MelodyoftheForest
Active member
We had a 2017 Kia Sedona with 50k miles on it as a rental to drive home over two days from MI to CT. I thought I would share my impressions in case it is helpful to someone. For reference, our usual car is a 2010 Subaru Legacy.
The good:
-Impressive gas mileage. We got close to 30mpg with all highway driving, mostly in Eco mode.
-Nice technology. DH loved the Android Auto that put navigation on the van's screen. Keyless, just have the fob in your pocket. USB plugs.
-Flexible seating. We had an odd load, and the 2nd row seats all move forward and back quite a bit to accommodate a variety of needs.
-Five ways to open or close each rear sliding door.
-Family-friendly features like shades on all 4 rear windows. Lower anchors easily accessible.
The bad:
-Very loud! There was tons of road noise from the back end. I had to raise my voice just to talk between the two front seats or the front seats and a captain's chair. It was a huge turn-off.
-Stiff suspension. I was constantly jarred painfully, both in the passenger seat and a 2nd row captain's chair. It was like riding in my mother's Accord Sport, and made our Legacy seem like a Buick in comparison.
-2nd row captain's chairs are not great for thin adult passengers. There is a firmer area at the bight that my tailbone rested on if I sat up straight. Not a great combination with the stiff suspension.
Other notes: our Graco 4Ever installed much more easily (LATCH) with the captain's chair's back fully upright rather than slightly reclined. There was no manual in the vehicle, so I don't know what is allowed either.
The good:
-Impressive gas mileage. We got close to 30mpg with all highway driving, mostly in Eco mode.
-Nice technology. DH loved the Android Auto that put navigation on the van's screen. Keyless, just have the fob in your pocket. USB plugs.
-Flexible seating. We had an odd load, and the 2nd row seats all move forward and back quite a bit to accommodate a variety of needs.
-Five ways to open or close each rear sliding door.
-Family-friendly features like shades on all 4 rear windows. Lower anchors easily accessible.
The bad:
-Very loud! There was tons of road noise from the back end. I had to raise my voice just to talk between the two front seats or the front seats and a captain's chair. It was a huge turn-off.
-Stiff suspension. I was constantly jarred painfully, both in the passenger seat and a 2nd row captain's chair. It was like riding in my mother's Accord Sport, and made our Legacy seem like a Buick in comparison.
-2nd row captain's chairs are not great for thin adult passengers. There is a firmer area at the bight that my tailbone rested on if I sat up straight. Not a great combination with the stiff suspension.
Other notes: our Graco 4Ever installed much more easily (LATCH) with the captain's chair's back fully upright rather than slightly reclined. There was no manual in the vehicle, so I don't know what is allowed either.