2020 Kia Sedona

The 2020 Kia Sedona is segregated into four well-defined trim levels, namely L, LX, EX and SX. The sticker price of the base L trim is $27,400 and goes all the way to $41,300 for the top of the line SX trim. 

The standard list of features is very impressive for the 2020 Sedona, yet as you move up the trim ladder the list gets more and more additions. 

Which trim do we recommend?

As impressive the SX trim looks on paper, we would recommend you opt for the EX trim as it’s the best VFM trim. You won’t miss out on many features from the SX trim, but add a lot compared to the LX trim, such as leather upholstery, heated front seats, tri-zone auto-climate control and 18-inch alloy wheels. 

The 2020 Kia Sedona is powered by the same 3.3L V6 unit that powered its predecessor. The motor is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that transfers the power to the front wheels. The option for AWD would have been an excellent addition and the folks over in the northeast would have loved it, maybe next year! 

The competent V6 motor churns out 276 horses at 6000 rpm and produces a maximum pulling force of 248 lb/ft at 5200 rpm. Power delivery is linear and the transmission does its job well. However, at lower revs, the engine is very dull. Only after crossing the 5k mark does this minivan feel lively. Also, be prepared for a ride that lacks engagement on the highway. Yes, you have the power of almost 280 horses, but there is no excitement at all. It settles down after a certain speed and just cruises along the highway. Then again, it’s a minivan and not an SUV, and that’s how minivans are supposed to behave, right?

Talking about raw power, Toyota Sienna leads the pack with 296 hp followed by the Chrysler Pacifica with the power of 287 horses. The Sedona is the least powerful of the chosen minivans. 

How fast is the Sedona?

The V6 under the hood does a great job moving this minivan fast enough as it sprints to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds. If you decide to compete in a drag race, which will be a very bad idea, you will complete it in just under 16 seconds. 

As mentioned earlier, the engine only gets lively past the 5000 rpm mark, which explains Sedona’s sluggish acceleration.

Also, not to forget its curb weight which clocks in at 4411 lbs, making it one of the heaviest minivans in the states.

How well does the Sedona stop?

The Sedona ships out of the factory with ventilated disk brakes and ABS on all the four wheels. The rotor size on the front wheels has a diameter of 12.6 inches while the rear ones have 11.9-inch rotors. 

Stopping this mammoth takes some serious effort and the braking system onboard does a great job at it. The application of the pedal is fairly easy and the bite kicks in instantaneously. There is no noticeable nosedive under the regular application. However, when applied under emergency situations, the nosedive is fairly prominent. 

What about the Driving dynamics?

The overall ride quality of the Sedona is fairly smooth and composed. However, it not as smooth as that of the Pacifica or the Odyssey. Minor road imperfections are well masked, however, bigger bumps will make its way into the cabin. What will not make its way to the cabin, are the road and engine noise that have been very well cut-off on the inside. The cabin is very silent, even when cruising on the highway. 

The steering is neither very hard nor feather-light. It’s perfectly weighted and maneuvering it through the city streets will not be an issue. However, the body roll is very evident and cornering at high speeds will definitely make you nervous.

Fuel economy is one department where the Sedona lags behind its competitors. One would be lead to believe that Kia has opted for a detuned engine in order to squeeze out more gas mileage. However, Sedona delivers only 18 mpg in the city while all other cars in the chosen pack deliver 19 mpg inside the city. 

On the highway too, Sedona manages to travel 24 miles for a gallon while the Odyssey manages 28 miles for the same amount of gas. Hence, if fuel economy is high on your list of priorities, we suggest you skip the Sedona.

While not as stylish as some of the latest offerings from Kia, 2020 Sedona’s interior is minimalist and perfectly suited for the car it is, a family minivan. With 3 rows of seats that offer ample room, the overall build of the interiors is sturdy with high-quality plastic conveniently covered with soft-touch materials.

Staying true to the segment, the 2020 Kia Sedona’s cabin is huge and offers ample space, especially in the 2nd-row seats. The front seats are well contoured and very well-cushioned and provide ample support to the driver and the co-passenger during longer drives. Higher trims also have 3 level heating capabilities for the front seats and 3 fan settings to cool you down. The 2nd row of seats, which is a pair of captains chairs, is the trump card for the Kia Sedona. It offers more room than most of the rivals. The legroom is huge. Apart from the base trim, the middle seat of the 2nd row is foldable, which makes for a makeshift armrest. 

