From: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/14845934.htm

MVP: Most Value for Price
Kia's quality gives rivals a run for their money WARREN BROWN
Washington Post

Kia Motors Corp. makes the best minivan for the money -- better than the
Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town & Country or the Dodge
Caravan.

The rivals are all nice family haulers. But nice doesn't cut it in the
marketplace. Value does.

The 2006 Kia Sedona LX minivan offers the most value, which is not to be
confused with the lowest price.

Low prices are meaningless for inferior products.

The Kia Sedona is first-class in all respects -- quality of craftsmanship
and engineering, quality of interior materials, highway performance and
safety. I liked the Sedona LX so much, I didn't want to return it to the
manufacturer.

A minivan! I couldn't believe it!

But after nearly 600 miles on the highways, byways and back roads of
Virginia and West Virginia, I became a convert. The front-wheel-drive
Sedona LX handled the heights of the Blue Ridge Mountains without
hesitation. It was sure-footed in the curves and dips of the Shenandoah
Valley, and it ran with unruffled confidence amidst the ruffian
18-wheelers roaring along Interstate 81 across the panhandle of West
Virginia.

And it was peaceful -- peaceful!

Minivans exist solely to haul families, friends and stuff. That is why
most minivans, like the Sedona LX, have seating for seven.

But people can be problematic. They have wants and needs that become
demands and arguments on long road trips. It matters not that you love
them, or that they love you. Uncomfortable passengers can turn a long
drive into a journey to hell.

A comfortable passenger cabin -- one that grants all aboard ample personal
space and that treats their backs and bottoms kindly -- is the best
antidote to such misery. The Sedona LX has a passenger-pampering cabin,
which is all the more remarkable because there is nothing fancy about it.

The standard seats are cloth-covered. But they are thoughtfully contoured,
expertly upholstered. There is a smartly designed front tray that can hold
a book or laptop -- or serve as a small dinner table. Other storage nooks
abound. There are 14 cupholders.

None of my three passengers complained on the Virginia-West Virginia run.
There were no jibes about a ride too harsh, too soft or too bouncy. Two of
them were so comfortable, they fell asleep.

Automotive journalists and self-described auto enthusiasts often speak of
"fun to drive," a phrase they reserve for anything that isn't a minivan, a
vehicle they regard as uncool, little more than a household appliance.

They do not understand the point of the journey, which is to move freely,
swiftly when doing so is either necessary or desired, but always safely
and comfortably -- preferably at an affordable price. The Sedona LX
embraces that understanding. In doing so, it makes so much of what is
installed in rival minivans seem excessive.

Here is a minivan that comes with a gutsy 3.8-liter, 244-horsepower V-6
engine but that still gets 25 miles per gallon on the highway using
regular unleaded fuel. It fits neatly into urban parking garages. It has
top crash-safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It does
anything anyone reasonably can expect a minivan to do, and it does it all
for a base price starting under $23,000.

The Kia Sedona LX moves to the top of this column's minivan list. It's
earned it.

2006 Sedona LX

Complaints: None. This one is everything a minivan should be, including
affordable.

Ride, acceleration and handling: Excellent in all three categories in city
and highway traffic, whether unloaded (driver only, no cargo) or heavily
loaded (driver and three passengers and an estimated 250 pounds of cargo).

Head-turning quotient: It's a minivan. That means it gets as much
attention as Hollywood gives to stable families.

Engine/transmission: 3.8-liter, 244-horsepower V-6. The engine is mated to
a five-speed automatic transmission that also can be shifted manually. The
manual mode gives the driver better vehicle control on mountainous, curvy
roads.

Capacity: It seats seven.

Mileage: I averaged 25 miles per gallon in highway travel, including
loaded and unloaded runs.

Safety: The Kia Sedona has top crash-safety ratings from both the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety. Standard equipment includes head airbags for all three
rows, side air bags for front-seat passengers, traction and stability
control, anti-whiplash head restraints and antilock brakes. Impressive.

Price: Base price on the 2006 Sedona LX is $22,995. Dealer's invoice price
on base model is $21,700. Price as tested is $25,165, including $1,500 in
options (rear entertainment audio-visual system, roof rails and cross
bars) and a $670 destination charge. Dealer's price as tested is $23,680.
Prices sourced from Kia, www.edmunds.com and http://www.cars.com, an affiliate of
The Washington Post.

Purse strings: It's a buy. Compare with any midsized minivan.

My friend has one and the aforementioned review does not surprise me--Kia
is a great value.

-Cheers

Time will tell if the '06 holds up. No way you can judge ongoing
quality on a 600 mile trip. For the sake of those buying it, I hope it
ends up being a quality automobile in the long run rather than a
rapidly deterioating piece of crap like the previous ones.

-- Christian

Seems like I heard the same thing about Japanese cars some time ago.

-Cheers

Yep. Japanese autos are much better quality now than they once were,
But, that is little solace to those who wasted money on them while
they were still rolling junk heaps.

-- Christian

Well, I was hoping for better things being said about the Kia Sedona,
because I am interested in buying one, however not everybody seems happy
with the Japanese, but I thought they were made in South Korea anyway.
Gordon

Hi Gordon,

You're right, Kia is a South Korean automaker. The point here was that
Japanese cars used to be as junky as Kias are now. But, Japanese cars
have improved and are now high quality vehicles. Kia is getting better
but some argue that it's still not up to par with Japanese automakers.
2006 is the first year that the Sedona isn't a complete piece of junk.
IMHO, it's still too early to make the leap and buy a Kia. Give them a
few more years and they may begin to turn out truly reliable autos.

-- Christian

Wow are you way off base.

Mark, what are you trying to tell me?
Is Christian right or wrong with his comments, I'm not sure what 'off base'
means.

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

No offense to Christian as everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but
Kia (Korean Autos in General) now approach and probably match the quality
of Japanese cars (by the way, there are some very fine American and
European cars out there as well). It's just a matter of value for the
dollar and I think Kia beats all competitors right now when one considers
both the quaility as well as their incredible warranty.

Christian and I agree on what used to be, specifically that Kia/Hyundai
used to lack in quality just like Japanese Autos once did. We disagree,
however, in that he still believes the jury is out. Well it isn't IMHO and
the opinions of most. I say if you are considering one, don't hesitate.

-Cheers!