Used 2021 Kia Sedona

Minivans are a great way of moving families and all their stuff, which is why the 2021 Kia Sedona makes such a smart choice. Available in three trim levels, the 2021 Sedona minivan undercuts many of its competitors in entry-level pricing, but the base LX is far from a stripped-down model.

The Sedona isn’t quite as roomy as the Honda Odyssey, but it can carry up to eight passengers. A 3.3-liter V6 with 276 horsepower is standard, and the Sedona also offers a better warranty. Kia, however, doesn’t offer many advanced driver assists on the lower-priced Sedona LX. Nor is fuel economy a strong point for the 2021 Kia Sedona.

From behind the wheel, the 2021 Kia Sedona is enjoyable. It’s powerful and responsive, and out on the road, it feels smaller than it actually is.

Unlike some of its competitors, the Sedona doesn’t make you feel like you’re the captain of a cruise ship. Although the ride quality is smooth and comfortable, this Kia minivan handles well. The steering is quick, and the chassis does not lean excessively in corners.

As a result, Kia’s minivan will be surprisingly fun on that curvy road up to your mountain cabin. This Kia van also has plenty of power. The 3.3-liter V6 has plenty of kick off the line, and with its 276 horsepower, there’s plenty of passing power out on the highway. Steep grades don’t present a problem, even when the Sedona is full of people. The Sedona SX, with standard high-performance shock absorbers, has even sportier driving manners.

Depending on the 2nd-row configuration of bench or captains chair seating, the 2021 Kia Sedona provides 3-row seating for either seven or eight passengers. While the Sedona has a roomy interior, it’s not quite as spacious as its rivals in passenger volume and cargo space behind the 3rd-row seat.

The Sedona’s seats are firm yet comfortable, and even the rearmost bench is okay for adults over short distances. The standard Slide-N-Stow 2nd-row seats quickly and easily slide forward and upright, while the 3rd-row stows under the floor helping to create maximum cargo-hauling space without having to remove the 2nd-row seats.

A handsome dashboard includes easy-to-operate controls, with proper hard buttons and knobs. While the Sedona EX has a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with standard AppleCarPlay and Android Auto, the SX benefits from an 8-inch screen with navigation. A wireless charging pad is standard on the EX and SX, as is leather seat upholstery.

The Sedona still looks fresh after its mild makeover in 2019, which included new front and rear styling and different 17- and 18-inch wheels. With its strong lines and bold grille, the Sedona doesn’t shout:” Minivan!” Rather, it looks a bit like a rugged crossover SUV, and the SX flagship is distinguished by active LED headlights.

On the EX and SX, a single-touch button activates the power-sliding side doors, making it even easier to get in and out. The side doors open wide, and a power hatch is optional on the EX while being standard on the SX.

LUGGAGE AREA POWER OUTLET
The Kia Sedona may not have an onboard vacuum, but it does have a pair of standard power outlets in the rear cargo area. This allows you to plug in a vacuum as needed, and maybe even power a portable refrigerator to keep your Hershey bars from melting while crossing the Mojave.

AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING
The Sedona’s automatic emergency braking system monitors the traffic ahead and can slow or stop the vehicle when it detects an imminent collision. It can also detect pedestrians in the vehicle’s path. Unfortunately, it’s offered only on the EX (optional) and SX (standard).

Available in three trim levels, the 2021 Sedona is suitable for varied budgets.

Standard equipment on the Sedona LX includes stain-resistant fabric, air conditioning, and a 7-inch touchscreen, along with dual power sliding doors, 17-inch alloy wheels, and 12 cupholders.

Our favored level, the Sedona EX, comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seat trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and tri-zone air conditioning. On the safety front, the EX has a blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert, plus optional adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.

At the SX level, the 2021 Kia Sedona is fitted with high-performance shocks, 18-inch wheels, active LED headlamps, LED foglights, an acoustic windshield, a sunroof, a smart power tailgate, a cooled glovebox, 8-way power front seats, an 8-inch navigation screen, and an 8-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. On top of that, the SX’s active safety suite is comprehensive. It includes front and rear parking sensors, a blind-spot warning system, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view 360-degree monitor.

The 2021 Kia Sedona LX has very few options besides a trailer hitch.

On the other hand, the midlevel EX has a gaggle of options. Notable among them: high-performance shocks, fog lights, heated power-folding outside mirrors, a smart power tailgate, a sunroof, a cooled glovebox, a 115-volt inverter behind the center console, a rear-seat entertainment system, and a 3rd-row USB port. Also significant: The EX can be ordered with several active safety features like automatic emergency braking, a lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.

The Kia Sedona SX flagship is so well equipped that it’s available with only one option: a trailer hitch.

The engine powering the Kia Sedona minivan is unchanged for 2021. It’s a proven 3.3-liter V6 that produces 276 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque. That torque helps the 2021 Sedona never feel overstressed, even when eight people are aboard. The standard transmission is a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic.

The V6 engines in the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica, it should be noted, are more powerful than the Sedona’s V6. They also are more fuel-efficient, each returning 28 mpg on the highway, which is substantially better than the Sedona’s EPA highway rating of 24 mpg.

Planning to tow? The Kia Sedona minivan is tow-rated up to 3,500 pounds.

3.3-liter V6
276 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
248 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg