2017 Kia Sedona Review
Pros & Cons
- The distinctive cockpit looks more like a car's than a minivan's
- You get a lot of features for the money
- The second-row seats are quite versatile
- Cabin remains pleasantly quiet on the highway
- Fuel economy is unimpressive
- Slightly less cargo capacity than rivals
Other years
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2017 Kia Sedona appraisal values can range from $12,061 - $16,281.
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Which Sedona does Edmunds recommend?
The Sedona's midlevel EX trim adds a lot of convenience and luxury features, making it feel and function like a modern minivan. If the price premium makes you wince, we suggest going no lower than the supporting LX trim.
Edmunds' Expert Review
Driving
3.0Overall Driving comment: Even with its relaxed, easy-to-drive character, the Sedona manages to be among the quickest minivans we've tested, thanks to the smooth and powerful 3.3-liter V6. Though it's not athletic, it demonstrates good handling manners, making it a minivan we could happily live with every day.
Comfort
3.5The Sedona is plenty comfortable for a long road trip packed with people and cargo. SX models benefit from reclining second-row seats, and these captain's chairs represent some of the most comfortable in the class.
Interior
3.5The Sedona's top-trim SX Limited model offers one of the nicest interiors in the segment, with luxurious stitched leather on many surfaces. It's a well-organized and easy-to-use design typical of the brand with a fixed center console that is unique among minivans.
Utility
3.5The Sedona falls a bit short when it comes to cargo capacity and versatility, but the majority of owners will still find it plenty capable. If the second-row seats were removable, this score would likely improve.
Scorecard
| Overall | 3.5 / 5 |
| Driving | 3.0 |
| Comfort | 3.5 |
| Interior | 3.5 |
| Utility | 3.5 |
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2017 Kia Sedona.
Most helpful consumer reviews
Peter Beinetti,12/21/2016
SX Limited 4dr Minivan (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
Reviews complain about gas mileage, but I don't know why. My wife and I took an 8000 mile road trip and got 24.5 mpg -- loaded with people and luggage. The last two days we took a 400 mile road trip and we got 26.7 mpg. We were in the mountains on the 8000 mile trip and I used the manual shifting a lot. No manual shifting on the Pacifica, which we compared with the Sedona before we bought it. Sedona handles extremely well with a very good turning radius. Pacifica about 3 feet larger radius. We test drove both and the smaller Sedona radius was obvious. Dash layout on the Sedona is well thought out, and attractive. The nav system is the best I've ever used, by far. Vehicle is extremely quiet, and tracks perfectly on the interstate. It's quick -- I saw car magazine reports that rated it at 7.4 seconds 0-60. That's fast for a large vehicle. I keep saying vehicle because it looks and acts more like an SUV than a minivan. Nappa leather is great, airplane type second row seats are a true luxury. Dual sun roof really lets the light inside. I've driven the Pacifica, Odyssey and Sienna -- I think the Sedona is the best vehicle.
Update to my review one year later: I still think the Sedona SXL is a great vehicle. We have over 16,000 miles on it, and have had no problems. We are currently on a 12,000 mile road trip around the USA, with about 3,000 miles completed. Average MPG so far on the trip is 24.7. Handling on the interstate continues to be perfect, ride is excellent. No complaints whatsoever.
It is now January 2018 and we have 28,500 miles on the Sedona. Our 12,000 mile trip ended up to be 12,600 miles, and we averaged 24.5 mpg. I can't figure out why the Sedona is rated low on gas mileage, I think it's fabulous. So far we have had zero problems. I've never had a car before, with over 28,000 miles on it, that didn't have something go wrong. It still rides great, and handles well. I thought our 12,600 miles trip would be very tiring. It turned out to be just the opposite. The Sedona is comfortable, and easy to drive. Lots of power, no problems in CA keeping up, or passing, on the freeways. The last car I had, a 2015 SUV, had what I call 'high effort' steering. It made for very tiresome driving. On our Sedona we can choose between two different steering efforts. I'm 78 years old and it's a joy to drive the car.
Update July 2018. We are on another road trip, so far 4400 miles. Again, the Sedona has performed perfectly. MPG on this trip is 24.9 to-date. There is really nothing more to say, except that my wife and I love the car.
Update January 2019. Best car we've ever had! Still not one problem, and we have 43,500 miles on it. It's an easy car to drive, all the high tech works perfectly. There's not much more I can say. It was the best buying decision my wife and I ever made. Oh, I should say this. My wife DID NOT want a minivan -- now she loves it!
