2018 Kia Sedona

Is the Kia Sedona a Good Minivan?

Overall, the Sedona is a decent option in the minivan class. It has great safety scores, a smooth ride, and comfortable cabin. The Sedona offers plenty of options, including a full suite of advanced safety equipment and an intuitive infotainment system. However, it lacks things that you'd expect to find in a minivan, like good cargo space and family-friendly features.

Should I Buy the Kia Sedona?

The Sedona's upscale cabin, available second-row lounge seats, and low starting price make it a great fit for those who prioritize attractive styling and passenger comfort over all else. However, for those with small children looking for a minivan with family-friendly convenience items, there are better options. The Honda Odyssey costs a little more than the Sedona, but that price comes with additional cargo space and numerous available safety and entertainment features. The Chrysler Pacifica is a similarly priced rival that offers many features that appeal to families, including Stow 'n Go seats for easy cargo loading.

Compare the Sedona, Odyssey, and Pacifica »

Should I Buy a New or Used Kia Sedona?

The Sedona received a full redesigned for 2015, and it has seen few major changes since. For 2016, Kia made a rearview camera standard. For 2017, the Sedona gained optional emergency braking and an updated available infotainment system with connectivity features. The 2018 Sedona is practically unchanged from the 2017 model. We recommend shopping through previous model years to save some money and still get a similar vehicle.

To find out if a used model is right for you, visit our overviews of the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Sedona. Also, check out our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles.

Compare the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Kia Sedona »

We Did the Research for You: 26 Reviews Analyzed

We analyzed 26 Kia Sedona reviews to give you an idea of this minivan’s pros and cons. We’ve also included fuel economy estimates, safety scores, and more to help you decide if the 2018 Sedona is the right option for you.

This 2018 Kia Sedona overview uses applicable research and reviews from the 2015 through 2018 model years.

Why You Can Trust Us

U.S. News Best Cars has been ranking vehicles since 2007, and our editorial staff has more than 75 years of combined experience in the auto industry. To keep our reviews impartial, we don't accept expensive gifts or trips from car companies, and an external partner places and sells the ads on our site.

How Much Does the Kia Sedona Cost?

The base Sedona L starts at $27,000, which makes it one of the cheapest models in the minivan class. The fully loaded SX Limited trim is priced at $42,000, which is lower than the prices of most rivals' top trims.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Kia dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Kia deals page.

Kia Sedona Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Kia Sedona or Honda Odyssey?

If you're looking for a minivan that's suitable for a family on the go, the Honda Odyssey should be at the top of your list. In fact, we named the Odyssey our Best Minivan for Families. Although it costs more than the Sedona, you get a lot for your money. The Odyssey has considerably more cargo space than the Sedona and a roomier cabin. Beyond that, it has an extensive list of entertainment and safety technology. The Odyssey has smooth ride, but don’t let that fool you – it's also fun to drive (by minivan standards, anyway). Honda’s minivan also delivers better fuel economy than the Kia. Skip the Sedona, and get the Odyssey.

Which Is Better: Kia Sedona or Chrysler Pacifica?

The Chrysler Pacifica is a much better minivan, and its starting price is nearly identical to the Sedona's. The Pacifica comes standard with many advanced safety features that cost extra in the Sedona, like rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring. In addition, the Pacifica offers family-friendly amenities that you can't get in the Sedona, including a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system with video games and a built-in vacuum cleaner. Though the Sedona features Slide-N-Stow seats that come in handy for loading cargo, the Pacifica's Stow 'n Go seats make loading cargo even easier. Additionally, the Pacifica handles corners well, though it maintains a comfortable ride.

Compare the Sedona, Odyssey, and Pacifica »

Sedona Interior

How Many People Does the Sedona Seat?

The Sedona has seats for seven across three rows (eight when equipped with an available removable second-row center seat). The front seats provide decent long-haul comfort. The second row offers generous passenger space, especially in models with the optional reclining lounge seats. Tall adults will find the third-row seats a bit tight, especially when compared to the third rows of rivals like the Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey. Available comfort upgrades include leather upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, second-row lounge seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Sedona and Car Seats

The outboard second-row seats and the passenger-side third-row seat each have a full set of LATCH child-seat connectors, while the middle third-row seat has only an upper tether.

Sedona Interior Quality

Don't let the Sedona's low starting price fool you – the cabin doesn't look cheap. High-quality materials abound in all trim levels, especially the range-topping SX Limited. Even low trim levels have nicely textured surfaces. Build quality is excellent.

Sedona Cargo Space

Many rivals offer more cargo room than the Sedona, but it is easy to use all of the Sedona's space. With a maximum of 142 cubic feet of cargo room, the Sedona falls short of the Honda Odyssey, which has more than 150 cubic feet. However, the Sedona has standard Slide-N-Stow second-row seats that slide up and forward to easily give access to the full cargo area. In the Odyssey, you have to physically remove the heavy, cumbersome seats from the van to use all of the available cargo space. The Sedona is available with a hands-free power liftgate, a cooled glove box, and a removable cargo-area flashlight.