3rd row of seats of the Sedona can fit 3 adults, but they won’t be very comfortable over a long drive. The space offered by the seats is on par with the competition. Lower trims have cloth upholstery, designed by Yes Essentials, and is stain and odor resistant. The higher trims come with leather upholstery and feel very premium.

What’s there to keep you entertained?

All trims of the 2020 Kia Sedona come equipped with a 7’’ LCD touch screen that is color accurate and vibrant. However, the top two trims, ES and SX come with Sirius XM satellite radio.

The base trim comes with only 4 speakers, which to be honest, are not sufficient for the Sedona. LX and ES trim come with 6 speakers that produce well-balanced sound output. SX trim comes with Harman Kordon speakers with a subwoofer.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across all trim along with Siri Eyes free. There is no inbuilt navigation and you’ll have to rely on your smartphone to show you the way around. 

How much cargo can it carry?

The default cargo space for Sedona is 33.9 cubic feet. But don’t let that discourage you because there are a whole lot of folding options for the 2nd and 3rd-row seats.

With the 3rd-row seats folded, the cargo space increases to 78.4 cubic feet. That’s not all of it, with the 2nd-row seats at the forward-most position, the total cargo space is maxed out at 142 cubic feet. You can literally carry anything you want and still will be left with space for more.

What are the various creature comforts on offer?

The Sedona has no dearth of interior features. Some of them are

• 12 Cup Holders
• 12V Power Outlets
• 60/40 Split, Flat Folding 3rd-Row Seats
• Active Eco System
• Center Console w/ Armrest
• Conversation Mirror

The exterior shell of the 2020 Sedona stays unchanged from its predecessor. While it is not the ugliest looking car on the road, it won’t win any beauty pageant either. When compared to its rivals such as the Pacifica and the Odyssey, the exterior styling does look dated.

The boxy design has polarizing reception among the masses. While some despise it, for others, it can be the reason they buy the Sedona over the dynamic design of its rivals.

The bumper to bumper length of this minivan measures up to be 201.4 inches. The 120.5-inch wheelbase makes sure that the cabin can accommodate up to 7 passengers. 

What are the highlights of the exterior design? 

The 2020 Sedona, unchanged since its refresh in 2018, carries the redesigned head and tail lamps along with the new ‘tiger-nose’ grille. Some of the other highlights are

• Auto Light Control
• Black Mesh Grille
• Body-Colored Door Handles
• Projector Beam Headlamps
• Rear Spoiler
• Solar Control Glass
• 17/18 inch Alloy Wheels

The safety of a car is a major factor that can make or break a deal. Kia knows this all too well. Irrespective of the price, all of Kia’s cars are packed with a bunch of active and passive features. The build quality is also very sturdy and Kia uses High Strength Steel Chassis that absorbs most of the impact in the event of a crash.

Some of the safety features of the 2020 Sedona are

• Dual Front Advanced Airbags
• Dual Front Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Full-Length Side Curtain Airbags
• Rollover Mitigation (ROM)
• 3-Point Seat Belts for All Seating Positions
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Traction Control System (TCS)
• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
• Front and Rear Crumple Zones

Kia Sedona vs Honda Odyssey

The Sedona and the Odyssey are similar, yet very different from each other. Similar because both of these cars offer spacious cabins, comfortable seats, and great utility. Moving on to the differences, the Honda in question has a better fuel economy than the Kia. Also, the Odyssey is more fun to drive car among the two. Thus, it will be a wiser option to spend your money on the Odyssey. 

Kia Sedona Vs Chrysler Pacifica

The Pacifica is one of the top-selling minivans in the States. Now you have to be doing something right if you’re selling well in a segment that’s fast fading out. The contemporary design of the Pacifica along with its upscale interiors and great ride quality are some of the reasons behind its sales figures. It’s really hard to recommend the Sedona over the Pacifica. 

Kia Sedona vs Toyota Sienna. 

With the Sienna, you get the reliability of Toyota. The Sienna is also powered by one of the most powerful engines in the segment. Otherwise, there’s very little separating the two. The design can be a deciding factor here. Sienna adheres to the recent design language of Toyota, which is most evident in its front grille. The Sedona, on the other hand, sticks with a boxy design, which you’ll either love or hate. 

When all is said and done, the question that needs to be answered now is if you should get the Sedona over its rivals. To put it bluntly, no. The Sedona has a great cabin with lots of quirks and features. However, the dull driving dynamics along with the below-average fuel efficiency are some aspects of this car you just cannot oversee. Thus, we suggest you put your money on the Odyssey or the Pacifica.