듰뜎럣궻뺪벞궸귝귡궴갂뫜궻렔벍롎긽[긇[궴붶둹궢궲갂Hyundai^Kia궻2009봏괦뙉궓귝귂괧뙉궻뻢빫궳궻긜[깑긚궼뛆뮧궴궻궞궴갃궩궻Hyundai^Kia궻멣깋귽깛긥긞긵궻궶궔궳갂룷^롎궻Elantra궸렅궋궳갂괧뙉궸띍귖봽귢궫긏깑}궼 Kia갋Sedona궳궥갃묈뙍벉궳궥갃궩궞궳갂룺궢뚀궋딯럷궸궶귟귏궥궕갂Sedona뙸뛱긾긢깑궕뱋뤾궢궫궴궖궻뻢빫궳궻렔벍롎]귩롦귟뤵궛궲귒귏궢귛궎갃뜞됷궼갂Washington Post럣궻Warren Brown럞궸뱋뤾궢궲귖귞궋귏궥갃궞귢귏궳궞궞궳뤢됳궢궫LA Times / Dan Neil럞귘갂Detroit Newspaper / Scott Burgess럞궴궼귏궫댾궯궫댰뼞궳럡궕뭾뽞궢궲궋귡렔벍롎긓깋긦긚긣궳궥갃
A Smart Package of Power, Comfort and Value
2006 Kia Sedona Minivan
By Warren Brown
The Washington Post and WashingtonPost.com June 4, 2006 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060200740.htmlKia Motors Corp. makes the best minivan for the money -- better than the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town & Country or the Dodge Caravan.
Kia궕돽둰궸궓궋궲긹긚긣궶~긦긫깛귩띿궯궫갃|Toyota Sienna귘Honda Odyssey갂Chrysler Town & Country 귘 Dodge Caravan 귝귟귖쀇궋~긦긫깛귩갃
The rivals are all nice family haulers. But nice doesn"t cut it in the marketplace. Value does.
깋귽긫깑롎귖멣궲뾆귢궫"됄뫎^붅롎"궬갃궢궔궢뾆귢궲궋귡궞궴궕갂뫂궭갂럖뤾궳롷궚뾢귢귞귢귡귦궚궳궼궶궋갃돽뭠궕뽦묋궬갃
The 2006 Kia Sedona LX minivan offers the most value, which is not to be confused with the lowest price.
Kia Sedona LX 2006봏긾긢깑궼갂띍귖뛼궋돽뭠귩믯떉궢궲궋귡갃궢궔궢걏돽뭠걐궻궞궴귩걏댝돽걐궴뜫벏궢궲궼궶귞궶궋갃
Low prices are meaningless for inferior products.
걏댝돽걐궳궇귡궞궴궼갂쀲궯궫맶뷼궸궴궯궲궼댰뼞궻궶궋궞궴궬궔귞갃
The Kia Sedona is first-class in all respects -- quality of craftsmanship and engineering, quality of interior materials, highway performance and safety. I liked the Sedona LX so much, I didn"t want to return it to the manufacturer.
Kia Sedona궼멣궲궻럷궸궓궋궲|긏깋긲긣}깛긘긞긵궴긄깛긙긦귺깏깛긐궻렲갂볙몧띫궻뷼렲갂긪귽긂긃귽궳궻긬긲긅[}깛긚궴댝멣맜|긲@[긚긣긏깋긚궬갃럡궼Sedona LX귩묈빾딠궸볺궯궲궢귏궯궫궫귕갂걁럫뤸롎귩걂긽[긇[궸뺅궢궫궘궶궔궯궫귌궵궬갃
A minivan! I couldn"t believe it!
~긦긫깛갏궩귪궶궻궼륪궣귞귢궶궋궺갏
But after nearly 600 miles on the highways, byways and back roads of Virginia and West Virginia, I became a convert. The front-wheel-drive Sedona LX handled the heights of the Blue Ridge Mountains without hesitation. It was sure-footed in the curves and dips of the Shenandoah Valley, and it ran with unruffled confidence amidst the ruffian 18-wheelers roaring along Interstate 81 across the eastern panhandle of West Virginia.
