MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Exterior is clean but predictable. Do not care for the interior at all (GM called - they want their late '90s shifter back).

Nice update...hopefully this does well for Kia.

mmarshall

Not bad-looking either inside or outside, although the dash, IMO, is generic Kia.

TangoRed

Yeah, it's nothing ground breaking. I just like how the front cockpit doesn't have that huge waterfall look that is common in minivans- although I'm sure this is to the detriment of practicality.

mmarshall

I agree. Minivans seem to suffer from a stigma (primarily from the auto press and enthusiasts), that is largely undeserved. In fact, they were (and are) the ideal vehicles for many families.....and actually sold like it until the SUV market expanded in the 1990s.

Tantrix

what is the MSRP ? for thousands less thanthe sienna it can be appealing.

the minivan market is very stale in the US. There is no GOT TO HAVE IT mini van except for the EL GRANDE in Asia.

mmarshall

Hasn't been officially announced yet, but the betting is that it will start in the low 20s...about the same as the rival Dodge Grand caravan.

That's because of what I stated in my last post. In the U.S., some morons in the auto press have been successful with stigmatizing minivans, making many people who actually need one (or what would be best for their families) simply too afraid that their friends and neighbors will laugh at them. It's sad, IMO.

yardie876

Wow I like it. Competitive pricing is key for this thing to sell.

pbm317

That's YOUR betting. I do not think they're going for the bargain basement shoppers with this generation.

mmarshall

Well, first, I myself didn't call that shot. I only quoted what others in the press are saying (though I basically agree with them). Second, Kia marketers know that the Sedona has competed for years with the Dodge Grand Caravan, though not matching Caravan sales numbers. If the base Sedona is substantially higher than the Caravan, of course, it could drive potential customers down the street into Dodge showrooms instead. And, of course, no matter what the price, Chrysler products can't match the long Kia/Hyundai warranty...that also is a selling point.

SteVTEC

Dunno why you would think that. Tons of people still buying minivans. Every other car around here is an Odyssey or a Sienna. When the latest redesign Odyssey came out, everybody had one almost literally overnight it seemed. Who is laughing at anybody with a minivan? Perhaps a problem with minivans is not any sort of stigma, but rather people like AWD and you generally can't get that with minivans. Only the Sienna has it in the U.S. I think, and it's a ridiculously expensive model, too. I think people are far more attached to wanting AWD than there is any sort of stigma against minivans these days. I think product managers and planners would rather not blur lines and keep minivans as FWD to maximize space, and reserve SUVs for the AWD. JM2c.

Anyways the new Sedona definitely looks nice.

LexusChris

iTrader: (1)

SteVtec brings a good point, here in the New York a lot of friends, have gone the SUV route to Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, rather than the Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey simply because AWD is not offered. I'm sure if they offered AWD and more space than your average SUV why not. It's pretty much the same reason why I chose the CR-V over let's say an Accord, it has AWD and here in New York it's necessary when you drive everyday in those harsh winters especially like the last one. Anyway I think this minivan looks good but typical minivan looks and the interior puts the Sienna to shame, Toyota really needs to step up in their interiors, with the exception of the new Highlander. Hope they won't price too high that it flops like the Nissan Quest.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Much more impressive. Right on par with the compeititon

hlee12

hate the interior color. i would like to see all black inteior. or something other than that pukey color

overall it looks very competitive. but it's still a minivan.

blegroswro

There is no GOT TO HAVE IT mini van except for the EL GRANDE in Asia.

Blackraven

Hmm.....makes sense.

Although the new Nissan Quest (Made in Japan) is 99% Nissan Elgrand.










Only 1% minor/major difference (the front end and rear end).

Everything else is the same (i.e. side panel design, interior, steering wheel design, start stop button placement, instrument panel design, etc.)

And both this new Quest and Elgrand come from the same factory (NISSAN SHATAI FACTORY IN KYUSHU, JAPAN)