By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(March 28, 2016) When is a minivan a luxury vehicle? When it’s a Kia Sedona SXL, and has a base price of $39,900 and as-tested bottom line of $44,690. For that price, not only do you get things like the $2,800 SXL Technology Package (Xenon HID headlights with High Beam Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Surround View Monitor, Smart Cruise Control, chrome side sill trim, and a 115V cargo area power inverter), or the $1,095 rear seat entertainment system, you get an interior that looks like it's taken from a private jet.

This is no idle boast. The second row seats are officially known as First Class Lounge Seating, and feature stowable leg rests that — if there’s no one in the third row and you can slide the seat back — can go from supporting your legs while sitting upright, to supporting them while you are laid out in full La-Z-Boy recline.

If that’s not enough, the two seats can be moved closer together or farther apart as needed. And while minivans are often used to transport children to and fro — hence the rear seat entrainment system — do yourself a favor and put the urchins in the third row (or leave them at home) and set out on a road trip.

But don’t get the idea that the front seats are reserved for the driver and navigator, mere servants driving the nouveau riche to their destination, as the front compartment is equally luxurious (heated and cooled seat, heated steering wheel, etc.), and the Sedona isn’t a bad drive — especially for a minivan. You’re not about to enter it in the local weekend gymkhana, but you also won’t be counting the seconds until you reach your destination and can vacate the vehicle.

That’s because the seats are comfortable, the instrument panel cleanly laid out, and the sightlines good. You don’t feel like you are in a vehicle that is just over 200 inches long, spread over a 120.5-in. wheelbase, and just under 90 in. wide mirror-to-mirror. This is a big vehicle, yet its sheer sides, bluff nose, Surround View Monitor and other technology package items take the worry out of maneuvering. And, as long as you don’t press the Drive Mode button, which does little more than lighten up the electric power steering, you won’t feel as though you are driving a video game.

The Sedona is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. With 276 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque, the Sedona is decently quick, but it’s pulling around 4,656 lb., and that’s before you put anything or anyone inside or try towing up to its 3,500-pound limit. When the rear cabin (there’s 142 cubic feet behind the first row of seats) is empty, the seats will rattle when driving over rough pavement, and road noise is amplified by the deep rear cargo well. This, at least, can be mitigated by folding the third row seats down (an easy process), though while you’re back there, you might find yourself paying with the removable flashlight that doubles as the cargo area interior light.

To be honest, I never carried kids to and from school, filled the cargo area with groceries or hardware, took a long road trip with friends or did any of the other things that you usually associate with minivan ownership. Yet I found myself entranced by the luxury and solidity of the Sedona. Then I looked at the nearly $45,000 list price and 18 mpg combined mileage, and thought the better of it.

However, it’s a great choice if you have need for a luxury minivan, especially in light of its 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile roadside assistance program.

The Virtual Driver