궢궔궢갂긪귽긂긃귽귩갂긫[긙긦귺귘긂긃긚긣긫[긙긦귺궻귦궖벞귘밹롂벞귩갂600}귽깑귌궵몪궯궫뚣갂럡궼댰뙥귩빾궑궫갃FF궻Sedona LX궼 Blue Ridge Mountais궻뛼귒궸똹갲궴뱋궯궲궋궯궫갃Shenandoah Valley궻긇[긳귘돷귟띯궳귖둴궔궶뫉롦귟궳궇귟갂궟귣궰궖궻18귽깛`롎궕궎궶귟귩뤵궛귡긂긃긚긣긫[긙긦귺궻eastern panhandle 귩듥궘Interstate 81궸궓궋궲귖갂뭶렳궶몪뛱귩뙥궧궫갃
And it was peaceful -- peaceful!
궩궢궲궩귢궼됻밙|됻밙갏
Minivans exist solely to haul families, friends and stuff. That is why most minivans, like the Sedona LX, have seating for seven people.
~긦긫깛궼됄뫎귘뾈릐갂긚^긞긲귘귞귩^붅궥귡궫귕궸뫔띪궥귡갃Sedona LX궻귝궎궶묈뵾궻~긦긫깛궕괯릐뤸귟궳궇귡궻궼궩궻궫귕궬갃
But people can be problematical. They have wants and needs that become demands and arguments on long road trips. It matters not that you love them, or that they love you. Uncomfortable passengers can turn a long drive into a journey to hell.
궢궔궢갂묈릐릶궳뤸귡궞궴궼뽦묋귩덙궖딳궞궥갃귒귪궶궻~궢궋귖궻귘뷠뾴궶귖궻궕궇귡궢갂궩귢궕뮮떁뿣긤깋귽긳궳궼뾴땫귘븉빟븉뼖궸빾귦귡갃궩귢궼궇궶궫궕붯귞귩닩궢궲궋귝궎궕갂붯귞궕궇궶궫귩닩궢궲궋귝궎궕갂궩귪궶궞궴궼듫똚궶궋갃땹륲뭤궻닽궋벏뤸롌궼갂뮮떁뿣긤깋귽긳귩뭤뜓뿷뛱궸빾궑궲궢귏궎갃
A comfortable passenger cabin -- one that grants all aboard ample personal space and that treats their backs and bottoms kindly -- is the best antidote to such misery. The Sedona LX has a passenger-pampering cabin, which is all the more remarkable because there is nothing fancy about it.
됻밙궶뤸덒긌긿긮깛|멣궲궻벏뤸롌궸\빁궶긚긻[긚궕궇귟갂붯귞궻봶뭷궴뜕귩귘궠궢궘롦귟댌궎귝궎궶|궞궻궞궴궕갂궩귪궶뭤뜓뿷뛱궻띍뛼궻됶벯띩궸궶귡갃Sedona LX궼뤸덒귩\빁궸뼖뫉궠궧귡긌긿긮깛귩렃궯궲궓귟갂궩궻궞궴궼됡뤺궶몧뷈궕궶궋궕귚궑궸갂귝귟덇몏갂멹맧귞궢궋궴궋궑귡갃
The standard seats are cloth-covered. But they are thoughtfully contoured, expertly upholstered. There is a smartly designed front tray that can hold a book or laptop -- or serve as a small dinner table. Other storage nooks abound. There are 14 cupholders.
뷭긘[긣궼븓맶궳궇귡갃궢궔궢궩귢귞궼먥뼪궸쀖둺귩`궖갂땗귕븿궼밙먛궸궇궢귞귦귢궲궋귡갃뛋뼪궸먠똶궠귢궫긲깓깛긣긣깒귽궸궼{귘깋긞긵긣긞긵PC귩뭫궚귡궢갂궭귛궯궴궢궫긢귻긥[긡[긳깑궸귖궶귡갃긇긞긵긼깑_[궼14깣룋궇귡갃
None of my three passengers complained on the Virginia-West Virginia run. There were no jibes about a ride too harsh, too soft or too bouncy. Two of them were so comfortable, they fell asleep. Peace reigned! Hallelujah!
긫[긙긦귺궴긂긃긚긣긫[긙긦귺궳궻긤깋귽긳궳갂벏뛱궢궫3릐궻벏뤸롌궻묿덇릐귖븉뼖귩뙻귦궶궔궯궫갃뤸귟륲뭤궕뚂궥궗귡궴궔갂_귞궔궥궗귡궴궔갂륶벍궢궥궗귡궴궔궳먊귩댷벍궥귡귝궎궶궞궴귖뼰궔궯궫갃]귟궸귖됻밙궶귖궻궬궔귞갂궎궭2릐궼뼭궯궲궢귏궯궫갃빟쁝궕뻂귢궫갏긪깒깑깂갏
Automotive journalists and self-described auto enthusiasts often speak of "fun to drive," a phrase they reserve for anything that isn"t a minivan, a vehicle they regard as uncool, little more than a household appliance.
