
- Affordable
- Top safety scores
- Plenty of standard features
- Smooth and powerful
- Roomy
- Long warranty
- Poor reliability
- Lower-than-average resale value
- Heavy handling
- Mixed reviews for interior finish
- Pricier than its twin, the Kia Sedona
February 2009. Like its less expensive sibling, the Kia Sedona (*est. $21,065 to $26,595), reviews say the Hyundai Entourage is just as safe, roomy and powerful as pricier minivans. You don't have to sacrifice extras, either; every Entourage comes equipped with niceties (such as three-zone climate control and XM satellite radio with three months of free service) that you'll usually find on minivans costing up to $10,000 more.
The Kia Sedona costs less than the Hyundai Entourage, partially because Kia offers a lower-priced, short-wheelbase version that Hyundai doesn't. Both are backed by the longest warranty (five years/60,000 miles) in the minivan business. Although experts give both Kia and Hyundai credit for packing a surprising amount of quality into an inexpensive package, these twin minivans (Hyundai owns Kia) do have their drawbacks.
Reliability on the Hyundai/Kia has been below average, according to consumer surveys. Unlike the super-reliable Honda Odyssey (*est. $26,355 to $41,005) and Toyota Sienna (*est. $24,540 to $37,865), owners report that the Entourage has had electrical-system problems in its first two years of production. And while the Odyssey and Sienna retain their value remarkably well, the Hyundai and Kia both lose their value faster than the average minivan, according to Kelley Blue Book.
The Kia/Hyundai also cuts corners with its interior finish, according to some reviews. But while a few testers say some of the materials seem cheap, others have no complaints. The Kia/Hyundai gets almost universal praise for its roominess, especially in the third row, which offers a 60/40 split bench seat that folds into the floor. The second-row bucket seats are removable. Unlike the Honda and Toyota minivans, the seven-seat Kia/Hyundai has no eighth-seat option.
The Hyundai offers a few different standard features than the Kia; for example, the base Hyundai GLS (*est. $23,995) comes equipped with power rear windows and roof-rack rails. A backseat DVD player will cost you less on the Hyundai than it will on the Kia; you can add one to the base Entourage GLS as part of a $4,850 package that also includes heated side mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter and more (*est. total $28,845). To get a DVD player on the Kia, you must buy the top-of-the-line Sedona EX trim plus all three option packages (*est. $32,390).
For $5,900 more than the Entourage GLS, the Entourage Limited (*est. $28,895) includes power sliding doors and tailgate, standard backup warning sensors and luxuries like leather seats and chrome door handles. A backseat DVD player adds $2,900 to the Limited, as part of a package that includes a power sunroof.
Reviews say the Kia/Hyundai is powerful and smooth, thanks to a 250-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. But testers criticize the body lean and "vague" steering that make the Kia/Hyundai feel big and heavy. Fuel economy is about the same as most other minivans; the EPA estimates 16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined.
Consumer Reports provides the most complete expert analysis of the Hyundai Entourage, covering everything from drivability and comfort to fuel economy and safety. Crash-tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are the basis for the Entourage's top safety scores. The review at CanadianDriver.com is written from an ordinary family's point of view. Relatively brief reviews at Edmunds.com and ConsumerGuide.com are based on testing, while those at Cars.com and Motor Trend are not.
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports' editors base much of their analysis of the Hyundai Entourage on road testing of its twin, the 2006 Kia Sedona. However, they also include results of owner satisfaction surveys and repair data to provide a helpful all-around estimate of the pros and cons of "real world" Entourage ownership.
Review: Hyundai Entourage, Editors of Consumer Reports
2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The NHTSA posts results for its 2009 minivan crash tests. Like most other minivans, the Hyundai Entourage earns five-star impact and four-star rollover ratings.
Review: 5-Star Safety Ratings, Editors of SaferCar.gov
3. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Hyundai Entourage is one of three 2009 minivans (along with its sister model, the Kia Sedona, and the Honda Odyssey) to win a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The IIHS conducted crash-tests on a 2008 Entourage, but the 2009 model is unchanged.
Review: 2008 Hyundai Entourage, Editors of IIHS
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