2007 Kia Sedona Review
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Overview

The Kia Sedona has just about everything the Honda Odyssey has, except the reputation, for a lot less money. Toyota and Honda have an edge on quality, ride and handling, but the Sedona is a compelling value in this class, offering convenience, comfort, style and performance.

From the outside, the Sedona looks classy and stylish. Inside, there's seven-passenger seating with seats that easily collapse to create a vast cargo space. Every cabin convenience known to man is either standard or available. Storage space is everywhere you turn, and there are no fewer than 14 cup holders.

Sedona has achieved a five-star crash certification in all seating positions from the Federal government, and a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Kia says it designed the Sedona by studying other minivans, choosing the best features, and improving them. Sedona's engine, for example, is a modern V6 tuned to 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. That's more than a match for Honda Odyssey's 244 hp and 240 pound-feet. And just like Odyssey, Sedona backs up that power with a responsive five-speed automatic transmission and a sophisticated suspension.

Sedona was all-new for 2006. For 2007, Kia added a new short-wheelbase (SWB) variant that seats seven but offers less cargo space and slices $2500 off the base price.

Model Lineup

For 2007, the Kia Sedona is offered in two wheelbase lengths. Both seat seven, with the shorter, SWB version giving up mostly luggage space, and a little passenger space in both the second and third rows. The short version comes in a single trim level. The long-wheelbase (LWB) version comes in two trim levels.

Sedona SWB ($20,495) comes with cloth upholstery, two rows of two captain's chairs, and a removable 50/50 split bench in back. The first two rows get power windows. Three-zone climate control comes standard, along with power locks with remote keyless entry, two 12-volt power outlets, intermittent wipers front and rear, a front wiper de-icer, privacy glass, self-dimming rearview mirror, Homelink garage door opener, eight-speaker CD sound system, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, overhead console, 16-inch tires on steel wheels. Options include roof-rail cross bars ($200), floor mats ($150), and a trailer hitch ($375).

Sedona LWB LX ($23,595) gets upgraded cloth upholstery and a full heated front windshield, along with additional space in both the second and third rows. The third row folds flat into the floor, instead of being removable. Dual power sliding doors are optional ($800).

Sedona LWB EX ($26,195) upgrades with a deluxe cloth interior, power front seats, MP3 and cassette, automatic headlamps, fog lights, heated side view mirrors, solar windshield glass, roof rails with crossbars, trip computer with compass, illuminated vanity mirrors, and 17-inch alloy wheels with lower-profile tires. Options for the EX include the Power Package ($1000) with power sliding doors and liftgate; and the Luxury Package ($2400) with leather upholstery with heated front seats; power adjustable pedals; a memory function for seats, pedals, and mirrors; automatic climate control; sunroof; and back-up beeper. The Premium Entertainment Package ($1700) combines a 660-watt stereo with 7.1 surround using 13 Infinity speakers with a DVD player with eight-inch monitor and two wireless headsets.

Safety features include the mandated frontal airbags (the front passenger airbag turns itself off if a child is in the seat), side-impact airbags (for torso protection) for front-seat passengers, and curtain airbags (for head protection) for the outboard passengers in all three rows of seats. Anti-whiplash headrests in front come standard. Electronic stability control with traction control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution (ABS with EBD) come standard, along with a tire-pressure monitor.