렔벍롎긙긿[긥깏긚긣귘렔빁궻궞궴귩렔벍롎긄깛긚[궴궔뙻궯궲귡쁀뭷궼갂궢궽궢궽"fun to drive"궸궰궋궲뚭귟궫궕귡궢갂~긦긫깛궸궼"fun to drive"궕뼰궋갂~긦긫깛궼_긖궋갂됄믩뾭뷼궸됡궗궶궋갂궴궔뙻궎갃
They do not understand the point of the journey, which is to move freely, swiftly when doing so is either necessary or desired, but always safely and comfortably -- preferably at an affordable price. The Sedona LX embraces that understanding. In doing so, it makes so much of what is installed in rival minivans seem excessive.
궢궔궢붯귞궼뿷뛱궻돺궫귡궔귩뿚됶궢궲궋궶궋갃궩귢궼렔뾕궸릚뫊궸댷벍궥귡궞궴궳궇귟갂궩궻궴궖궸궼륡귪궶뷠뾴귘~땫귩뼖궫궥궞궴궳궇귟갂륂궸댝멣궳됻밙궳궶궚귢궽궶귞궶궋|딂귦궘궽갂궓롨뜝궶돽둰궳갃Sedona LX궼궩궻궞궴귩쀇궘뿚됶궢궲궋귡갃궬궔귞궞궩갂깋귽긫깑궻~긦긫깛궕몧뷈궢궲궋귡귖궻궕됡뤺궸럙궑궲궘귡궻궬갃
Here is a minivan that comes with a gutsy 3.8-liter, 244-horsepower V-6 engine but that still gets 25 miles per gallon on the highway using regular unleaded fuel. It fits neatly into urban parking garages. It has top crash-safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It does anything anyone reasonably can expect a minivan to do, and it does it all for a base price starting under $23,000.
Sedona궼뙰딠궶3.8L 244hp V6긄깛긙깛귩뱥띦궢갂궶궓궔궰갂깒긎깄깋[긊\깏깛궳긪귽긂긃귽25}귽깑^긊깓깛귩묪맟궢궲궋귡갃뱒됵궻뮄롎긚긻[긚궸귖궖궯궭귟뢁귏귡갃NHTSA걁빫^뾃뤙뜎됄벞쁇뚴믅댝멣떿걂궸귝귡뤧벺댝멣맜]돽궼갂긣긞긵깒[긣궬갃Sedona궼묿귖궕~긦긫깛궸딖뫲궥귡멣궲귩뷈궑궲궓귟갂궩귢궳궋궲긹[긚돽둰궼$23,000댥돷궳궇귡갃
The Kia Sedona LX moves to the top of this column"s minivan list. It"s earned it.
Kia Sedona LX궼갂궞궻긓깋궻~긦긫깛깏긚긣궻긣긞긵궸댧뭫궱궚궫궋갃궩궻돽뭠궕궇귡갃
Nuts & Bolts
2006 Kia Sedona LX Minivan
Complaints: None. This one is everything a minivan should be, including affordable.
븉뼖궶_갌@뼰궋갃궞궻롎궸궼롨뜝궶돽둰귖듵귕궲갂~긦긫깛궕궇귡귊궖멣궲궕궇귡갃
Ride, acceleration and handling: Excellent in all three categories in city and highway traffic, whether unloaded (driver only, no cargo) or heavily loaded (driver and three passengers and an estimated 250 pounds of cargo).
몪뛱갋돿뫊갋긪깛긤깏깛긐갌@3뽞멣궲궸궓궋궲멹맧귞궢궋갃둢뤸귟궳귖갂긪귽긂긃귽궳귖갃^]롌궻귒갋됖븿궶궢궻뤾뜃궳귖갂^]롌궴3릐궻벏뤸롌갂뽵250|깛긤궻됖븿귩뤸궧궫뤾뜃궳귖갃
Head-turning quotient: It"s a minivan. That means it gets as much attention as Hollywood gives to stable families.
