Unless you're 8 1/2 years old, your passion for minivans is probably more utilitarian than lusty. I'm 48 and single, which lands me pretty firmly in the groups that regards minvans as a practicality, a conveyance, with little emotional attachment to speak of. So I found it pretty shocking after a night's commute that I found myself beginning to bond with our long-term ruby-red box, the 2006 Kia Sedona EX.
Not that the Kia's driving dynamics are all that dynamic (let's face it: If you buy a minivan with the dream of autocrossing it on weekends, then you really need to consider upping your meds), but I did find things that surprised me...
First and finest, 244 horsepower is a strong invitation to pass slower pokes on your way to and from work, and the Sedona's 3.8-liter V6 doesn't hesitate to deliver the goods. And the 5-speed automatic is on the same page. In day-to-day application, the brake pedal feel is surprisingly firm, and the response is quite good.
Inside, all three rows of seating in the Sedona have something to offer: room. I also admire the way the third-row seats sink into the floor when not in use, bringing a very useable flat floor for cargo into play.
The Kia Sedona is an easy minivan to drive, that's one of the highest compliments you can pay to a veghicle that divides its fan base into two camps: utilitarians and pre-adolescents.
Richard Homan, Editor in Chief, Inside Line
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