2002-05 Kia Sedona

We’re all prisoners of gravity, or more accurately, mass. And perhaps nobody knows that better than a Kia Sedona driver.

Kia erred on the side of caution and bulked up its first North American-spec minivan to ensure it earned the ‘five-star’ crash rating so coveted by consumers.

At an asphalt-crushing 2.2 metric tonnes, this “minivan” is no flyweight. It’s up there with many sport-utility trucks in terms of its mass and propensity to drink deeply at the gas pump.

You know bloggers are mad when they use lots of exclamation marks and all caps: “EXTREMELY poor gas mileage,” wrote a Sedona driver. “I’m getting 16 miles per gallon (18 litres/100 km).”

Owners also got a lesson in reliability issues – a topic some auto reviewers sidestepped when they wrote about the new Sedona five years ago.

CONFIGURATION

The front-drive Sedona arrived in the fall of 2001 as an ’02 model. It came only as a dual-sliding-door model sized halfway between the short- and long-wheelbase versions of the Dodge Caravan.

As a subsidiary of Hyundai, Kia had the Korean success formula down pat: fill the base model with premium features including dual-zone air conditioning and loads of power-assisted goodies as standard equipment.

With the factory on the other side of the planet, it made economic sense to minimize model choices, so there were only two: the base LX and the premium EX, which added leather, ABS brakes, sunroof and even more toys.

Similarly, there’s only one do-it-all engine, supplied by Hyundai. The DOHC 3.5-litre V6 put out 195 hp and 218 lb-ft of torque, hooked up to a class-leading five-speed automatic transmission.

Minivans are fairly uniform in design, so shoppers tend to scrutinize the cabin for features and livability.

Here the Sedona scored well, with lots of storage cubbies and second- and third-row chairs that slid fore-and-aft for flexible room. The LX used a middle bench seat, while the EX featured captain’s chairs.

Unfortunately, the sliding seats cut into the small cargo compartment, making the van less practical than you might think.

“I can’t fit all my groceries in the back cargo space,” complained one owner.

For more load capacity, the split third-row bench folded forward, rather than disappeared into the floor. Alternatively, he-man owners could clean-jerk the heavy seats out of the van.

The Sedona benefited from minor tweaks in subsequent years.

In 2004 it wore a new chrome grill, and in 2005, the rear drum brakes grew larger for better performance and durability.

The Sedona was replaced for 2007 with an entirely new minivan that, significantly, weighs almost 200 kg less than the outgoing model.

ON THE ROAD

Thanks to its portly profile, the Sedona was a leisurely cruiser, taking 10.5 seconds to reach 96 km/h from a standstill (by comparison, a Honda Odyssey can do it in about 8 seconds).

But in other ways, the excess weight works in the van’s favour. The ride is well-controlled, though not the least bit athletic. The van leans in corners like a first-time sea cadet.

The steering feels a little light, but delivers good path control. It tracks nicely down the highway, unfazed by crosswinds and expansion joints.

The emphasis here is on comfort, which it delivers in spades. Noise levels are quite low, thanks in part to the heavy metal, insulation and the refined engine working under the hood.

WHAT OWNERS REPORTED

When new, the Sedona seduced shoppers with its high-value content, five-star crash rating and comprehensive warranty – engineered to take the fear of buying an unknown brand.

“I have to tell you the warranty was the number-one reason we purchased the van,” one owner confessed in an e-mail. “Kia definitely did surprise me with the fit and finish and the overall quality of the product.”

Some owners have been rewarded with a comfy, good-looking minivan that has served them well. Other owners told a different story.

“We didn’t expect it to perform like a Honda, but we were hoping for at least (Ford) Windstar quality. We got Yugo!” expressed one dismayed owner.

“We bought the vehicle for $25,000 and had $13,000 in warranty work done,” posted another on the net.

The most frequent reported problem involved the air conditioner. It’s not hard to find owners who have had theirs repaired more than once in one summer.

When one owner returned his 2003 Sedona to the dealer to fix the air conditioner, he was told a stone had punctured the condenser and the warranty would not cover it. He paid out of pocket and – not having seen the wounded part – now wonders about the mysterious stone.

Other common gripes centre on faulty transmissions (watch for slippage or hard shifts), fluid leaks, and short-lived alternators and dead batteries.

Here’s a topic we rarely discuss: rust. The Sedona has a problem with the tailgate, which can rust prematurely above the license plate.

Another complaint unique to the Sedona is frequent stress cracks in the windshield along its base. In some instances, owners report, dealers determined the cause as stone impacts (sound familiar?) and disallowed warranty claims.

Other dealers sheepishly admitted the cracks were caused by the wires embedded in the glass to heat the wipers and replaced the windshields under warranty.

It’s important to note that the inaugural 2002 Sedona models generated the bulk of owners’ complaints. Presumably, Kia worked hard to address many of the problems in subsequent model years.

Regardless, shop carefully. Kia resides in the basement of the J.D. Power and Associates dependability surveys and it’s got a long way to go to climb out.