2010 Kia Sedona

At a time when budgets remain tight, the 2010 Kia Sedona offers an affordable alternative to the top-rated 2010 Honda Odyssey (Base MSRP: $26,805 to $40,755). The Sedona possesses the size and features of the best minivans and ties with the Odyssey for perfect crash-test scores from both the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It's also the only minivan to be offered in both short-wheelbase (base model only) and long-wheelbase versions. It is as powerful as the Honda, and it's backed by a longer warranty (five years/60,000 miles). "The story here is value," say Edmunds.com editors, noting the Sedona "delivers virtually all of the same family-friendly qualities as its higher-profile competitors, but at a bargain price."  

For 2010, Kia gives the Sedona a modest but noteworthy list of improvements, starting with recalibrating its 244-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6 engine to improve refinement, which also now delivers 17 mpg in the city, a gain of 1 mpg from the 2009 model. The EX model gets a standard rear backup camera and a new rear spoiler, while LX and EX versions now have standard rear parking sensors. In addition, the 2010 Sedona receives new chrome accents inside and out. Beyond these minor changes, the van otherwise carries over from 2009, and you can consult our page on the 2009 Kia Sedona (Base MSRP: $21,065 to $26,595) for a detailed review.

Edmunds.com editors sum it up: "It's worth noting that the 2010 Kia Sedona is as sharp handling as anything in the category out of the Honda Odyssey. Add a cabin that's surprisingly quiet at highway speeds, and you've got a value-packed minivan that only gets better from behind the wheel."