Driving the Sedona is enjoyable. The V6 engine offers responsive acceleration around town. Kia tuned the 3.5-liter V6 more for torque than horsepower, and peak torque comes at just 3500 rpm. That means more of the power is focused at lower rpm, giving the Sedona quick acceleration off the line. This engine feels at least as smooth as the V6 engines found in American minivans.A five-speed automatic transmission, once a feature found only on expensive luxury cars, helps give the Sedona responsive performance in all situations. The transmission smooth and responsive. With five gears to choose from, the transmission is able to keep the engine running at the best speed for the conditions. Fifth gear is an overdrive (0.73:1) for improved fuel economy on the highway. Sedona burns regular gas, unlike the Honda Odyssey. The Sedona offers a nice ride quality. It's smooth over road undulations. It handles well, the steering is tight, and it feels stable at higher speeds. The headlamp/foglamp combination throws a decent beam. Anti-lock brakes are optional and help bring the Sedona to an undramatic stop when pushed to the limit. We recommend ABS because it helps the driver maintain steering control in an emergency braking maneuver: push down on the brake pedal hard and remember to steer around obstacles to try to avoid them. Kia says it put a lot of emphasis on crashworthiness when designing the Sedona, with the objective of earning a five-star government crash rating.
|