Joseph Friedman,07/17/2018
LX 4dr Minivan (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
I purchased my Kia Sedona in 2017. I still love the car.
It has been operating perfectly. The safety and advanced electronic features make for a great ride. I still look forward to getting into it and driving away.
I wanted a minivan that could hold all the professional gear that I need to carry with me on jobs. It has a bit less cargo space than the Dodge Grand Caravan that I had earlier. The only thing that I miss is the fold down seats in the 2nd row that the Grand Caravan had. The other manufacturers like Honda and Toyota also don't have fold down seats into the floor so I chose the Kia for its safety features. It has been a wonderful purchase.
I have now owned my Sedona for 4 years. My opinion of it has not changed. I still love driving it. And it has kept me safe. It was a great purchase.
H. Simmons,04/05/2018
SX 4dr Minivan (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
I never wanted to be a minivan mom, that being said life happend. Now I have 2 kids both under the age of 5 and an 80lbs dog and a husband with physical disabilities. Looking at our options it's was either a truck or van but having a significant other with very set requirements for a vehicle and a limited budget made our vehicle search tricky to say the least. Enter the Kia Sedona. We'd compared the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica each had great room, decent gas mileage the only problem was to get everything we wanted put us at about 45k. We discovered the Sedona in Lowe's parking lot and looking at it neither of us were that off put buy it's looks (you know what I mean the typical minivan look). We researched it heavily and for us the only thing we didn't really like was it has a 6 speed vs an 8 speed transmission like its competition. That being said we've still been able to get 26 to 27mpg average per tank of gas. Going from a 2013 Chevy Cruze to the Sedona was amazing. I can't say enough good things about the extra amount of space for hauling around my tiny terrors. Like traditional vans the automatic sliding doors make it easy putting my 3 year old and 5 month old in and out of the vehicle. Also because of the height of the vehicle my 3 year old can easily cilmb in and out without assistance. The front seats are comfortable and supportive with the added bonus of being heated and cooled. My husband loves the cooled seat feature. The second row captains chairs are comfortable and supportive and just the right size for 2 full size car seats. The third row is spacious enough for adults if they were to be relegated back there. Usually we just leave our third row down for extra hauling capacity. For long trips the extra space is wonderful for our dog who is finally able to escape the torments of our 3 year old plus plenty of room for suitcases and coolers with room to spare. Another favorite feature is the built-in sunshades in all rear windows. Looking back I wish we'd considered/ made the move to the Kia Sedona sooner.
UPDATE:
Still Loving my Kia Sedona. We have had no mechanical or technical issues with our vehicle since purchase. We're still easily getting 26 - 27 mpg on average. Our van came in very handy for a sudden move to a new home. All in all still happy with our Sedona.
Shersun,05/13/2018
EX 4dr Minivan (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
Retired now with young grandkids, the minivan seemed like a logical move, even after untold grief from our adult children, regarding the stigma associated in driving them. Being neither a soccer mom nor what we consider ‘old’ we were on the fence for awhile, but so happy we made the move! We’ve had an SUV since they first debuted, and we were always pleased with the versatility and style of them, from a small CRV to our last, a Lincoln MKX. The decision to try a minivan was based on our decreasing mobility and the height of the vehicle, the comfort of the seats on long trips and the versatility of the cargo space. We love the fact that each passenger has their own AC vent, usb plugs are abundant for the kids and there is plenty of leg room for my husband at 6’2” and for all the sports equipment and lawn chairs we haul most of the year! Safety was by far our most important consideration both for us and our precious cargo- KIA Sedona has an impressive 5 star rating and we feel as safe as is possible. The ride is quiet, it takes bumpy roads much better than my Lincoln did and we are averaging 22 mpg around town, and 24-25 on highway. I will say the one drawback seems to be sluggish acceleration when we are in ECO Mode, so we seldom use that setting on the highway. We have less than 1k miles on the Sedona so far, but we are very pleased with our purchase.
Safety
Our experts like the Sedona models:
- UVO3 eServices
- This system automatically notifies emergency services with your location in the event of a crash in which the airbags deploy.
- Blind-Spot Detection System
- This system lets you know if there's a car in your blind spot as well as if there's a car approaching when you're backing up.
- Autonomous Emergency Braking
- We can't catch everything all the time. If you get distracted, this system will hit the brakes if you don't see that traffic has slowed.