2021 Kia Sedona

For an MSRP of $30,400 the Sedona goes up against very popular choices in the segment namely, the Honda Odyssey, the Chrysler Pacifica, and the Toyota Sienna. All the vans pack a lot of comfort for all the passengers and are powered by very potent powertrains to offer a comfortable driving experience. 

The 2021 Kia Sedona line-up is a rather short one, consisting of only three trim levels - LX, EX, and SX - and carries an MSRP of $30,400, $33,700, and $41,500 respectively. The base trim is rather basic for the segment but does offer 8-passenger seating as standard. Along with this, it also loads in some basic amenities for the occupants inside, all of which has been summarised in the table below:

The Sedona is lacking in comfort in the base trim but from the EX trim onwards, the story gets sweeter. The EX is a very good upgrade from the LX in terms of luxury, as well as the safety onboard. If the features feel inadequate, the manufacturer also offers an EX Premium package which bundles in a lot more than one could ask for. 

Which trim should you buy?

With the features on board, the EX makes it on the top of our recommendations due to the upgrade it brings from the LX and the price bump it carries. Opting for the EX Premium package makes the features list even longer which adds even more features and value to the deal.

The Kia Sedona comes with only one engine option which is standard across trims - a naturally-aspirated 3.3L V6 that is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission unit and sends power to the front wheels only. This power plant produces a sum total of 276 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque which, considering the size of the van, is enough for a long weekend getaway drive. 

The engine is a very smooth unit and has no vibrations whatsoever. Also, the gearbox makes shifting easy and effortless. The only gripe in the driving experience is the firmness of the suspension that makes the Sedona feel a little bit fidgety over bad roads. 

The Sedona’s V6 isn’t the most powerful of the lot but still manages to put the power down very well and beat the Sienna in acceleration while matching the quarter-mile timings. The Honda Odyssey shows a very strong performance in acceleration and remains the fastest off-the-line and also in the quarter-mile. 

How well does the 2021 Kia Sedona handle?

In terms of acceleration, the engine feels powerful enough for making overtakes, and the punchy nature is complemented well by the 8-speed gearbox. In the city, the Sedona maintains a lot of poise with the suspension soaking the undulations and bumps decently well, and the steering is light making overall maneuverability a breeze. 

On the highway, a similar level of poise is maintained and the cabin is very quiet and there’s barely any noise from the outside, except for tire noise which does creep in at higher speeds. The gearbox shifts very smoothly and overtaking isn’t a problem due to the quick action, and the torque on offer.

2021 Kia Sedona Braking Performance

Apart from the performance, the braking on the Kia Sedona has also been given a lot of priority so as to make sure that the van stops well short of any obstacle and avoids collision. For this, the manufacturer has equipped the van with 12.6-inch rotors in the front and 11.9-inch rotors at the rear which work well in tandem with all the braking tech on offer to stop the van in just 167 ft. 

The braking on the Sedona is unmatched by any other van in the competition due to the fact that it is the only one stopping in under 170 ft when braked hard from 70 MPH. All the others take a lot more time, with the Sienna braking the latest and causing a lot of worry in terms of emergency braking. 

This smooth 3.3L V6 power plant turns out to be efficient as well with an EPA estimate of 18 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway, for a combined of 21 MPG. The numbers are good considering a 21.1-gallon fuel tank and make the Sedona a very commendable long-distance tourer. 

The Sedona’s fuel economy figures are rather impressive for a minivan this size, but the competition one up this number both in terms of fuel efficiency and also in terms of the range extracted from their fuel tanks, which is smaller than the Sedona’s. The Sienna just edges out the Sedona with 1 MPG more in the city, while the Odyssey gives an impressive range on the highway, making it the perfect companion for long-distance traveling. 

The interior of the 2021 Kia Sedona has a very subtle design and offers a lot of family-friendly amenities right from the base model itself. The seats on the base trim are clad in soft and comfortable leather while the higher specs gain an upgraded Nappa leather treatment, just like on the Sorento. Talking of adjustability, the minivan has got the occupants covered by providing a range of adjustments for the driver and the front passenger. 

The rear seat is a bench, and the same goes for the third row as well making the Sedona an 8-seater. The dashboard is covered in soft-touch material and the same material is used in all the visible panels as well. Stepping up to the higher trims add leather to the most-touched areas like the armrest. Being a minivan, the Sedona has loads of space for the people inside, and the third row is surprisingly spacious as well. 

