove the sportiest version of the Sedona, the SX model, which drives more like a car than a minivan. The ride is firm but comfortable and the steering feels sharp and precise, and the 276 horsepower V6 engine accelerates strongly. Like the Mazda5 (a six-seat mini-minivan), the Sedona is a lot more fun to drive than we expect a minivan to be. That said, we didn’t get a chance to drive the lower-spec models, which use the same engine but have softer suspension and steering calibrations.

The Sedona comes well stocked on safety gear, with side curtain airbags that protect all three rows of seats, a telematics system that dials 911 in the event of a crash, and optional collision- and lane-departure warning systems. However, the base-model The 2015 Kia Sedona doesn’t come with a backup camera, something VroomGirls thinks every big family vehicle (if not every vehicle, period) ought to have.

As you’d expect from a Kia, pricing is very aggressive. The Kia Sedona L starts at $26,795, and a Sedona SX Limited with all of the options tops out at $44,940. Kia expects most buyers will opt for the mid-range Sedona EX model, which lists for $32,995 and includes power sliding doors and tailgate, tri-zone climate control, and keyless entry and ignition. All Kias come with a long warranty that covers the whole car for 5 years or 60,000 miles and the powertrain (engine, transmission, driveline) for 10 years or 100,000 miles.