2003 Kia Sedona Consumer Reviews

We were gifted our 2002 Kia Sedona from relatives around nine years ago. It had very low mileage (in the 30,000 range) and was in excellent shape, inside and out. As a replacement for our smaller 2001 Mazda MPV van, its interior size seemed really nice. For $10, the van was, of course, more than a deal. As time went on, we were very glad the initial payment had only been ten dollars with all the numerous repairs it has required. We are confirmed “do-it-yourselfers”, so all but maybe one or two of the repairs we did by ourselves, saving a lot of money. Over the nearly nine years we have owned it, the following items have had to be fixed/replaced and/or need to be: 1. Replaced the alternator 3x. Both times, we were stranded. 2. Had the parking brake worked on. The parking brake engaged warning chime would sound on turns. 3. Replaced all coolant lines running under vehicle. They had rusted and leaked all the coolant in the system while driving. Note: the coolant lines are a recall on the 2002 Sedona. 4. Replaced 2 oxygen sensors and the very front catalytic converter. Bank 2, Sensor 2 oxygen sensor needs to be replaced. 5. Replaced the passenger's side CV axle, and need to replace the driver's side. 6. Replaced the charcoal/evaporative canister, all under vehicle rubber fuel hoses, purge valve, purge solenoid valve, and two valves on top of the fuel tank. The van would hesitate, misfire, and stall – once almost dying while crossing a 55 MPH highway – until we found the charcoal canister filled with fuel. 7. Replaced A/C electronic control board. The A/C switch, the recirculated air switch, and the temperature control knob stopped working. 8. Replaced driver's side sliding door outside handle 2x. The plastic handle is very cheap. 9. Replaced passenger's side sliding door hinge and its bushings. 10. Front (and maybe rear) valve cover is/are leaking oil heavily and need to be replaced. 11. A problem may exist in the steering gearbox. It is sometimes very difficult to steer. When it wasn't giving us troubles, this van has been a faithful means of transportation over the years. Between repairs, this van has started every time. The ride is unexpectedly comfortable, except the seats can become a little uncomfortable as they grow older and loose their cushioning. The rear only has fan blower controls, not the usual full climate controls, but that is better than nothing. The interior is, for the most part, well laid-out and looks pretty nice. It has almost power everything, but does not have the automatically adjusting day/night rearview mirror or defrosting outside mirrors. Beyond that, it might be considered pretty luxurious to the common-folk. We were rear-ended in this van last year. The accident was pretty low-speed, but the van still kept us pretty safe, and we only had minor whiplash injuries. Our local dealer, via insurance payment, did a very good job on the repairs. You would never know it was a salvage, and unless you had been paying very close attention, you might have never known it was wrecked even before the repairs were done. We virtually got a new bumper and freshly painted rear liftgate the damages were so minor. Some definite downsides to this van (beyond the many repairs) include very poor gas mileage, a somewhat underpowered engine, overall poor power steering, limited room to get in/out of the rear, and no cargo well in the very back of the van. Additionally, none of the seats fold into the floor of the van, requiring them to be taken out whenever you need more space. They are heavy, and for those with limited storage room, the seats are a real bother to deal with. Because of general forgetfulness and a very busy schedule, we have often forgotten to do the basic maintenance items on this van. We have gone well over 11,000 miles without changing the oil – and with the heavy oil leak around the valve covers – on more than one occasion, to the point where no oil would show on the dipstick. We have never replaced the transmission fluid. We have only replaced all six spark plugs once. Despite this negligence, we have over 141,000 miles on the odometer, and the van still seems to be running strong. Of course, anything could go wrong at any point, and it is only a matter of time before the van will be stuck in the driveway again, needing to be fixed. But it has overall worked well enough for our family.

I would trust this vehicle to take me to the moon and back. It’s falls short in performance and isn’t very good in the snow, but ride quality is nice

2018 and just now finally selling my 2003 Kia Sedona EX minivan! Have had NO major issues with it! It's been AMAZINGLY reliable! Barely any maintenance performed at all over the years! Sad to get rid of it but my teenagers don't like riding in it anymore because they just feel so uncool in a minivan. Has been a FANTASTIC vehicle!!!!!

The Sedona has been a reliable family car for us. Overall a great purchase @ 14,500 new in 2004. Some small issues early on but handled by the dealership. Currently 154000 miles and still going strong. Recently had a cam positioning sensor and an oxy sensor replaced and had the valve cover gasket replaced at 110000 but not a lot of maintenance besides the normal oil changes and tires, brakes, ect. Shopping for a new, used vehicle now and wouldnt be afraid to look at Kias again.

Ive owned this highly reliable van for nearly 15 years. To this day, its always gotten me where I need to go. While the ride is rather truck-like probably due to its rugged steel ladder frame, it tracks securely even in high cross winds. My van has been a solid performer with its strong V6 engine and reliable transmission. A couple of years ago, I had to have the rack and pinion steering replaced, but chalk that up to unavoidably hitting some deep potholes at the end of a particularly brutal MN winter. Otherwise, the Kia parts have been exceptional. I just bought a new Kia Sorento and hope it will be as much a pleasure to own.

THIS VECHILE IS WORTH 3200 NOT 1590

Low gas millage for minivan. Splitting rear seat makes stiff ride for 7th person. Low height makes getting out hard for passengers. Less storage room behind back seat than most vans. Maintenance is expensive and hard to do. (Scary when dealer remembers working on car after 3 years.) DVD is dealer not factory item. Nice ride with plenty of power.

I have driven mini-vans for 19 years. This is my first KIA (purchased new 2004) and has been the best van of all. Regular maintenance/repairs only. Comfortable.