Award-winning Minivan Returns to the Segment With Class-leading Safety and
11/14/2007
Kia
A recipient of numerous awards in 2007, including a "Good" rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), being named "Best Minivan" by MotorWeek and topping Strategic Vision's Total Quality Index (TQI) survey, the Kia Sedona minivan, available in Long Wheelbase (LWB) and Short Wheelbase (SWB) models, returns to its segment as a class-leader in safety and value.
"As our flagship safety vehicle, Sedona continues to be praised for its exceptional merits," said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors America (KMA). "It has been a tremendous factor in instilling a high level of confidence in our brand among consumers and the press."
Exceptional Standard Safety
The original Sedona received the company's first five-star crash safety rating for each seating position from the U.S. government, while the current generation has continued the trend by winning another five-star crash safety rating and being named a "Top Safety Pick" by IIHS in 2007. Both SWB and LWB Sedonas offer a long list of standard safety equipment including six standard airbags (dual advanced front and front seat-mounted side air bags, and full-length side curtain air bags for all three seating rows). Sensors controlling the dual advanced front air bags determine the position of the seat, if the seat belt is buckled, whether the front passenger seat is occupied and the severity of a frontal impact before deployment.
A four-channel, four-sensor, antilock brake system (ABS) is also standard on both versions. This system incorporates electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), which takes into account the load the vehicle is carrying and its weight distribution, and ensures that the appropriate stopping force is used. The EBD adapts to individual wheel grip conditions, which helps to improve both control and stability.
Additional standard safety equipment includes a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and active front headrests, while features such as an electronic stability program (ESP) and a traction control system (TCS) with brake assist system (BAS) are also standard.
Superior Performance
Offering impressive horsepower and torque, Sedona's 3.8-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 engine produces 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. The aluminum block engine is mated to a five-speed Sportmatic(TM) transmission.
Despite its size, the LWB Sedona comes with a curb weight of only 4,387 pounds, while the SWB weighs in at only 4,365 pounds. With more power, less weight and a four-wheel independent suspension, this generation Sedona is designed to be more rewarding to drive than its competitors.
Sedona's four-wheel independent suspension system is comprised of MacPherson struts with coil springs and a stabilizer bar in the front, while the rear uses a multi-link design with coil springs and a stabilizer bar.
Stopping power comes from a power-assisted four-wheel-disc braking system with large-diameter vented front disc brakes (11.7 inches) and solid rear disc brakes (11.9 inches).
Sedona models come standard with 16-inch steel wheels and 225/70R16 tires on all SWB and LX LWB models, and 17-inch alloy wheels fitted to 235/60R17 tires are standard for EX LWB models.
Spacious, Adaptable and Comfortable
Competitively sized, the seven-passenger LWB Sedona's generous dimensions and unibody construction offer impressive passenger and luggage space, and improved ride and handling. Adding to its space and versatility, flip-and-fold second row seats provide easy access to third row seating on both LWB and SWB versions. A simple-to-operate 60/40 split folding-into-the-floor third row seat is standard on all LWB models to create a larger flat cargo area, while a 50/50 split folding, removable third row seat is standard on the SWB model.
The LWB Sedona comes in two trim levels - LX and EX - while the SWB version comes in a base model. All Sedonas maintain Kia's tradition of high value by offering a generous list standard features and amenities. Besides ABS, six airbags and a five-speed Sportmatic(TM) transmission, the SWB Sedona and LWB Sedona LX also come with tri-zone air conditioning, sliding doors with power windows, power mirrors and door locks, cruise control, AM/FM/CD player that now includes an auxiliary input jack, captains chairs for the second row and keyless entry.
The LWB Sedona EX adds fog lights, eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, four-way power-adjustable passenger's seat, heated power mirrors, an eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with new auxiliary input jack, auto-dimming rear view mirror with HomeLink(R), leather-wrapped steering wheel, power rear quarter glass, trip computer with compass and a roof rack.
In addition to the LX and EX models' standard equipment, the LWB Sedona offers several option packages for maximum convenience and entertainment. These options include: memory setting for driver's seat/outside mirrors/adjustable pedals, heated front seats, power sliding doors and liftgate and a 660-watt premium entertainment system featuring a DVD player with an eight-inch monitor and a 13-speaker Infinity surround sound system with the new auxiliary input jack.