(Dana Point, CA) Ahhh, Laguna Beach and Orange County, California – home to beach bums, surfer dudes, silicone enhancements, Bentleys, Maseratis, Teslas…and minivans.
Photo: Eric Novak
Wait? What?! Minivans?! Well this is true not because they have become trendy again, but because Kia chose this idyllic pacific coast location to host the global launch of their completely re-designed Kia Sedona. Now entering its third generation of design, the Sedona has also for the first time in North America been given a change of identity. No longer will Kia be labelling its 7-8 passenger fully-functional family hauler a ‘minivan’, but instead they will turn to the less cringe-worthy title of ‘MPV’ (or Multi-Purpose Vehicle). Yes, even for miniva…err, I mean MPV’s it’s all about the labelling as it works to take the stigma off a moniker that had become as trendy as Bermuda shorts with dark knee-high socks and sandals. Perhaps then, the choice of location for its launch was more adept and appropriate than first thought.
Photo: Eric Novak
The 2015 Kia Sedona represents the first time that Kia’s celebrity chief designer, Peter Schreyer who Kia stole from Audi several years ago has been given an opportunity to design a miniva…Gah, MPV. Rumour was that he had been excited about the opportunity so it was no surprise that journalists were eager to see, touch and drive the end-result.
From a looks perspective, the new Sedona has gone to great lengths to distance itself from the staid, lacklustre designs of minivans gone by. With a lower profile, aggressive and stylish front-end, the squat rear glass, Xenon HID headlights, projection fog lights, low profile roof rails, chrome accents and even 19” aluminium wheels on the top-end tester I drove, you have the baseline for a real head-turner when compared to its competition.
Photo: Eric Novak
Photo: Kia Motors
Step inside the Sedona and you can see that Schreyer has been busy here too. Contemporary design and efficient ergonomics are mixed with various levels of functionality. The driver console can include comfort items such as a heated wood-trimmed steering wheel, premium two-tone Nappa-leather seating surfaces, heated & air cooled front seats and a driver’s seat with 8 way power and 4 way lumbar support.
Photo: Kia Motors
For those who shun leather, and have spill-prone children to deal with the Sedona offers cloth seating treated with a stain resistant coating which they call YES Essentials. The Sedona also offers both 7 and 8 seating configurations depending on which of the mind-boggling 7 trim options you select.
With all trim levels up to SXL, the second row is equipped with a one-touch Slide-n-Stow function that essentially collapses the seats forward and up against the front row seating. While offering not as much space as say a Stow-n-Go set up, Kia maintains they chose this route as it allows for second row seats to be built more for comfort than convenience.
Photo: Kia Motors
Photo: Kia Motors
On the top end trims the middle row is equipped with Aviator style seats. These seats offer both vertical and horizontal adjustments, with the horizontal being particularly unique since you could push them side by side as a safety measure for children sitting in them. The up-scale seats also push back and even recline with a pop-up foot rest, similar to what is offered on top-end trims of the Toyota Sienna. The drawback to the seats is their inability to collapse up like their lower-end cousins. Overall cargo room is decreased as a result, so when selecting a trim level one would need to consider whether the Sedona they are buying is primarily for comfort or cargo capacity.
Another interesting, but at the same time peculiar decision made with the 2015 Sedona is the fact that you cannot get a factory installed DVD player on any trim. Drop down video screens from the roof are becoming less common due to the popularity of panoramic sunroofs, yet despite the Sedona not offering such a feature, opting instead for two sunroofs with a solid roof panel in between, they have decided to leave the ability to have one installed to dealerships as an add-on. While I get that kids tend to be more likely nowadays to kill time with their iPod’s or tablets, it still seems like an odd decision to make.
Photo: Kia Motors
Third row seating is often forgotten and while the Sedona does an admirable job at making the third row comfortable, the lower head room due to sportier styling would make it somewhat tricky for adults to enjoy time back there. Make no mistake, with the Sedona the third row is pretty much a kid’s domain.
While the new Sedona is certainly sportier in appearance, it still remains a family hauler so don’t expect too much excitement when it comes to the drive. Powering the 3rd Generation Sedona is a 3.3L GDI V6 engine that puts out 276 hp and 248 lb/ft of torque. The engine is slightly smaller yet comparable in performance to each of the Odyssey, Sienna and Grand Caravan. Kia says the Sedona has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs which should be fine for most trailer hitches or small boats. Handling is generally sedate and stable. Despite the ability to select between a series of driving modes, neither myself nor my media driving partner were able to make any distinguishable observations as to how each felt different. Admittedly at times when I was winding my way both up and down a slithering mountain road I felt that I’d much rather be driving a Tesla Model S than a family hauler, and I suspect that I won’t be alone in feeling this way.
Photo: Eric Novak
Fuel efficiency using the new 5-cycle testing method offers a variety of results depending on the trim level you select. The bottom end L, LX & LX+ offer a combined rating of 11.6 L/100 KM. Mid-level SX & SX+ trims benefit from electronic power steering and come in at a combined rating of 11.4 L/100 KM. At the top end SXL & SXL+ the increased weight from the Aviator chairs and other items bring fuel efficiency down to 12.5 L/100 KM combined. For an all new design, I would’ve hoped to see more effort go into fuel efficiency as these only rate as average when compared to their competition.
Photo: Eric Novak
Safety and technology are not forgotten with the new Sedona. A total of six air bags (2 front, 2 front side, 2 curtain) are standard. 360 degree camera monitoring, smart cruise control, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and lane departure warning are amongst the safety features offered. Convenience items such as a cooled glove box for drinks, Infinity sound system, rear climate control, tri zone temperature control and a smart power lift gate are all available and likely to be popular.
Pricing for the 2015 Sedona starts at $27,495 for the entry level ‘L’ trim up to $45,995 for the SXL+. Kia has specifically targeted both the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna in its cross-hairs (while oddly ignoring both the Grand Caravan and the Town & Country) and with these prices, it will form an attractive alternative as this price scale is generally below that of their competition.
With the new 2015 Sedona, Kia has made a bold proclamation that this much-maligned segment still has plenty of opportunity and customers to attract. While they did not announce any sales targets, both the Odyssey and Sienna sell around 10 – 12,000 units annually in Canada (well below what Chrysler sells). Having sold more than 72,000 vehicles in Canada during 2013, a target of 10,000 units would represent a healthy influx of business.
Through an all-new, stylish design, a wide-range of functionality and pricing plus a desire to establish itself as a pretty big fish in a relatively small pond, my prediction is that the Kia Sedona will sell quite well as a versatile family hauler – even if they refuse to call it a minivan any more.
(NOTE: Travel and Accommodation costs to attend this media launch event were provided by the auto maker)
Leave a Reply