뭾뽞뱗럚릶갌@궞귢궼~긦긫깛궬갃궰귏귟갂긪깏긂긞긤궕덇붗궻됄믩궸^궑귡궻궴벏뾩궻뭾뽞뱗귩벦귡궞궴궬귣궎갃
Body style/layout: The Kia Sedona LX is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive minivan with four side doors (manually operated sliding rear doors) and a rear hatch. Automatically operated sliding rear doors are available. It also is sold with the upscale EX trim package.
{긢귻긚^귽깑^깒귽귺긂긣갌@FF뗭벍~긦긫깛^4긤귺걁롨벍깏귺긤귺걂{깏귺긪긞`@렔벍긚깋귽긢귻깛긐긤귺궼긆긵긘깈깛|뤵땳궻EX trim 긬긞긑[긙궸뷭갃
Engine/transmission: The Sedona minivan comes with a standard 3.8-liter V-6 engine that develops 244 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 253 foot-pounds of torque at 3,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission that also can be shifted manually. The manual mode gives the driver better vehicle control on mountainous, curvy roads.
긄깛긙깛^긣깋깛긚~긞긘깈깛갌@3.8L V6 244hp@ 6,000rpm 253 fp@ 3,500rpm@5뫊AT걁롨벍긘긲긣됀걂@롨벍긾[긤궼랹벞귘긇[긳궻뫝궋벞쁇궳몪뛱맕뚥궸뽴뿧궰갃
Capacities: It seats seven. Cargo capacity with second- and third-row seats down is 142 cubic feet. With seats up, it"s 32.2 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 21.1 gallons of recommended regular unleaded gasoline.
긌긿긬긘긡귻갌@7릐뤸귟@2쀱뽞3쀱긘[긣귩|궢궫궴궖궻긇[긕긚긻[긚갌 142 cubic feet 긘[긣귩딳궞궢궫뤾뜃갌@32.2 cubic feet 봕뿿뾢쀊갌@21.1 긊깓깛@깒긎깄깋[긊\깏깛릢룲
Mileage: I averaged 25 miles per gallon in highway travel. And that included loaded and unloaded runs!
봕뷂갌@럡궻뤾뜃갂긪귽긂긃귽궳빟뗉25}귽깑/긊깓깛궬궯궫갃먑띦렄귖뷄먑띦렄귖듵귕궲갏
Safety: The Kia Sedona has top crash-safety ratings from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. No wonder. Standard equipment includes head airbags for all three rows, side air bags for front-seat passengers, traction and stability control, anti-whiplash head restraints, antilock brakes. Impressive.
댝멣맜갌@NHTSA걁빫^뾃뤙뜎됄벞쁇뚴믅댝멣떿걂궴갂IIHS궸귝귡뤧벺댝멣맜]돽궼갂긣긞긵깒[긣갃@돺궻븉럙땉귖뼰궋갃@뷭몧뷈갌@3쀱멣궲궸긶긞긤긄귺긫긞긐갋긲깓깛긣긘[긣궸긖귽긤긄귺긫긞긐@TSC@귺긏긡귻긳긶긞긤깒긚긣@ABS@멹맧귞궢궋갃
Price: Base price on the 2006 Kia Sedona LX is $22,995. Dealer"s invoice price on base model is $21,700. Price as tested is $25,165, including $1,500 in options (rear entertainment audio-visual system, roof rails and cross bars) and a $670 destination charge. Dealer"s price as tested is $23,680.
돽둰갌@2006 Kia Sedona LX 긹[긚돽둰 $22,995 긹[긚긾긢깑궻긢귻[깋[뙥먑돽둰 $21,700 긡긚긣롎뿼궻돽둰 $25,165걁$1,500궻긆긵긘깈깛|뚣먊긄깛^긡귽긽깛긣긘긚긡@깑[긲깒[깑걬긏깓긚긫[@궓귝귂$670궻^몭뿿귩듵귔걂@긡긚긣롎뿼궻긢귻[깋[뙥먑돽둰 $23,680
Purse strings: It"s a buy. Compare with any mid-sized minivan.
궓멐귕뱗갌@걏봼궋걐궬갃뫜궻궋궔궶귡~긞긤긖귽긛~긦긫깛궴붶귊궲귖갃

Warren Brown, has been covering the automobile industry for the Washington Post since 1982. Brown, who joined the newspaper in 1976