KIA SEDONA MPV REVIEW

My car

I'm just coming up to my first year of owning a Kia. Having had a much troubled Voyager before, i find the Kia a real delight in knowing every time i go to get in it it starts with no worries. It does lack that immediate pull away power but you do get use to it. I also find the cruise control a bit fussy for some reason but will tell dealer. I like the leather seats and find them comfortable, i also like the 'table' between the driver's seat and front passenger. If i could have one change about the interior it would be that the seats fold away into the floor like many other mpvs do nowadays. I've been lucky not to have had any electrical problems. The headlights are good and plenty of interior lights/cupholders/cubby holes to put bits and pieces away make it handy for those sitting in the back. I would have another one but would like to see the seats fold away, the boot to be a little bigger and the power to be improved but not many vehicles are perfect. I would say to people buy one as i've not had problems but maybe get one for the weekend or certainly give all the elcetrics a good testing. Other than that, the snob value of a Chrysler Voyager or a Kia doesn't worry me. I've found the Kia to be more than adequate apart from the few niggles i have put down. Luke

My car

Where to start... from the very day that we picked up our Kia Sedona from our local dealership it has been plagued with problems. From poorly fitting dashboard panels on collection through to a malfunctioning DVD player and electric sliding doors which would intermittently refuse to close correctly, open while in transit or refuse to open at all (under electric or manual operation).

Add to the above the appalling customer service that we received from our first dealership and Kia's continued inability to resolve the problems with the doors and 15 months on we're still in possession of a car that we feel is still in no state for delivery to a customer let alone fit for purpose. If you want all the gruesome details by all means feel free to read the write up on my personal blog - http://nathanpitman.com/journal/563/kia-sedona-reliability

My car

Having imported the MPV from South Africa 5 months ago, the vehicle has been great to drive and own. South Africa receives a long-wheel base model which measures at 5.1 metres so finding a parking space that big is tricky but a GVW of 2.8 tons nudges other cars back. Parking in the college car park is alittle difficult but parking sensors take some of the trouble out.

Fold down the 3rd row seats electrically and the boot is big enough for 4 large suitcases. Useful things like electrically operated taligate and sliding doors are standard along with auto-dimming rear view mirror.

I use a special technique to squeeze as much mpg as I can out of the Sedona's 80 litre fuel tank. On average, my trip-computer reads 45mpg combined.

The interior is very practical. Seats slide, recline and fold-away, without having to remove them. Plenty of cupholders and cubby holes to put things in. Foot-operated parking brake is annoying!. I want the conventional handbrake back. The dashboard is well-screwed together and looks nice despite the odd-looking centre console. I have regisitered the car ith my local dealer for future servicing with no fuss.

I would highly recommend this vehicle for families