Kia Cee'd SW

Kia Cee'd SW has three engines that are used: a 120bhp 1.6-litre petrol and 89bhp and 113bhp 1.6-litre diesels. Kia Cee'd SW petrol engine lacks guts, so the higher-powered diesel is our pick of the bunch, offering good flexibility, though not jaw-dropping power.

A five-speed manual gearbox is available across the range, while a four-speed automatic is available with the petrol engine. Buyers have the option of an automatic gearbox with the higher-powered diesel, too.
Kia Cee'd SW light steering makes the Cee'd SW feel nimble around town, but it can be a bit unnerving in high-speed bends curvie roads.
Kia Cee'd SW ride is assured and comfortable on smooth roads, but the suspension is too stiff to deal with even the smallest bumps without jarring, highlighting that Kia still has some way to go to match the class leaders.
Kia Cee'd SW engines produce enough noise to intrude into the cabin, even when pushed hard. Wind noise is minimal and the gearshift smooth. Bumps do provoke minor road noise, but only the fussiest of drivers will be bothered by it.

Kia Picanto Hatchback

Kia Picanto Hatchback has two petrol engines are available – a 60bhp 1.0-litre and a 64bhp 1.1. Both engines have five-speed manual ’boxes, while a four-speed auto is optional for the 1.1. The larger engine has enough oomph for city driving, but needs to be worked hard to get up to motorway speeds.
Kia Picanto Hatchback is dynamically competent, but nothing more. Kia Picanto Hatchback tackles corners without fuss, but there’s a fair amount of body lean and the steering is short of feel. The ride is not very as good as the class leaders. At low speeds, coarse surfaces are transmitted into the cabin, while sharp bumps at higher speeds create pronounced vertical movement.
the Kia Picanto Hatchback engines make themselves heard under full throttle but settle to a reasonable background hum at motorway pace. Road noise increases at speed and over rough surfaces, and wind noise intrudes slightly at high speed. Neither is deafening, so it’s on a par with many rivals.

Kia Carens MPV

Kia Carens MPV has only two 2.0-litre engines, 142bhp petrol and a 138bhp turbodiesel.
Its diesel is powerful enough, and its superior fuel economy makes it perfome better, but a rather narrow powerband does hamper flexibility. Both Kia Carens MPV engines come with a manual gearbox which is five-speed in the petrol and six in the diesel and either can be specified with a four-speed automatic car.
Kia Carens MPV is not had to drive, the Carens is neither as supple over scarred urban surfaces nor as composed through corners as the best compact MPVs. The ride improves with speed but it can still crash over bigger bumps. Kia Carens MPV steering is short on feel and there’s a fair amount of body sway.
Kia Carens MPV diesel engine is quiet at a steady motorway cruise, but sounds rather coarse under acceleration or around town. Kia Carens MPV petrol is a little more refined when worked, but it’s still not the quietest. Some wind and road noise in Australia intrude at speed. Kia Carens MPV has light gearshift is short on accuracy.

Kia Cee'd Hatchback Sydney Australia

Kia Cee'd Hatchback has Five engines. Of the two petrol engines, most people prefer the 104bhp 1.4-litre petrol, which is so eager and flexible that is more expensive paying more for the 120bhp 1.6, which is surprisingly flat at low revs.

Kia Cee'd Hatchback 1.6-litre diesel is available in 89- or 113bhp versions. Most Australias prefer the higher-powered model; Kia Cee'd Hatchback it’s punchy, flexible and is keen to rev. There's also a 138bhp 2.0-litre diesel, but it's not worth the extra over the 1.6.
Ride & handling The Cee'd can't match a Ford Focus for fun or a VW Golf for comfort, but it's a decent drive.

It is Light, responsive steering makes it nimble around town and it feels assured when pushed on Australian country roads. The ride is generally comfy, but Kia Cee'd Hatchback suspension thuds over sharper bumps.
Refinement While the entry-level 1.4 revs sweetly, the 1.6 petrol engine is boomy at speed. Kia Cee'd Hatchback 1.6-litre diesel engine is easy on the ear, whether you're working it hard or not. Wind and road noise aren't intrusive, but there are quieter motorway cruisers in this class. Kia Cee'd Hatchback suspension thuds noisily over larger bumps, too, while the gearchange is notchy.

Kia Sedona MPV

Kia Sedona MPV has a 186bhp 2.7-litre V6 petrol, and is so popular model Kia Sedona MPV the 2.9-litre turbodiesel engine.
Kia Sedona MPV cylinder unit has 182bhp, is more expensive than many other car models at price, Kia Sedona MPV not as strong as one will think. Kia Sedona MPV has smoothly, pace is no more than adequate, and the optional five-speed auto-box is very slow to respond to throttle inputs.
Kia Sedona MPV model geared more towards comfort than agility, for a big MPV. However, while the ride is generally comfortable, it thumps over bigger bumps. The combination of slack body control, numb steering and modest grip means the Sedona isn't as rewarding to drive as rivals such as the Ford S-Max.
Kia Sedona MPV, upright shape of the Sedona gives it good interior space, but it doesn't cut through the air particularly cleanly, and there's some irritating wind noise at speed. Suspension noise is also noticeable over poor surfaces, although it's not too intrusive. Road noise isn't as much of a problem and the diesel engine remains inoffensive, even when revved hard.

