2003 Kia Sedona EX review from North America

The plastic fuse box cover is in just the wrong place, and it's too cheaply made as well -- so it comes off frequently. I gave up and stuck it in the glove box.

Just a month after purchase, it developed a vibration (I'm assuming tire balance, but haven't taken it in yet).

They really should give owners a complete set of covers for the seat mount valleys -- Our toddler got his foot caught in an open valley and twisted his ankle as a result. We're not get-rich-quick types who file lawsuits against deep-pocket corporations, but Kia may should wake up and smell the coffee -- taking care of small details like that will keep them out of court.

The Kia's price is definitely right.

Dealers that advertise the Sedona price leaders should carry a better selection of colors. What was available at my dealer was two of the blandest colors.

Kia also needs to offer a bright red and perhaps two or three other solid colors as well.

Specific observations about the Kia we own:

1) It's much harder to move around in the Sedona than it was in our 92 Dodge Grand Caravan; but the Sedona weighs more. You would think some of that weight would have gone to a little more room, but no.

2) There is about 10" less space available behind the rearmost seat. The same luggage we packed easily in the Dodge is too big for the Kia -- we have to leave things behind. Right now we're thinking of two solutions: 1) roof rack and carrier; or 2) tow hitch (NAPA, $175, or Kia $275) & $400 4'x8' utility trailer from Wal-Mart or Northern.

3) Related item, there is much less room between the seats than in our old Dodge. We could put our toddler's car seat behind the driver (on the middle seat) in the Dodge, and there would still have been room for his feet. There's an inch or two less in the Sedona -- which may not sound like much if you are not as concerned with back-seat passengers.

4) The rear doors don't have their own key locks. If the Sedona had key-less entry, this would not be an issue. But as things are, try holding onto a toddler and an infant, having to open the front passenger door, then reaching in to hit the unlock button (because *only* the driver's side lock will unlock ALL doors; the passenger's side lock does not)

5) Key-less entry systems are cheap, and they should be included.

6) The rear hatch is manually operated -- and I don't think they offer an inside pushbutton release yet (which our 92 Dodge had). Little stuff like this isn't that expensive; and Sedona should have it.

7) The front cupholder design is complicated and, well, almost useless for holding drinks.

8) In our state, every citizen has the right to carry firearms openly. The dashboard cupholder in our Dodge was a perfect "mount" for my holstered pistol; it kept me "legal". But in the Kia, there is no suitable place to keep it where it will be legal.

9) Buyers of Sedona should definitely opt for the roof rack.

10) The air conditioning is barely adequate when not driving at highways speeds. This is probably because RC-134 refrigerant is way inefficient compared to R-12.

11) Seat fabric was too "grippy". I put some seat covers on them to protect them for later resale and also to alter the feel.

12) Automakers are missing the boat with standard stereos, and Kia is no exception. It would cost them very little to put some decent amplification into their stereo, and add some subwoofers somewhere -- so that us baby boomers with jobs and kids, and no time to go to the autosound specialist, can occasionally crank it up and be pleased with the result.