The minivan market appeals to families and that means kids. Kia was again one of 34 vehicles to earn a 2008 "Top Safety Pick" from the esteemed Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its performance in frontal, side and rear impact crash tests and was the first minivan to receive this honor two years ago. The Sedona also has earned five stars – the best rating possible – in all four seating positions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in its crash tests. Hyundai owns Kia, both of whom builds cars in South Korea, and markets them in the United States. The Sedona, which comes in short and long wheelbase, is the flagship safety vehicle of Kia, which sells eight vehicles in the U.S. The lengthy list of safety features includes uni-body construction, six standard airbags, anti-lock assisted brakes and electronic distributed braking power, traction and stability systems and tire pressure monitoring.

Our test drive was the top of the line EX long wheelbase (there is also a short wheelbase entry trim and a $3,100 more long wheelbase LX trim). Our EX came with an optional $2,400 Luxury Package that included heated front leather seats, power sunroof, a back-up warning system and audio controls on the steering wheel. Power sliding doors and a premium entertainment package that added a sound-enhancing Infiniti audio system and DVD player added another $2,700 to the cost. The options made the Sedona more appealing to parents, with the automatic sliding doors on each side and the 8 inch monitor for playing movies to keep kids entertained and the 13 speaker sound system with MP3/CDC for relaxing music without kids aboard. The interior remains quiet, with some cabin ripple from the independent suspension on rougher pavement at highway speeds and slight lean in tight turns. However, despite a just-under nine second time to reach 60 mph, acceleration doesn't feel robust – something that may not be essential in a minivan transporting precious cargo. Interior space and versatility are a Kia plus. Storage space abounds, with a lockable bin under the passenger's seat containing a first aid kit, two gloveboxes, two map pockets in each front door, airline storage pouches behind front seats and 80.1 cubic feet of open cargo area with second seats removed and the third-row 60/40 split bench folded into the floor well. Inside, comfort is excellent with many small ergonomic touches. Outside, the look is definitely minivan with a sharply raked windshield and tilted hood. With towing brakes, capacity is 3,500 pounds; without 1,000 pounds. Kia has best-in-class warranties, including 10 years or 100,000 miles for the power train.