2011 Kia Sedona EX Luxury Review

[ahmed_7erzon]

I LOVE MINVANS! There, I have finally said it out loud and on paper. I have been on the fence for years but one of the many women who want to fight the image of ‘soccer mom’. I have finally seen how functional these vehicles really are.

I truly like the Kia. I am not quite yet ready to say I love it, but I am getting close. Over the last few years, Kia has made some vehicles that have really impressed me – the new Sportage and Soul are just a pair that stand out.


I have an opportunity to really test this 2011 Kia Sedona minivan this week – I am going to pick up 6 young girls and take them to dance class. This will be a perfect test for this Sedona, my driving skills and my patience.

Overall styling, this is a minivan, you can’t really do much with this shape. The Toyota Sienna is going for a sportier style that I think looks great. By far, it is my favourite looking minivan on the road.

This 2011Sedona has had its front end refreshed; it now features the Tiger Nose grille that was first seen on the Kia Soul. It works and is an improvement for sure, but it doesn’t stand out in a crowd. The Sedona is what it is, a people mover.

The cabin is very comfortable. The driver’s seat is not too hard and the steering wheel has a good feel in my hands. Spending a long time behind the wheel running errands is enjoyable.

I am suddenly very aware of the precious cargo I have on board and am thankful that the Sedona offers pretty much every occupant protection system and active safety system as standard features on every trim level. When considering different equipment levels and options, you won’t have to make any choices about safety. I think this is especially important.

For example, front, side and side curtain airbags as well as anti-whiplash active head restraints for driver and front passenger are all included.

Other great features also add to that “safe” feeling and they include available steering wheel mounted radio and cruise control buttons as well as standard Bluetooth connectivity.

Don’t forget about four wheel anti-lock disc brakes, electronic stability control and traction control system. Back up sensors come standard, but in my opinion, get the upgraded back-up camera. Once you have it, you will wonder how you ever lived without.


I now have a new appreciation for leather seats. They come standard on the EX Luxury models. I don’t always think they are the way to go. They can get too hot and sticky on your legs in the summer and can get incredibly cold in the winter.

That being said, six girls, ice-cream and Katie Perry on the radio resulted in only one spill that needed a clean up; a much easier job than on cloth seats!

Getting in and out for everyone is a breeze. A huge advantage of side sliding doors is easy access even when parked in a tight space. All the girls said they found the seats comfy. One said she didn’t like being stuck in the middle of the 3rd row seats but can you blame her?

My number one complaint, and this is the same complaint I had for the previous generation, is the stowage of the second row seats. It is really awful. I can’t think of any other way to say it.

They are not very easy to tumble forward and once there, they stay forward with a strap. Yes, a strap. This system cannot expect to complete with the Dodge's “Stow'n'Go” but all other minivans in the market have something much better than this.

After a brief struggle, I managed to cut my finger and break the strap while attempting to stow the seat.

The third row of seats easily folds flat in to the floor; more so than the second row without a doubt!

The Sedona comes with an AM/FM /CD/MP3 stereo with AUX jack and USB and six speakers. There is also an available DVD entertainment system that is great if you take long road trips with your kids. Once we had the music video playing, the girls were very happy.


The drive is very enjoyable. New for 2011 is a 271hp 3.5L V6 engine matched to a 6-speed Steptronic Automatic transmission. Shifts are impressively smooth and the engine is quiet.

You sit upright in the driver’s seat and get a commanding view of the road ahead. The responsive steering allows the Sedona to be manoeuvrable and masks its size.


The Sedona starts at just over $28,000 and has a nice list of standard features. The fully loaded EX with Luxury and Navigation will take the price up to about $41,000.

Kia has a great warranty. Add that to the fantastic list of standard safety features on all trim levels and safety for your family will be covered.

I would buy this van for how pleasant the ride is. It is functional, comfortable for everyone on board and offers peace of mind in the safety department.

As for that second row of seats; most people won’t have them stowed very often. When you are out shopping around, seriously check it out and consider how important it could be for you.