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Comments
> the way back to be comfortable - but for my wife, who is
> approx the same height as I, but with longer legs -
> finds the driver side too crowded for leg room and not
> at all comfortable.
> Has anyone else had issues with this besides myself and
> uga91 (post # 506)?
> Does the 2007 Hyundai Entourage (basically the same van)
> address this problem?
Yes. I have the same problem. Not enough leg room, and the left footrest on the driver's side is in the way. I cannot fit my big foot between the footrest and brake pedal to stretch!
Kia, fix this!!!!!
Irrespective of demographics that show that there is enough leg room for most drivers most of the time, no one wants to spend over $20K on a vehicle for their wife that they cannot really drive comfortably when they want or need to. I am 100% ready to buy, and after looking at all the mininvans, the only deciding factor for me is room for the driver. Grand Caravan barely works for legroom, but it does not work for headroom. Ughh.
Just BTW, Honda Element has the most seating room I have seen (except for some monsters like the Nissan Armada SUV), and it is quite versatile, so I bought one of those in 2005 while waiting for the Sedona. It works well for a second 4-person family car with a big husband. Only problem, gas mileage is bad. We are getting 20 mpg in town.
The Element has kept us going, but we are still itching for a full size minivan, as the Element is cramped for space on trips, and you can't seat more than four.
I was just getting ready to bite the bullet and buy a Kia for my wife when I noticed that the Entourage is out. (I thought I read in 2005 that Hyundai canned the Entourage in USA.) I'm hoping it is at least a little better than the Kia. The review below says that the Entourage legroom is not so good, but you never know. A review is sometimes nothing like a test drive, so off I go ASAP.
http://www.carpages.ca/go/roadtest/2007_hyundai_entourage_road_test.aspx
While headroom throughout the Entourage is more than ample, legroom in the executive chair isn't. After several hours behind the wheel I was wishing I could move the driver's seat further rearward, allowing a little more stretch, but alas the seat had already given all it had. In keeping with the leg-related lament, the foot-operated parking brake location conflicted with my left ankle.
> rest) a huge annoyance, cutting left leg room by several
> inches. anyone know if that thing is removable for
> taller drivers?
Yes, yes, has any tried to remove the driver's left
footrest thing? If so:
* How hard is it?
* Is it possible to put it back?
* What does it expose?
* Is it sharp and uncomfortable to rest your foot once
removed, or is it relatively flat?
* How much extra room is there between the brake pedal and
the exposed area?
* Can you then strecth your leg under the console?
This would be very helpful information for many people I think. So, anyone, please.
1) You don't know exactly the points they are measuring between.
2) You don't know if they are fibbing a bit.
3) You don't know how much extra room you may get from the give in the seat cushions.
4) You don't see other data like whether parking brake pedals or footrests or molding may be in the way of comfort, and how far you can streath your legs under the console.
5) Actual comfort depends on a particular person's actual proportions and other factors about them.
Capt RB
2006 Sedona
Well said. I'm 6'3 and have room. But it really depends on the person's build and how they like to drive. Still, I'd like two more inches....but I'm still quite comfortable in the Sedona. Removing the footrest? Hmmmm. I suppose that could help.
Capt RB
2006 Sedona
NY
Capt RB
2006 Sedona
Ask for Lou and tell them Bob Brody sent you and I make 200 bucks for the referal if you buy!
Good luck...you can contact me for more info if you like.
Capt Robert B
Queens, NY
2006 Sedona
Exterior:
Grand Caravan is better looking but it still looks like the 1996 that my parents have. I like the greenhouse better but the head and tail lights are not to my liking. And why does Dodge have to use black fascias on all the base models of their vehicles? Sedona looks they aped the look of the Sienna and threw in an Odyssey front end. Not as smooth as Caravan but tasteful and elegant and less common on the road. Also, sliding door tracks are not tucked away like on Caravan.
Interior:
No contest Sedona is much better and feature filled compared to the Caravan. Caravan dash looks ugly, MUCH worser than the 1996 model. Has black treatments and black solid lightweight(ie. cheap) buttons. Kind of feels like a rental car not a 2006 vehicle. Sedona dash looks and feels more upscale. Armrests on Caravan are stiff and uncomfortable. Seating comfort also goes to Sedona. I do not want the Stow&Go on the Caravan as the rear buckets on those models feel like they were designed for midgets. Third-row in Caravan feels thinly padded and storage compartments feel cheaper than 1996 model. 3rd row legroom seems a bit tight in both models but fine for my purposes. Stereo systems about equal quality. 3-zone AC standard on Sedona have to pay $2000 extra for package that includes p/w, p/l, and some other things on GC. I like the column shifter on the Caravan better but Sedona has Sportmatic feature.