The Sedona’s cabin does lack some headroom in the front row but apart from that, the cabin is spacious and the minivan does a good job in making it feel airy. It also seats one more passenger than the pack but simultaneously, the cargo capacity takes a hit. Some of the highlighting features of the Sedona’s cabin are:

• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Power-adjustable passenger's seat
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Remote-controlled sliding rear doors
• Rear sunshades
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Leather upholstery
• Heated steering wheel
• Tri-zone automatic climate control

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2021 Kia Sedona gets a 7-inch touchscreen system as standard which is covered in an anti-glare material that helps while driving. Apart from that, the touchscreen is surrounded by shortcut buttons to navigate through the different menus in the infotainment system like radio, media, phone, etc. This system has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard for smartphone integration and has Bluetooth onboard for seamless connectivity. 

The SX trim gets an 8-inch touchscreen unit that also includes navigation, voice controls, and better graphic quality that makes operating the system more fluid and as seamless as it can be. Speaking of the speaker setup, the standard setup is a 6-speaker setup while the SX is equipped with an upgraded 8-speaker Harman Kardon setup. That being said, some highlighting features of this system are:

• 7-inch touchscreen
• 6-speaker audio system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 
• Bluetooth
• Upgraded 8-inch touchscreen
• 8-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
• USB ports

After the 2015 refresh, the 2021 Kia Sedona remains mostly unchanged from the styling aspect of the minivan. The Korean car manufacturer did market it as a multi-purpose vehicle, which it did well. The front of the Sedona houses Kia’s “Tiger Nose” grille and the LED headlights with the DRLs add a stylish flair to it. The sleek bonnet and the chrome surrounds on the bumper add a touch of premiumness to the exterior.

To the side, the Sedona is designed like a typical minivan with big rear windows and a sliding rail that has been integrated well into the design. The 17-inch alloys suit the corporate design well and can be upgraded to bigger 18-inch wheels. The rear of the Sedona carries simple lines and maintains a decent design. The roof spoiler and rear diffuser do add a pinch of sportiness as well.

The Sedona, due to its luxury on board, weighs in as the heaviest in the class along with the most ground clearance and a long wheelbase. It is not as wide or as tall as the Pacifica but still manages to carve out an impressive cabin area to keep the occupants happy. Some of the highlighting features of the Sedona’s exterior are:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• 18-inch alloy wheels (optional)
• Automatic LED headlights
• Roof rails
• Tiger Nose grille
• Fog lights
• LED taillights

The Kia Sedona is one feature-packed minivan that drapes a lot of comfort on the occupants, and similarly, it does come equipped with a lot of driver-assist features - from the EX trim and above. The LX trim comes with all the basic active and passive features, while the higher trims add features like:

• Front and rear parking sensors 
• Blind-spot monitoring 
• Rear cross-traffic alert 
• Forward collision mitigation 
• Lane departure warning 
• Adaptive cruise control
• 360-degree camera system

Talking of the crash-test results, the Sedona achieves the best ratings that the NHTSA and the IIHS have. The scores are impressive, although it misses out on the latter’s “Top Safety Pick” award. 

2021 Kia Sedona Vs. 2021 Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey is a very potent minivan against the Kia Sedona and is more feature-packed as well. It has more cargo capacity on offer along with a faster powertrain which also gives out good fuel economy but the Sedona gives more range due to a bigger tank. It also brakes better and has a wee bit more space than the Honda. 

2021 Kia Sedona Vs. 2021 Chrysler Pacifica

The Chrysler Pacifica has a more powerful engine and also one-ups the Sedona in terms of frugality. The interior is rather spacious and the cargo capacity on offer remains very similar to what the Kia has to offer. Also, the Pacifica is well-equipped in terms of safety right from the base trim itself. On the other hand, the Kia offers more room and better braking performance along with a very corporate styling and a refined powertrain best suited for highway drives. 

2021 Kia Sedona Vs. 2021 Toyota Sienna

The Toyota Sienna has the most powerful powertrain but is rather sluggish in terms of acceleration, posting in slower times than on the Sedona. It weighs nearly as much as the Kia but the performance is rather dismal. One thing it does well is fuel economy and provides more range. The Kia on the other hand benefits from a peppy engine, good carbon space, impressive braking, and loads of comfort features on offer. 

The Kia Sedona is a very good bet in the segment which seems to be losing its steam owing to the crossover boom in the market. It has a lot of features to offer at a very competitive price, although most of the features will be available from the EX trim onwards. The performance remains impressive and the fuel economy is good for the class as well. With all the safety features on offer along with an exemplary crash-test rating, the Sedona is a complete package for a person looking for a comfortable family cruiser.