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Reader review

User: thetechnocrat (profile)
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Date Posted: 11 January 2007
Review: I purchased a new shape Kia Sedona LS auto in September 2006 and have to say that so far there has not been a single problem.

So far the vehicle has covered 2000 miles and as the engine beds-in I have noticed a marked increase in power and consequently the performance is steadily getting better.

Weighing-in at over 2 tons this is not the type of vehicle that you can drive like a sports car despite the 185 BHP produced by the engine. The auto gearbox does definitely pick-up very quickly once on the go, and keeping up with traffic in town and on the motorway is not a problem. In town the gearbox can get caught-out in too high a gear when going into a roundabout and as you come out of it the vehicle appears sluggish.Then suddenly as if by magic the car seems to realise that it is the wrong gear and kicks in to a lower gear making you take off like a bat out of hell. So caution has to be exercised as it is easy to forget just how powerful an engine the Sedona has got under it's bonnet.

The electric sliding rear doors are faultless and an absolute boon when getting people in and out, or just to enter the vehicle if you are in a very tight parking spot.

Overall fuel consumption is around 33 mpg which is not bad when you consider the weight of the vehicle,

One problem with the Sedona is it's width. At almost 6ft 6in wide it can be a awkward to park in narrow supermarket parking bays. It is a long vehicle but the length does not pose too much of a problem as the vehicle is supplied complete with excellent rear parking sensors.

For such a large vehicle the steering is good as are the antilock brakes.

I have found that I can carry 7 people in complete comfort and a fair amount of luggage and/ or shopping.

All the rear seats, 5 of them in total fold down so if you want to put a wardrobe, a settee or two dozen 8ft x 4ft sheets of plywood in the back they will go in without having to remove the seats.

Removing the seats altogether changes the picture completly and leaves you with as much space as a medium to large size van.

I tow a touring caravan and so the extra space and pulling power offered by the Sedona is certainly a step forward over and above my previous much-loved vehicle which was a Ford Mondeo diesel estate.

I also find the 85KG ball hitch load useful and an improvement on the Modeo which was only 75KG.

The climate control on the Sedona is a particularly good feature that works very efficiently. The driver and front passenger have independent controls, as do all the rear seat passengers, allowing everybody to set their own comfortable heating levels.

Overall it has been a problem-free and pleasant experience so far owning this vehicle.
Pros: Better value for money than any other vehicle on the market with the same kit.

Comfortable, efficient and durable.

Huge amount of space available for people or goods.

As imposing on the road a 4WD - so people keep out of your way.

Excellent climate control system.

Good brakes and steering.

Economical considering the size and weight of the vehicle.

Brilliant sliding rear door arranagement.


Cons: The width of the vehicle can be a daunting when parking in narrow supermarket bays. You can of course use the rear sliding doors to leave or enter the vehicle or alternatively the solution might be to park away from everone else.

The auto gearbox appears to need finer tuning to allow more spontanteous kick down at lower speeds.
Score: 9/10
Rating: 8 people have rated this review helpful

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