2006 Kia Sedona EX

Photographer Brian Vance, who took the Kia to Kingman, Arizona, for our "The Science of Speed" story, discovered "an irritating whistle from the driver-side A-pillar that seems to occur when traveling above 70 mph with a crosswind," adding that when you "drop below 70, the whistle goes away; nudge back up again, and there it is in all its ear-piercing painfulness." Other displeasures include a squeaky, friction noise coming from where the steering wheel meets the steering column and a loose door-hinge arm binding whenever the door is fully opened.
After racking up 30,000 miles, we drove the Sedona to Glendale Kia for its final service stop. The big 30K job included an air-filter replacement, an oil change, a tire rotation, and a full inspection, the last of which uncovered a torn left CV boot (replaced under warranty). The dealer then charged us a staggering $504.71 for the tuneup.
We also had the technicians inspect the brakes, which seemed to be causing an obnoxious vibration when on the binders, and were informed that the front brake pads were worn out and the front brake rotors slightly warped. For another $191.99, the dealer installed new pads and resurfaced the rotors.

2006 Kia Sedona Reviews

Our 2006 Kia Sedona arrived at MT's door having big, H-logoed shoes to fill. With the recently departed and well-regarded 2005 Honda Odyssey still fresh in the minds of our staffers, new-guy Sedona suffered early on from numerous comparisons: "It walks like an Odyssey, it talks like an Odyssey, but it doesn't exactly taste like an Odyssey." "Offers all the function to those who don't want any driving fun. And the 'fun' I'm talking about is the type that can be had in an Odyssey." "The tranny isn't as refined, the engine isn't as smooth, powerful, or quiet. The Sedona has more body creak than the Honda, and I've noticed the creaking is becoming more pronounced as the miles pour on."

So if the Honda was clearly more charismatic, how then did the Sedona manage to clock 32,135 total miles (over 6000 more than the Odyssey) and eventually win over the staff? Chalk it up to pure grit.
Like the Odyssey, the Sedona rarely spent a night in our garage. During the week, it was called to action as a photo-support vehicle, often filled to capacity with coolers, reflectors, and bags of camera gear and rigging. And each trip was a proverbial "hell and back" excursion: "The Sedona works perfectly as a photo vehicle," writes photographer Brian Vance. "It allows me to lie flat on the floor and shoot car-to-car out the side doors. Though the lack of an available nav system and a dash auxiliary audio input put a cramp on long trips to unknown places."
Our other shooter and frequent Sedona pilot, Julia LaPalme, singles out the performance as the key to overcoming soccer-mom syndrome: "The acceleration proved to be enough to give it a fighting chance in cutthroat Los Angeles traffic, making it a sleeper of sorts. Passing nimbler sedans or meaner-looking SUVs made driving a minivan easier on the ego."
On weekends, it was the family-hauling road-tripper of choice. Logbook comments laud the Sedona for its "right-size" flexibility and convenience. Nods of approval also went to its steady and reliable powertrain, which pulled eagerly whether the car was empty or loaded for five long days of Car of the Year testing.
With such heavy use, issues surfaced triggering further comparison: "Kia seems to use chintzier plastics and lower-grade leather in the interior than the Honda, and, as time goes on, those plastics and leather have become glossier and more worn than the Odyssey's interior over a similar period."

More frustrating was the finicky folding second-row seats. "It can certainly tote a whole mess of gear," says LaPalme. "But those middleseats are less than user-friendly during removal and installation. Each seat needs to slide to just the right point on its rails before it'll flip forward, at which point the cumbersome unit could be removed. Reinstallation is no easier."
Over time, the seats became such a problem it seemed no combination of foul oaths or brute strength could remove them, though it should be noted that, even with the second-row seats immobile and folded forward, the Sedona swallowed an impressive amount of goods, as this editor learned when moving to a new house.
And the Sedona did score some points of its own. Unlike with the Odyssey, we had no serious issue with our power sliding doors sticking open, though slight grades would overcome the door motors, sometimes causing them to reverse course quickly and a bit dangerously. Our heavy-lifting photographers usually switched the entire system to manual, commenting that the doors and rear gate were light and easy to open and close.
Overall, the Sedona's cost of upkeep was reasonable in view of the mileage accrued. Average fuel economy was 17.9 mph for the life of the car and frequently noted as impressive on long road trips, considering the demanding speed, terrain, and quantity of passengers and gear. Our Odyssey recorded 18.3 mpg during its 25,905-mile tenure. Regular maintenance costs offset each other, ranging from downright cheap at $19.50 for the 7500-mile oil-and-filter change to an eyebrow-raising $223.27 for the 15,000-mile job that included a battery and fluid check, tire rotation, brake adjustment, and wiper replacement. The $504.71 hit our wallet took at 30,000 miles furrowed our brow even further before we realized that few if any of our long-termers log so many miles.
By the end of its 15 months with us, the Sedona was one of the family-the Honda just an old friend we fondly remembered but spoke of less often. Sure, the Sedona didn't have all the bells and whistles of old what's-his-name, though we were able to accept that given its much lower initial cost and the many miles of reliable service it returned.