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2018 Kia Sedona vs 2018 Toyota Sienna: Which is Best?
2018 Kia Sedona hero ・ Photo by Kia
Minivans are a perennial family favorite because they are the right vehicles for the job. There’s room for the kids and their friends; the seats are reconfigurable to handle people or cargo; and there’s that oh-so-important rear entertainment system to hold everyone's interest. Minivans do a heck of a job for families.
The challenge is deciding which minivan is the right one for your family. Cargo capacity, seating configurations, pricing and infotainment features vary from one minivan to the next. We took a closer look at the 2018 Kia Sedona and 2018 Toyota Sienna to see which of these minivans wins in a head-to-head comparison. Read on to see the results.
Pricing
The 2018 Kia Sedona is available in five trim levels, with the base L starting at $27,000. At the top of the range is the SX Limited at $42,000. The 2018 Toyota Sienna is also available in five trim levels with the base L starting at $30,750 and the top Limited Premium coming in at $48,615.
That top Sienna includes all-wheel drive, which isn’t available on the Sedona. Remove it and the most expensive trim is $45,095. The Sienna’s higher price does include standard safety features that aren't available on the base Sedona trims and are offered only as options on all but the top trim, but purely from a budget perspective, the Sedona comes out ahead. : Kia Sedona
Photo by Kia
Safety
The Kia Sedona received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest rating of Good in all crash tests and Superior for front crash prevention technologies. It also received an overall rating of five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The 2018 Toyota Sienna hasn't been fully crash tested. Last year's model also got a five-star overall NHTSA rating, which should be a good indicator of this year's performance. In IIHS testing, the Sienna received top marks in most evaluations, but it was only Acceptable (one step down) in the small-overlap frontal crash test and merely "Basic" (the lowest score) for frontal-crash avoidance technology. Although the Sienna has more standard safety features, crash tests come out in favor of the Sedona.
: Kia Sedona
Photo by Kia
Seating
The Sedona has room for up to eight passengers on most trim levels. The top trim takes it further with the optional First-Class Lounge Seating, which turns the second row into recliners with lower leg support (but drops total capacity to seven). The third row is tight, with only 34.8 inches of legroom compared to 36.3 inches in the Sienna. Both vans' middle-row seats can tip and slide forward for better third-row access.
The Sienna also offers room for up to eight passengers with flexible seating arrangements. The middle seat in the second row can be stowed on select trims, making third-row access easy down the middle. Extra room and better access give the Sienna the win. : Toyota Sienna
Photo by Toyota
Fuel Efficiency
Fuel economy is especially important for families that do lot of driving, whether it’s taking the kids around town for activities or heading out for the family road trip. Poor mileage can take a big bite out of your budget, especially if gas prices rise.
The Kia Sedona gets an EPA-estimated 18 mpg city/24 mpg highway/20 mpg combined on most trims. That falls below the Toyota Sienna's EPA ratings of 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway/22 mpg combined in front-wheel drive models. Those numbers drop slightly to 18 mpg city/24 mpg highway/20 mpg combined in models equipped with all-wheel drive. The Sienna is the winner, with fuel economy so good that its all-wheel drive model is the same as a Sedona with only front-wheel drive.
: Toyota Sienna
Photo by Toyota
Cargo
When it’s time for cargo instead of people, the Sedona has 33.9 cubic feet behind the third row, 78.4 cubic feet behind the second row, and 142.0 cubic feet behind the first row. It’s a roomy minivan, but the Sienna has it beat by a good margin.
The Sienna has 39.1 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.1 cubic feet behind the second row, and 117.8 cubic feet behind the first row when the second-row is folded and moved forward. Take the second row out entirely, and the number jumps to 150 cubic feet of cargo space. If you have plans for moving lots of stuff, then the Sienna is the clear winner.
Photo by Toyota
Infotainment
The base Sedona has a 5-inch touchscreen with AM/FM/MP3/SiriusXM. Mid-level versions have a 7-inch version that adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Top trims have an 8-inch screen with navigation. A rear-seat entertainment system is available as an option across the lineup.
Every Sienna features a 7-inch touchscreen with varying levels of additional features. Even the base system in the Sienna L includes navigation while top trims get a more fully-featured system. A rear-seat entertainment system is available. One thing you can’t get on the Sienna is Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The lack of these increasingly popular smartphone integration options is a negative, but the larger screen size and standard navigation help the Sienna come out ahead.
Photo by Toyota
Family-Friendliness
Minivans end up carrying lots of kids, so anything that makes managing the brood easier is a plus. The Sedona offers a cooling glove box for keeping things cold on a hot day, a conversation mirror so you can easily keep an eye on the kids, and storage cubbies everywhere that make it easy to stow belongings.
The Sienna also offers numerous spots for storage and a clever feature called Driver Easy Speak. This makes sure the kids hear you, even if things are getting rowdy in the back. It uses a microphone in the overhead console to broadcast the driver’s voice to rear passengers, so they simply cannot ignore Mom and Dad.
Photo by Toyota
Style
There’s only so much you can do to make a minivan look stylish. They’re designed to be practical family cars, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. The Sedona was all-new back in 2015 and it’s a carryover this year with no changes. It’s attractive and not outdated, but it has a tame design without any visually striking elements.
The Sienna takes things in the exact opposite direction with a more aggressive look. There are fewer curves and more angles to give the Sienna some presence and make it look like a more fun vehicle to drive. It’s not a sports car, but the Sienna looks like it would try if someone gave it a chance.
Photo by Toyota
Performance and Handling
The Sedona is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 engine with 276 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. The Sienna gets its power from a 3.5-liter V6 with 296 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque, and it has an eight-speed automatic.
The Sienna has considerably more horsepower and that translates into a more enjoyable drive. That drive is further enhanced by its transmission. The eight-speed makes for a smoother, quieter ride and a better response under hard acceleration. Neither of these is a sports car, but if you’re looking for a more spirited minivan, then the Sienna is the obvious choice.
Photo by Toyota
Verdict
Both the 2018 Kia Sedona and 2018 Toyota Sienna are solid minivan choices. They offer a range of trims to suit a variety of budgets along with all the features busy families need to make it through their days. Although the Kia comes out ahead on price and edges out the Toyota on safety, the overall winner is the Sienna.
The Sienna offers a more complete package with better fuel efficiency, available all-wheel drive, a more powerful engine and more flexibility for cargo or passengers.
Photo by Toyota