2008 Kia Sedona Review

What the reviewers like:
Experts describe the Kia Sedona as a well-built minivan with a low price and a long warranty. They cite a thoughtfully-designed interior, a quiet ride, good steering and suspension, and a powerful yet smooth engine as strengths of this particular minivan. One huge plus is the 2008 Kia Sedona's top safety ratings in government and independent crash testing, along with its excellent lineup of standard safety features.

What the reviewers don't like:
Even though engine power is comparable, the Kia Sedona’s handling isn’t as smooth or responsive as that of the Honda Odyssey. Reviewers also observe that the interior isn't as refined or nicely-constructed as those in the higher-end minivans -- a category that includes the new and improved 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan. Several reviews say the third-row seat isn't comfortable for adults since the cushion sits rather low to the floor. Top-tier options like a rear-view camera or navigation system aren't available on Sedona minivans either. Depreciation is expected to be worse than average.

2008 Kia Sedona review highlights

The Kia Sedona and its sister vehicle the Hyundai Entourage (*est. $23,895 to $29,795) are built on the same platform, offering similar performance and features. Both, along with the Honda Odyssey (*est. $25,860 to $40,610), are named Top Safety Picks in 2008 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for their best-in-class crash-test ratings. Reviews conclude that neither the Entourage nor the Sedona quite competes with the top-rated Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna (*est. $24,340 to $37,665), when it comes to handling, design and options, but reviewers easily identify the Kia Sedona as a best-value minivan. The Kia Sedona has a lower base price than the Hyundai Entourage, due to its lower predicted resale value and less-impressive interior materials and fit/finish, say reviews, but performance-wise, the two minivans are deemed comparable. The 2008 model has brought only minor revisions to the Kia Sedona’s design.

Edmunds.com has the most current information on the 2008 Kia Sedona, and editors here do a good job demonstrating the Sedona’s relationship to the current minivan competition. Consumer Reports and CarCritic.com emphasize elements like predicted reliability, safety and resale value in particular. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) provides crash-test results, and commends the 2008 Kia Sedona for its outstanding performance. A couple of older (but still salient) reviews are found at Motor Trend magazine, which named the Sedona a finalist in its 2007 "Car of the Year" honors, and at Car and Driver magazine.

Also see full report: Minivans

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Edmunds.com
2008 Kia Sedona Review
Editors of Edmunds.com

This review provides a well-balanced general impression of the 2008 Kia Sedona, although there’s not as much depth here as with some other reviews. Editors do note how the Sedona minivan performs against some of its competitors, however, and give a good overview of where the Kia Sedona fits into the current minivan market.

2. Consumer Reports
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2008 Kia Sedona Review
Editors of Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports last road-tested the Kia Sedona in 2006, but very few changes have been made to this minivan in the intervening years. The great value of reviews at Consumer Reports is the focus on long-term owner satisfaction and reliability. Editors include results from their annual reader auto survey, and rank each minivan according to its rating across a number of categories.

3. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Top Safety Picks 2008
Editors of IIHS

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash-tests cars and trucks for three impact scenarios. Cars then receive ratings based on the results for each position. In order to merit recognition as a top safety pick, a car must get the highest rating of "good" in all three crash tests, plus offer electronic stability control. This year, the Kia Sedona was one of three minivans (its sister model, the Hyundai Entourage, and the Honda Odyssey were the other winners) to be awarded the “Top Safety Pick” designation.

4. CarCritic.com
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2008 Kia Sedona Review
Dan Vorderman

Author Dan Vorderman takes an unusual approach to automobile reviews by keeping them short, to-the-point and focused mainly on often-overlooked aspects of each vehicle’s value (such as reliability and expected depreciation). Vorderman collects data from a number of sources, including owner satisfaction surveys and repair data, to create a brief “Ruthless Review.” His evaluation of the Kia Sedona indicates that it has its shortcomings, but that this minivan represents a solid choice if you’re on a budget.

5. Motor Trend
2007 Kia Sedona Review
Mark Williams

Before 2007, a minivan had never made it to the finals of Motor Trend's Car of the Year competition. Although the Kia Sedona did not take the title, placing among the finalists is high praise. A detailed but slightly dated review follows, along with some casual comparisons to competing minivans.

6. Car and Driver
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2006 Kia Sedona – Previews
John Pearley Huffman
Apr. 2006

This older article profiles the Sedona minivan following its debut in the 2006 model year. Though not as timely as some other reviews, there’s plenty of relevant information regarding the Kia Sedona’s features and specs, most of which are unchanged for 2008.

Also see full report: Minivans

2008 Kia Sedona Review