The Essentials

• Price from £20,965
• What Car? says:
• Fuel economy: up to 42.2mpg
• What is it? The Sedona provides decent space for seven adults, but other large MPVs do a better job in just about every other respect.

• Drive

  Lots of power, but otherwise very poor

• Inside

  Straightforward dash and good visibility, but the interior is drab

• Safety

  Short of safety kit, especially for an MPV

• Reliability

  It feels tough and Kia has a reasonable reliability record

• Space

  Takes seven adults in comfort but the boot is on the small side

• Standard and extras

  Even the cheapest of the three trim levels are well equipped

• What's it like to drive?

  The Sedona comes with one engine, a 192bhp 2.2-litre diesel which feels pretty strong in most situations. It's gruff under acceleration but quietens down once it's up to speed. However, there's too much road- and wind noise, so motorway journeys aren't as relaxing as they should be. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, but you can specify a six-speed automatic, though this dithers about between gears at slow speeds. The rest of the driving experience isn't really acceptable in this day and age. The ride is uncomfortable, and the combination of poor body control, numb steering and only modest grip make turning corners a rather nerve-wracking experience.

• What's it like inside?

  The Sedona's cabin feels seriously drab; the materials look and feel cheap, and the design is bland. Still, the straightforward layout makes it simple to use, and the raised seating positing gives a good view out. The parking camera incorporated into the rear view mirror takes some getting used to, though. There's enough room for seven adults to sit in comfort, and the five rear seats individually slide and recline. The sliding rear doors also offer excellent access to the back seats. However, the boot isn't very big with all seats occupied, and while folding the seats creates extra space, you have to lift them out completely to make the most of the Sedona's van-like capacity. This takes plenty of muscle, because they're ridiculously heavy. Even the entry-level '1' models are decently equipped, including air-con and four electric windows; move up to '2' for alloy wheels, tri-zone climate control and rear parking sensors. Top-spec '3' cars add leather upholstery and cruise control.

• How reliable is it?

  The cabin plastics seem hardwearing but Kia doesn't have a brilliant reliability record, although its seven-year warranty should give you some peace of mind. Every Sedona comes with front, side and curtain airbags, and the four outer rear seats have ISOFIX child-seat mountings. However, only top-trim cars have active front headrests and stability control.

• Should I buy one?

  The Sedona's prices look competitive, especially for a car of this size, but bear in mind that you won't get the sort of discounts available from Ford or Citroen dealers. What's more, rivals offer more economical engines and better resale values. On top of that, you'll need to live with the Sedona's poor driving manners.