Kia's Sedona racks up awards

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By Connie Keane MOTOR MATTERS

One of the best minivans on the market is a best-kept secret. It's the Kia Sedona.

What makes this minivan such a "best" is all the awards it's been stacking up for safety and quality. It's also well priced and well powered.

The Sedona gets high ratings on crash-test safety from the U.S. government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It's also reliable in quality with a top showing in the Strategic Vision Total Quality Index survey of owners.

There are no safety options on the Sedona. It's standard equipped with nearly every safety technology on the market. This minivan comes with six airbags, electronic stability control, active head restraints, traction control, brake assist, and anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution.

The 2008 Sedona is a front-wheel drive, three-row minivan that seats up to seven passengers. A convenient fold-flat to the floor split-fold third row allows for ample cargo carrying capability.

The Sedona is offered in short wheelbase and long wheelbase models in LX and uplevel EX trims. The SWB Sedona has a wheelbase of 114 inches and overall length of 189 inches, while the LWB model is 202 inches in length and has a longer wheelbase of about 119 inches.

Base prices for the 2008 Sedona start at $20,695. The EX test vehicle was luxury oriented with a starting price of $26,195 and premium options that brought the price to $32,220, including the $725 destination charge.

Kia goes head-to-head with the better-known minivan products — such as the Chrysler Town & Country and the Toyota Sienna — with upscale options that put the Sedona in a notable high-end class for comfort and convenience.

For example, the EX test vehicle was equipped with a $2,400 Luxury Package of heated front leather seats, power adjustable pedals, triple-zone climate controls, power sunroof, backup warning system and steering wheel-mounted sound system controls.

A $200 Power Package added convenience for the driver with a power liftgate and power sliding dual doors. A $1,700 Premium Entertainment Package featured an 8-inch screen and DVD player and Infinity Surround Sound System. I did not enjoy this optional audio quality. It was difficult to find a pleasing sound. Most of the time the music sounded like it was coming from a tin box, even though I played with the bass, treble, fade and middle adjustments.

Stepping on the accelerator of the Sedona was a pleasure. This minivan didn't lumber along under its 4,387-pound girth. It's got some punch under the hood.

The 24-valve V-6 engine with a 3.8-liter displacement generates a horsepower rating of 250 at 6,000 rpm and good torque of 253 pounds-feet at 3,500 rpm. Mated to a five-speed automatic transmission the V-6 Sedona is EPA-rated at 16 miles per gallon city and 23 mpg highway, which is equivalent to that of a full-size sedan.

The styling of the Sedona from the rear resembles that of a compact crossover sport utility vehicle, but up front the Sedona is very class typical of the minivan segment with smooth lines and a large glass area.

The suspension is a four-wheel independent system with MacPherson struts up front and multi-link with coil springs and stabilizer bar in the rear set-up. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard on the Sedona; the uplevel long wheelbase EX trim gets 17-inch alloy wheels.

Kia backs up the Sedona with a 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Shoppers would do well to add the Sedona to the top three vehicles to cross-shop when looking for a minivan.