Kia Sedona History
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The Kia Sedona is a minivan manufactured in South Korea, and sold in other countries as the Carnival. It's the only minivan sold in the U.S. that still offers short- and long-wheelbase versions--and until recently, it was paired with an identical Hyundai Entourage minivan that was sold from the 2007-2009 model year. Priced in the mid-$20,000 range, the Sedona competes against minivans like the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, the Toyota Sienna, the Honda Odyssey and the Nissan Quest.
The first-generation Sedona went on sale as a 2002 model and ran through the 2005 model year. Its 3.5-liter V-6 made 195 horsepower, and was teamed to a four-speed automatic. It lacked features found on competitive minivans, like power-sliding side doors, curtain airbags, a navigation system and a fold-flat third-row seat--and the first Sedona was a heavy vehicle, so performance suffered and fuel economy was poor.
The second-generation Sedona arrived as a 2006 model, much improved. The powertrain was updated to 3.8 liters of displacement and 244 horsepower, teamed with a five-speed automatic with manual gear selection. Fuel economy improved to 17/24 mpg, a competitive figure. In 2007 Kia added a short-wheelbase version, making the Sedona the only two-body-style minivan left in the American market (since Chrysler has since dropped the short-wheelbase Dodge Caravan).
Performance is improved, but the features included in the Sedona still fall short of those in other minivans. The Sedona carries seven passengers, but there's no clever fold-away seat option like that in the Chrysler minivans or in the Nissan Quest. The third-row seat does fold flat into the rear cargo area on long-wheelbase Sedona minivans, however. Interior trim is better than in prior versions, and the Sedona also now offers USB audio inputs, a navigation system and a DVD entertainment system.
Safety is the Sedona's best feature. Anti-lock brakes, as well as stability and traction control, plus front, side, and side curtain airbags (that cover all three rows of seats) are all standard on the 2010 Sedona, and its performance in NHTSA and IIHS crash tests has been top-notch. Newly standard on the LWB versions of the 2010 Kia Sedona is a backup warning system, though outward visibility is already quite good. However, the Sedona is no longer an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," due to changes in the agency's standards for that designation.
Some sources report the Sedona will be dropped from the U.S. Kia lineup after the 2011 model year, but Kia says the van is sure to return at least for the 2011 model year.
