If you are a driver in the UK who pays any attention at all to what’s going on in the market then you can’t have missed the increasing presence of Kia.
The company is becoming more familiar to UK drivers now that it has started making cars in Eastern Europe and not just Korea. But even more interesting is the seven year warranty it is now offering on the c’eed range, a deal that’s far more sensible and appealing than the car’s name.
If you are in the taxi or private hire business you are sure to have heard of Kia before that, though. The company’s Sedona people carrier rose to become the second best seller in the UK thanks to its masses of space and cheap price.
The original Sedona was so good that for three years on the trot it has been judged the best used MPV buy in the Auto Express and Glass’s Guide car honours and you can hardly say fairer than that.
There’s one thing worth remembering, though. When the car first came here in October, 1999, its makers forgot about such good ideas as removable rear seats. So while the rear bench folded, all the seats stayed in the car, negating the usefulness of the huge body as an occasional load carrier.
Of course, to the taxi trade that didn’t matter because it was people being carried that counted and the Sedona could do that very comfortably. But if you pick up an early Sedona be aware of this before you part with your money or you could be disappointed.
Its popularity with the taxi trade made this Kia’s top selling car in the UK, and there are a fair few to choose from. Engines are a 2.5 litre V6 petrol and a 2.9 litre turbodiesel, and it’s this latter unit that will really have more appeal. True the V6 is very smooth and powerful but on the other hand the car doesn’t really have the dynamic abilities to go with it in terms of handling prowess, so you won’t be able to use all that V6 grunt for enthusiastic driving along back routes. On the motorway, though, it does pretty well and is quite pleasing to drive.
The turbodiesel, a really gutsy motor, is the one to go for. While it doesn’t have big performance it does have big economy, especially when you consider that it’s carrying up to seven people. Power output has gradually increased over the years from the original rather meagre 125 bhp up to 185 bhp today, via 142 bhp in between on the last of the first generation cars.
In 2006, the Sedona moved into its second generation and these cars are more compact externally but with more interior space so it’s a win-win situation for owners. Higher end models also get electric sliding rear doors and while they can be a bonus they can also be troublesome so stick to the more basic GS with the diesel engine.
As well as its lack of removable seats until Kia put it right, you will find some of the first generation cars’ finish maybe not to your taste. Things like acres of tacky plastic wood adorn the fascia on some models and it looks hideous.
Service intervals are 6,000 miles for the diesel and 9,000 miles for the V6 on original cars but are now 10,000 miles all round. Most competent mechanics will cope with these cars once the maker’s warranty has expired. Until then, though, you’ll probably want to find a Kia outlet. Insurance starts at Group 10.
Sedona 2.5 petrol cars with SX trim on a 99V are now around £3,800 while a same age and specification diesel is £4,000 and more than worth the extra. Both are great value family runabouts. Later cars with more practical seats are a good buy at £8,000 for an LX diesel on an 03 plate. The latest shape, which has the preferable 2-3-2 seating layout rather than the less useful 2-2-3 of early cars, comes at £13,000 for a GS diesel on an 06 while an 07 would be about £14,500.
Maurice Hardy
KIA NAME GROWING MORE FAMILIAR
