OVERVIEW The new generation of large, spacious minivan PROSTons of passenger and cargo space, supremely comfortable CONSUnwieldy to drive, thirsty VALUE FOR MONEYDecent in lower and middle trims WHAT TO CHANGE?Adaptive cruise packaged in lower trims HOW TO SPEC IT?Tempting to go for the air-cooled seats in the $43,065 SXL, but one of the mid-$30K LX trims are value leaders Every year, it has become a tradition that I select a notable family vehicle for the ultimate family test: the annual camping trip. It represents the one per cent maximum extreme that you might put your vehicle through. Packing enough food and supplies for an entire week along with the family, and possibly towing a camper or boat is a challenge that most family cars will have to face at some point. Our annual family pilgrimage is the perfect crucible for that ultimate need, and this year, instead of the latest three-row crossover, I decided to go a different route: the 2019 Kia Sedona minivan.Now, minivans are falling on hard times these days, losing market share to the expanding selection of three-row crossovers at an alarming rate. The sole remaining value player, the Dodge Grand Caravan, is not long for this world, so the few that remain are impressive luxo-barges. While they are transports par excellence for the school run and shopping excursions, they are also impeccable long-range haulers, so it was never a question whether it would be sufficient for this journey, but simply how freaking great it is.Practicality champ Reason number one for most people shopping a minivan, and the reason I chose one for this camping excursion, is interior space. The four remaining minivans all have about 1,000 litres in the trunk even with all three rows in place, which then more than double with that third row folded, and top out around 4,000 litres. The Kia Sedona is par for the course with 960 litres in the trunk, but its 2,220 with the third row stowed trail both the Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica in that configuration. Also, to achieve maximum storage, the second row seats must be disconnected and removed, same as the Honda Odyssey and Sienna only the Chrysler Pacifica features a foldable second row with its trademark Stow-n-Go system.Anything over 2,000 litres is still substantial, and we packed the tent, coolers, clothing, food for four people for five days, beach stuff, and other frivolous entertainments, barely needing to flex my masterful cargo-Tetris skills. Before I was even done packing though, the kids had ensconced themselves in their second-row seats, negotiating iPad time and road trip activities while mom and dad shuttled back and forth checking for that last forgotten tool or toy. While my kids are still small enough to squeeze into the back of Mustangs and Mini Convertibles, they just love the space and storage that minivans and larger crossovers offer.Comfort zone As with the cargo space, the Sedona doesnt lead the segment in terms of passenger space, but its the kind of issue only a tape-measure would notice because there is so much room to spread out, except perhaps in the third row, which is a it tight for adults by minivan standards, trailing the next smallest van in headroom and legroom by several centimetres. While space is limited, access is good, with second row seats that split, flatten and slide to allow a wide step-through to the third row. It wont be useful if a full child seat (forward or reverse-facing) is secured to the anchors, but each side can be moved this way for maximum convenience.With so much space in the back, we had no problem letting the kids each bring along a bag of books and toys, and we had our own bags of snacks and drinks for the five-hour drive ahead of us. The kids werent the only ones spoiled for at-hand storage, the wireless charging keeping one phone charging while one of the USB ports charged another and gave it Apple CarPlay precedence for tune selection (there were serious power struggles for this privilege, eventually overridden by the kids requesting Old Town Road over and over). the iPad also had its own charging USB in the back, and even a 110V outlet to plug in more serious devices. Although there was no onboard entertainment system, in this tablet-and-phones day and age that hardly seems necessary. After re-enacting the recent Subaru Ascent commercial, we were on our way to Ontarios Killarney Provincial Park, a beautiful campgrounds on the shores of Georgian Bay, in the heart of Group of Seven landscape heaven. With the passenger and cargo load on such a long distance, this trip was also an excellent test of the Kia Sedonas powertrain, efficiency, and suspension.The Sedona features Kias familiar 3.3L V6, here making 276 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque. Considering it weighs 2,124 kilograms, it needs all of that torque, but with a new eight-speed automatic shifting gears, it balances smooth but respectable
Origin: Minivan Review: 2019 Kia Sedona