Powertrain:
Sedona also takes this one. Caravan feels taxed when accelerating into interstate until transmission shifts. Sedona is smoother and much more powerful. And it is a DOHC unit vs the GC's pushrod V-6. Also has extra gear on transmission. Fuel economy is 19/26 on Caravan vs 18/25 for Sedona. I'll take the tradeoff of 1mpg for 64 more hp.
Safety:
No firsthand experience here thankfully. Sedona has everything standard. GC has curtain airbags optional but no VSC or TPMS. Can get TPMS by upgrading to SXT model but then I get stuck with Stow&Go. Another one for the Sedona.
Price:
Did not start negotiations yet at any dealer. GC stickers at 27,735. There is currently a 4000 rebate bringing the price down to 23,735. Sedona Sticker of 24,865 with the DVD package. Dealers here try to add 1,495 for an environmental protection package which is really a ripoff fee. After telling me it was required, salesperson decided to change his mind after I objected to it strongly. There is currently a 1500 rebate and I can get an additional 400 for the college grad rebate. Total MSRP before negotiations is $22,295. I figure that Dodge dealers will be willing to budge a bit more on the price of the GC. Hopefully there will be employee sales soon.
My Conclusion:
I can't believe I'm saying this but I would much rather have a Kia over the Caravan. I tried so much to like the Dodge as my family has owned 2 Caravans but it seems to be outclassed by newer competition. It's time for Dodge to redesign these to keep up.
Has anybody else compared these two vans. I would like to compare notes and thoughts with anybody else.
There is no comparison. Kia mostly targeted the Sienna and Honda minivans for the Sedona, not the terrible Chrysler vans which continue to trail in almost every area. I still think the AWD Sienna is probably the best van as it's AWD, BUT after that the Sedona is actually nicer than the other entries including the Honda. Forget the Caravan.
BTW, Kia chose to only make the 3rd row stowable so they'd have better 2nd row seats than the Caravan...which they do. Not only that but the 13 speaker infinity DVD stereo system in the Sedona EX is not only better than the Caravan's, it's perhaps one of the best on the market for stock systems.
Power wise the Sedona is the class leader and then there's the warranty.
The ONLY thing to worry about is how often the Sedona will require service...to many visits can be a hassle time-wise. Only time will tell.
Thus far our loaded Kia EX impresses everyone...it's even nicer than our Subaru Tribeca (also a nice ride) and feels every bit as upscale as the Lexus GS330. The 7.1 surround sound DVD system is amazing, the ride is quiet, handling surprisingly tight...and I we don't hear a single rattle!
This is my list of BEST MINIVANS..based on driving them, sitting in them and so on....
Toyota Sienna AWD
Kia Sedonna EX
Honda Odyssey (also great when loaded!)
After these come the US built models which are pretty awful. My father owned 2 Chrysler minivans and they showed awful quality issues. He finally got the message and bought a Subaru...can't wait for their minivan!
In short....don't get a Caravan.
Good luck,
Capt RB
2006 Sedona
- Dashboard layout
- Overall fit and finish
- Stow&Go seats uncomfortable
- Average safety ratings
- Lack of stability control
- "Old school" engine and 4 speed transmission
- Not as powerful as competitors
- Questionable reliability
- Questionable resale
- Warranty not as long as competitors (Honda, Toyota, Kia)
That said, here are some advantages:
- Price. In my area you can get a completely loaded GC SXT with leather, heated seats, power doors and liftgate, sunroof, DVD player, etc for $24K
- The Kia's second row seats do not slide sideways
- Larger dealer network for service/warranty issues
Like the DCX vans, the Kia also has questionable reliability and resale (verdict is obviously still out on the 06, but the previous generation Sedona had poor reliability according to CR). Obviously the new generation of Kia vans is superior to the previous generation but Kia needs to continue to build on their reliability.
Overall, I would probably go with the Kia. The safety features and just overall engineering and fit and finish are huge factors.
1. The passenger side, middle-row captain chair has a big protruding dimple, right in the middle of the cloth seat. It's only on that seat and I have seen it on three Sedona '06 vans of various trim levels, at different dealerships. Has anyone seen this as well? There is not damage to the cloth, it just stick up for some reason! It's pretty hard to miss.
2. I also noticed wind noise on the passenger side front door at highway speeds. I opened and closed the door and window just to make sure but it was still there.
3. The A/C did not seem to cool as well as some other vans I had test driven. It was a pretty hot day but I just wanted to check if anyone was not happy with their A/C.
