Hidden Rear-Seat Entertainment Screen - 2015 Kia Sedona SX-L Long-Term Road Test

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Hidden Rear-Seat Entertainment Screen - 2015 Kia Sedona SX-L Long-Term Road Test

The window sticker on our 2015 Kia Sedona says the minivan has a rear-seat entertainment system, but I had a heckuva time trying to find it. A quick Google search proved more helpful than the owner's manual.

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chol92594

Any comment on the cost of the entertainment system? In all honesty, I don't think I'd bother with getting a rear seat entertainment system if I was in the market for a minivan or larger SUV. It would probably be cheaper to buy a few tablets along with seat-back tablet holders and wireless headphones. Plus, an iPad or comparable Android tablet could be used outside of the car and can just do more than a simple car entertainment system. In the past, these systems made sense, but now that there are so many tablets on the market, I think rear-seat entertainment systems aren't as good of an investment as they once were.

ebeaudoin

True point- tablets are replacing built-in DVD. I think manufacturers should start looking into offering OEM accessories designed to hold tablets. Maybe something on the back of the headrest? Certainly more charge points are needed. These days GM boasts about 5 USB ports more than anything in the Silverado. Let's see that in minivans and CUVs. It can't cost THAT much to run some more charge points; perhaps they need to beef up the vehicle's electrical system.

notfast

Looks like it would get kicked a lot by kiddos...

kirkhilles1

You know, we almost didn't get the Rear Entertainment System as an option for our '13 Pilot as the thinking was "Who the heck still cares about DVDs?" but since it was a $1,000 option that included the DVD player, 2 pairs wireless headphones, additional screen + AC ports around, I figured "why not". Well, our kids (9 and 4) use it A LOT. Why? Because first off, 2 hours of watching YouTube watching burns a lot of your Data and Second, because its something different. Could we have just ripped movies or downloaded via Vudu? Maybe, but it gets lots of use and they have a TON of DVDs and so that gives them lots of variety. I'd certainly choose that option over a crappy non-Google navigation system.

sda

I cannot remember the last time the rear entertainment center has been used in our Pilot. My 13 year old always stays on her ipod or phone, with her ear buds in. I do enjoy the upgraded sound system that came as part of the dvd setup and having an electrical outlet is nice as well. If I were to buy a new Pilot, not sure I'd spend the extra money.

daryleason

I think the in-vehicle DVD systems are a God-Send. When traveling, there are still places where a Cellular Link for Data doesn't exist. Plus, you can (on most) figure out a way to feed in a game console.
It's been years since I've been in a Kia vehicle, but there accessories & options have always had a "Wal-Mart Quality" vibe. It makes sense though. Kia is a value-leader when it comes to price-point. They chintz out on the materials & placement, to offer the feature cheaper than what their competitor will offer it at. The competitor will normally offer something more refined and model-specific, but Kia will do it for a lower price point. Odds are, that DVD system is made for different models in different markets that may or may not have similar interiors. The positioning I agree is poor. It'll be prone to kicks, scratches, spills, etc. Plus, I bet the people sitting left and right of it will complain about the off-angle viewing.

03hondaaccord

Is it just me or does this look like it's just begging to be snapped off by a knee or foot? What a low-tech feature on an other wise impressive car from Kia I think. Id imagine Kia would go either with the as mentioned Ultra Wide screen or Dual Screen setup. Even more impressive would be if Kia did what the Germans do with seat mounted displays.

ryguy75

We're thinking of purchasing a Sedona this weekend and will probably add on the option of the rear DVD player through KIA. So if it is considered an "accessory" (as in you can add it to any Sedona van - even if there isn't one already in it) can it still play through the van speakers or can it only be used with the head phones? I imagine that you cannot control it with the radio controls up front. Is that correct? If so, then can it still be played through the speakers??