With a stronger engine, more features than ever and a roomier interior, the Kia Sedona is a much-improved minivan today compared with its first-generation model.
The most memorable feature of the 2008 Sedona is the good power that comes from the 3.8-liter, double overhead cam V-6, especially since the more-than 4,360-pound Sedona is a substantial, weighty van.
“It’s a good riding car,” said Jojo Beach, salesperson (and proud Sedona owner) at Laurel Kia. “If you have to take a long trip or something like that, it rides really well.” The test Sedona EX moved sprightly in all kinds of traffic conditions, to the point where the speed had to be carefully watched.
The car accelerates smoothly, using an electronically controlled, five-speed automatic transmission.
Even the lower-level Sedona LX comes with many standard amenities including front and rear manual air conditioning, power windows, door locks and outside mirrors, audio system with eight speakers, lumbar support for the driver seat and second-row separate seats called captain’s chairs.
Beach also highlights some less-obvious amenities, including a rear heater so passengers don’t have to wait for heat from the front, a built-in pop-down convex mirror for keeping an eye on any youthful riders, and outside mirrors that foldaway both forward and back to avoid damage.
Even the power windows are notable, Beach said, because they slide up and down rather than levering outwards. “When you have the windows down, it doesn’t feel like a van — almost like an oversized sedan. It’s a very different feel” from the traditional minivan.
The 2008 Sedona can carry seven people with ease, with wide side doors for entry into the back seats. So on a per-passenger basis, the Sedona’s fuel economy is great — except that there’s no guarantee that every time the Sedona travels, it will have a full load of passengers.
There’s plenty of cargo room inside, including a deep well behind the third-row seats that capably handles tall items. When need be, this carpeted well serves as a storage spot for the fold-down, third-row seats, instead.
With that third row folded down, cargo room increases even more. “You can fit a stack of 10-foot boards down the center aisle” from the back liftgate to the console, said Beach.
All safety items come standard, including curtain air bags, traction control, brake assist, electronic stability control and anti-whiplash head restraints for the front seats. “Part of the safety package is electronic traction control along with a tire pressure monitoring system,” said Beach. “It gets around really well even in some nasty weather.”
The 2008 Sedona earned five out of five stars in federal government front and side crash testing and was one of just 34 vehicles to be a Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety last year.
2008 Kia Sedona EX
- Type: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, seven-passenger minivan.
- Price: $20,695 for base van; $23,595 For LX; $26,195 For EX.
- Mileage: 16 mpg (city), 23 mpg (highway).
Includes material written by Ann M. Job and published by the Associated Press
