2002-06 Nissan Altima
Nissan clearly wasn’t happy playing Newman to Honda’s Seinfeld and Toyota’s Costanza – otherwise known as the crowd-pleasing Accord and Camry. Read more
Test
For
Showing mark the cutline
all the innovation and technological advancement North America is known for we often cater to the lowest common denominator. Companies seeking to put their product in as many hands as quickly as possible scale back the “awesome” to just “pretty good” and release it to the masses.
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.
2000-06 Lincoln LS
“Pour some Clorox on the tires and watch the smoke pour off! I can almost hear that ‘Dukes of Hazzard horn,” writes the enthusiastic owner of a Lincoln LS on the Internet.
Somehow it’s hard to picture a 65-year-old driver (Lincoln owners’ median age) applying bleach on his tires and doing donuts in a parking lot on a Friday night.
Virtual proof that Lincoln has managed to reach a new, younger demographic with its LS sedan.
Launched in 1999 as a 2000 model, its mission was to lure baby-boomers into Lincoln showrooms with the promise of import-like refinement and sporting pretensions. It even went so far as to offer a manual transmission, the first in a Lincoln since 1951.
Ford’s engineers don’t readily admit it, but the BMW 5 Series made a handy template for the LS, with dimensions and weights that are within spitting distance of each other.
Likewise, the V6 and V8 engines powered the rear tires, not the front, in a nod to the god of excessive wheelspin. Blessed are the bleach makers.
CONFIGURATION
To help diffuse development costs, the LS was built on an all-new platform with which Ford used to underpin the Jaguar S-Type. Both cars were four-door sedans exclusively.
Buyers could choose from a reworked 3.0-litre DOHC V6 taken from the lunch-bucket Taurus or a 3.9-litre DOHC V8 borrowed from Jaguar.
The V8 was actually a detuned version with different cylinder heads and a displacement reduction from 4.0 litres, so as not too upstage the premium Brit brand. In the Lincoln, the V8 produced 252 healthy horses, while the pumped-up V6 made 210.
Buyers of the V6 could choose between the aforementioned Getrag five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Drivers of the V8 could only get the autobox, with the added feature of ‘manumatic’ shifting (optional on the V6 automatic).
To help keep weight down, Ford specified the control arms, hood, front fenders and trunk lid all be fabricated from aluminum. To approximate ideal 50/50-weight distribution front to rear, Lincoln used an old hot-rodder’s trick and relocated the battery in the trunk.
Inside, the cabin was a little snug but well appointed. Unlike other Lincolns with their broad instrument panels, this one was designed for the driver’s viewing only. Curious passengers needn’t try to peek at the speedo.
“I consistently drive at between 80 and 120 (mph) and my wife, who is somewhat tolerant, has noted that the car feels very good at those speeds,” boasted a driver on the web.
One nice touch was the 60/40 folding seatback, which expanded cargo options as needed. Unfortunately, the trunk was small for a Lincoln – given that its bigger brethren are the airport-limousine standard.
The LS got a mid-generation refreshing for 2003, with styling tweaks that included updated facades front and rear, and cool nickel-look trim inside. Power-adjustable pedals became standard.
More significantly, variable-valve timing was added to both engines, boosting peak horsepower to 280 in the V8 and 232 in the Taurus-derived V6. A five-speed autobox was the only transmission.
ON THE ROAD
In V6 form, the LS was a polite tourer with uncommonly good road manners. The sedan hits highway speed in 8.0 seconds (almost 9 with the automatic), which is competent but nowhere near the sport sedan standard.
But with its independent rear suspension and wide track, the LS is surprisingly adept at carving its own path on the tarmac. It can generate 0.84 g of grip on a circular skidpad, besting the BMW 330i, and exhibits excellent balance and neutral steering.
“The car will enter a relatively stable four-wheel drift condition long after many vehicles would have lost control and broken loose on either the front or rear wheels,” one owner posted.
For envy-inducing peel-outs, the V8-powered LS comes recommended. The extra-strength 2003 model could hit 96 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. The down side is lousy fuel economy, with city mileage as low as 14 mpg (20 litres/100 km), owners reported.
Published comparison tests with other sports sedans usually ranked the LS at the back of the pack. Magazine editors singled out two problems with the car’s manners: unpleasant brake feel (particularly during heavy use) and an overly firm ride with the Sport suspension.
Unflattering things were also said of the five-speed autobox, which was reticent to downshift at the right moments.
“Hot-rod Lincoln was more fun as a pop tune,” mused an editor.
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED
“Well-balanced” is the most-oft mentioned attribute of the LS. Owners appreciated the care taken in engineering this German-baiting sedan.
“It’s an incredibly comfortable, quiet touring car that can be driven quite quickly,” concluded one owner, who called it a great rain car. Another noted that the switchable traction control made the rear-drive car sure-footed in snowy conditions.
Beyond the good road manners and creature comforts, however, the Michigan-built LS also exhibited a fair number of mechanical problems.
Reported weaknesses include faulty air conditioning and heated driver’s seat, broken window regulators, air-flow regulators and traction control, as well as assorted electrical glitches. Moisture in the headlight assembly was a common complaint.
A number of owners griped about vibration at speed, which some traced back to the car’s standard Firestone tires – an unusual choice for a premium sports sedan.
Overall, the LS represents a skilled attempt by Ford at building an Autobahn speedwagon utilizing its trans-Atlantic resources. It may not be the most reliable sports sedan, but hey, neither are those vaunted nameplates from the Rhineland.
And the best part is, depreciation has been swift and steep, making a second-hand LS a decent buy. Get the V8 and steal some bleach from the laundry room.