Last week I had an opportunity to review a 2015 Kia Sedona as part of the blogger outreach program through DriveShop USA!
Our family owned two “mini-vans” when I was a kid. Our first was a maroon beast with no a/c vents in the back, so we had attached one of those portable fans in between the driver and passenger seat so that the people (us children) sitting in the back would get some type of circulation to prevent us from roasting in the Florida heat. When my parents started talking about trading in the van for something else, I remember being completely ecstatic!
Maybe we’d get a sports car!
A fancy truck with big tires!
Or something luxurious, complete with a/c vents in the back!
I remember anxiously waiting for my parents to come and pick me up from my grandparent’s house in our new ride. As I stared out the large bay window in their family room, I saw a maroon beast pull into the driveway; with my dad at the wheel. Had they changed their mind? Were we stuck with the maroon beast forever? Much to my surprise, my parents had traded in the old maroon beast for a newer maroon beast. Same model, same color, same no a/c vents in the back. Same same same. Womp, womp.
The only, and I mean ONLY redeeming quality of having this updated version was the fact that people sitting in the back seats had a radio controller. My brother, cousins and I had a grand ol’ time constantly changing the channels and frustrating my dad to no end. Ah, the good ol’ days!
The Kia Sedona is nothing like the mini-vans of my childhood. In fact, Cars.com called it an “ultimate mini-van.” And it absolutely lived up to that title. The Sedona SXL that was delivered to my door-step last Friday afternoon was a fully-loaded beauty. It took the deliverer almost a half hour to walk me through all of the amazing safety features, options for optimum riding comfort, and so accessories that make the Kia Sedona truly a special ride.
Courtesy of Liz from NoOrdinaryLiz.com.
I really loved the safety features that this model offered. My favorite feature was the surround view monitor system which offers an all-around view in several viewing modes displayed on the navigation screen. It displays real-time images from four cameras and even a bird’s eye view to help with parking, and backing up.
I also loved the back-up warning system, the rear cross traffic alerts and blind spot detectors. The Kia Sedona SXL is loaded with amazing safety features (many that come standard) that made me feel like no matter what the roads or other drivers brought my way, I would be in safe hands, er, wheels. 😉
Now let’s talk about comfort. The Kida Sedona is one of the most comfortable vehicles I have ever driven. It is the perfect vehicle for everything from daily work commutes and shopping trips to long road trips, camping excursions and adventures around town. There is room for everyONE and everyTHING!
I loved the extra cargo room in the “trunk” area and especially loved how comfortable the middle row reclining captain’s chairs were. Foot rests? Check! Cup holders? Check! USB connectors and plugs for your laptops or tablets? Check! Backseat a/c controls? Check! Sunroof and moonroof to snooze under? Check! and Check! (there are 2- one in the driver’s area and one in the back passenger’s area!). What’s even better? The window’s near the captain’s chairs roll down! Man would I have LOVED to have that feature when I was a kid!
Some other features that bring the comfort level of this Kia Sedona SXL into the luxury zone are things like:
- Adjustable leather seats
- Sirus/XM radio
- Bluetooth capabilities
- Infinity surround sound audio
- Voice command navigation
- Smart cruise control
- Heated AND cooled seats
- Tons of head and leg room all around
- Automatic sliding doors and rear hatch
I decided to load up a few of my best girlfriends over the weekend and take the Kia Sedona on a tour of the city of Tampa’s best sights! They LOVED trying out the Kia, and the Sedona loved getting a glimpse of all of Tampa’s most gorgeous locations! 😉
My week with the Kia Sedona will definitely go down in the books as a memorable one. If you’re thinking about investing in a mini-van, the keep the Sedona on your list. It truly is in a class of it’s own!
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Have you driven a Kia?
Steph
I agree this isn’t the minivans of old that we remembered as children. It looks like you had a great time with your friends hitting the streets of Tampa Bay.