Besides those questions, I am sold on the van. Would like to get the EX with power options package in a couple of weeks.
I have a loaded EX with leather and the four two front and middle seats all appear about the same, except that the 2nd row does not have the same drop and lock armrest feature for the armrests.
I have not noticed more wind noise on the starboard side of the van and can't see how that could occur. Noise is very well handled in the Sedona...perhaps class leading.
The A/C works very well, but remember that the volume of this van takes time to cool down. By turning on the rear vents and winging out the 3rd row windows things cool down pretty quickly. I have yet to see what happens on a 100 degree day with four people aboard.
Capt RB
2006 Sedona
NY
I would like to know exactly which seating positions in the 2006 Sedona have LATCH (lower anchors). Also, if any positions have a top tether anchor but not the lower anchors, I would like to know those as well.
Thank you!
Steve Rubio
Sales Consultant
Briggs Kia
Topeka, KS
My '02 Sedona has a gas cap holder. The difference in that area was that on the '03 they put in the cable release locking gas door access.
Cna you tell me the location of the filter on the sedona 2006?
Thnaks in advance.
Steve Rubio
Sales Consultant
Briggs Kia
Topeka, KS
http://www.kia.co.uk/sedonahome.asp
UK version is now being advertised, where is the NA version??
Thanks
Capt RB
NY
How is the 2002 holding up? Are you looking at the 2006's or waiting awhile longer. We just passed 61k on our 2003, but the wife is looking longingly.
Probably will wait until 2007 and my post-military future is known.
What options are availabe for this model at what price?
Patricia
I have them for all of my vehicles and they have more than paid for themselves.
Prisca,
$21,499 is EXCELLENT for an EX!
Thanks all.
Had one incident with the airbag warning light and someone sitting in the passenger seat. Stopped the vehicle, turned off the ignition waited 5 seconds and restarted, no problems since.
Great vehicle to date and worth every cent I spent on the EX cloth version.
Only problems are noisy brakes when cold (have heard new, redesigned, pads are coming) and a drip of oil each night. Will have dealer handle these with first service. Have experimented with premium and mid-grade but find mileage with regular seems as good.
This van is a big step-up from the Grand Caravans we have owned previously. George in Wisconsin
from the Kia site, sign up and you have access not only to repair guide but recalls, dealer publications etc.
I also have always bought factory manuals but with an old notebook computer and a wireless link which just makes it into my garage this may be adequate! George in Wisconsin.
Forgot to mention the brakes, I have the same problem cold, think I should mention this to the dealer on my first checkup? Have noise backing out of the driveway and the first two stops, after that no problem.
I've visited the GDS site and think the information is helpful. Have removed my engine cover and viewed the internal oil filter on top of the engine,could be interesting especially if you forget to install the small "O" ring. Wastntime in Dayton OH.
Does the owner's manual have any restrictions on using the lower LATCH anchors in the third row? For example, some vehicles only permit you to use one or two of the three LATCH positions at a time.
Thanks again!
Anyone else notice this? The temp is a minor problem but the speedo affects the mpg which doesn't seem to great after 1600 miles also means 100,000 mile warranty will end 5% sooner. Aside from those two small problems everything is really great.
It seems to be already available in the UK - they show a spec for overall length of 4.81 meters = 189.5". Anyone have info on the USA version?
The "Lows" - not many..the interior colors of the Kia's leave alot to be desired, there are only 2 choices and they are both LIGHT colors! What were they thinking? I can definitely see the custom fit rubber mats in my future.
Overall very happy right now, time will tell. BTW everyone check their factory tire pressure before get going, mine was 10 lbs over in every tire.
...except for frugal Kia LX with the hard as a board seats...
Does the Sedona LX really have different seat construction than the EX and the entry level Entourage (GLS?)? Someone seems to think the LX's seats are a lot more uncomfortable than the other models'. Have any of you noticed this?
As I stated in my post, I think that the seats are pretty supportive and comfortable in the base model Sedona. There are alot adjustments (albeit manual) on the driver's seat too.
* the foam was much more rigid than the GLS that I tried first
* the fabric perhaps more importantly seemed cheap (even the GLS has premium thicker fabric). Mind you I have been burned before by cheap fabric and kids, so I pay attention to it perhaps more than others.
* The EX model fixed all those problems with power seat or it was able to be adjusted to where it was comfortable.
Sorry it is just my perspective that I would regret getting a LX than purchasing the EX model.
What is a fair price for '06 EX Entourage with power package and ~$750 aftermarket DVD player? Is $25,300 fair?
I thought EX and Entourage don't go together...
This is a great price, which dealer was this?
Thanks
Neil
neilmatthewlott@hotmail.com