Sedona Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

The Sedona's UVO infotainment system comes with a 5-inch, 7-inch, or 8-inch touch screen. The system's on-screen buttons are large and easy to interact with, and the display itself is bright and easy to see. Models with the larger touch screens also have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. There are physical buttons and knobs for features that aren't controlled by UVO, and they are easily reach from the driver's seat. Other standard or optional tech features include Bluetooth, satellite radio, HD Radio, an Infinity audio system, and navigation. Even though many features are available in the Sedona, most rivals have more features geared toward families that you can't get in the Kia.

Read more about interior »

Sedona Performance

Sedona Engine: Strong V6 Power

A V6 engine helps the Sedona quickly get up to speed for merging or passing on the highway. It feels refined, with little in the way of harsh vibrations from the engine like some V6-powered minivans emit. An automatic transmission is paired with the V6. Though it usually uses the engine's power efficiently, it can struggle to downshift for more power when going uphill.

Sedona Gas Mileage: A Bit Low

Most rivals get slightly better gas mileage than the Sedona, which only gets up to 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

Sedona Ride and Handling: Cushioned Cruising

When it comes to a minivan, passenger comfort comes first. The Sedona does a great job of leveling out bumpy pavement to keep occupants happy, but the ride can get a bit unsettled on rough roads at high speeds. This minivan isn't quite as agile as the Honda Odyssey, but its light power steering system makes maneuvering in tight quarters a piece of cake.

Read more about performance »

Sedona Reliability

Is the Kia Sedona Reliable?

The 2018 Sedona has a predicted reliability rating of 3.5 out of five from J.D. Power. This is above average among all cars.

Kia Sedona Warranty

Kia covers the 2018 Sedona with a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Most rivals have significantly shorter warranty terms.

Read more about reliability »

Sedona Safety

Sedona Crash Test Results

Like most minivans, the Sedona gets excellent crash test results, with a perfect five-star overall rating in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests. The Sedona has a five-star rating in front and side crash tests, and a four-star rating in the rollover test. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also awards the Sedona with the highest rating of Good in five crash tests and a Top Safety Pick designation.

Sedona Safety Features

There are numerous advanced safety features available in the Sedona, but the base L model only has a rearview camera. Optional safety systems in higher trims include blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and rear cross traffic alert.

Read more about safety »

Which Kia Sedona Model Is Right for Me?

The base L trim is a great option for most buyers. It is well-equipped and has a very low base price for the class. However, there are no optional extras with this trim level, so if you want a more advanced infotainment system or high-tech driver assistance features, you'll need to move up to an LX model equipped with the available option packages.

All Sedona models come standard with a V6 engine, an automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive.

Kia Sedona L

The base L model is priced at $27,000 and comes standard with stain-resistant cloth upholstery, Slide-N-Stow second-row seats, a 5-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, a USB port, a four-speaker audio system, satellite radio, and a rearview camera. There are no option packages available for this trim.

Kia Sedona LX

Starting at $29,000, the LX trim adds an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a six-speaker audio system, and power-sliding rear doors.

The LX Essentials Premium package ($2,400) gets you leather upholstery, heated front seats, a 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a proximity key, push-button start, a cooled glove box, and front and rear parking sensors. The LX Advanced Technology package ($1,900) requires the previous package and adds adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning.

Kia Sedona EX

The EX trim costs $33,700 and has leather upholstery, heated front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, a 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, a proximity key, push-button start, a cooled glove box, a hands-free power liftgate, a cargo-area flashlight, and rear parking sensors.

The EX Advanced Premium Technology package ($2,800) comes with an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated second-row seats, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning.

Kia Sedona SX

The Sedona SX is priced at $37,000 and adds Drive Mode Select (which adjusts the vehicle's driving dynamics), an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, an eight-speaker Infinity audio system, HD Radio, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert.

The SX Advanced Touring package ($3,900) gets you automatic high beams, a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

Kia Sedona SX Limited

The top-of-the-line SX Limited trim costs $42,000 and adds automatic high beams, a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

The SX Limited Prestige package ($1,000) comes with a dual-pane sunroof, Nappa leather upholstery, and second-row lounge seats.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Kia dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Kia deals page.

See 2018 Kia Sedona specs and trims »

The Final Call

It's hard to fault the 2018 Sedona, which pairs an upscale, comfortable cabin with a potent engine and a smooth ride. But the minivan class is full of competitors that have innovative features for families, and the Sedona just doesn't keep up on that front. This minivan doesn't come standard with advanced safety features, nor is it available with family-friendly features like a built-in vacuum cleaner or back-seat video games. Still, the Sedona is a well-rounded model. With its low base price, it’s still a minivan worth considering.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

• "It's still one of the most affordable vehicles in the class, but its roomy interior, high-quality cabin materials and flexible seating arrangements deliver plenty of appeal beyond just value. The 2018 Kia Sedona does all the standard minivan stuff well." -- Edmunds
• "If you want a lot of space for the least amount of money, the 7-passenger 2017 Kia Sedona L, with a starting price just over $27,000, is a fantastic value. It offers a smooth ride, stylish design and standard features like a tilt/telescopic steering wheel, 12 cup holders and keyless entry." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "With the third-generation Sedona, Kia has focused too much on appearances and not enough on basic minivan tenets such as comfort, practicality, and family friendliness. Its luxury and style impress on the red carpet, but there's not enough substance underneath to bring Kia's MPV up from the B-list." -- Automobile Magazine (2015)