A Buyer's Guide to the 2012 Kia Sedona

The Kia Sedona has been increasing in popularity over the years and the 2012 model kept the streak alive. This minivan can be yours at a very reasonable price, yet you don’t have to worry that this will mean owning a vehicle that lacks fun bells and whistles.

Key Features

For the price, you won’t find a better minivan than the Kia Sedona. That’s not necessarily a feature, but it’s definitely worth pointing out.

From the outside, this minivan might look a lot smaller than some of its rivals. Once you get inside, though, the second-row space alone will make you reconsider what you first saw.

As you’ll most likely be using the 2012 Sedona as a family van, you’re going to appreciate the safety features (and the rating that comes with it) of this vehicle.

Changes for 2012

The 2012 Sedona is almost exactly the same as its predecessor. A major exception is the Sedona LX that comes with rear-seat DVD player.

What We Like

Bragging rights to the IHS Top Safety Pick title proves that you don’t have to spend a fortune to own a quality minivan.

You also get a lot of great standard features with the very affordable base model.

What Concerns Us

For all there is to love about this minivan, we wish Kia could have added a bit of flair to it. With minivans like the Odyssey and Quest showing what’s possible, it almost seems like Kia didn’t bother trying.

Available Models

You have two models to choose from with the 2012 Kia Sedona. There is the LX with its 6-cylinder engine, Bluetooth functionality and DVD entertainment system. Then there’s the EX, which will give you parking assistance and heated seats.

Both will give you an impressive 18 mpg in the city and 25 when driving on the highway.

Major Recalls

On 11/05/2013, the 2012 Sedona was part of a recall that revolved around front lower control arms that would break because of prolonged exposure to salt. Generally, this referred to the kind used in northern climates to melt ice.

When the arm broke, the Sedona became almost impossible to control and crashes often resulted.

Common Issues

Given how many people love this van, it’s hard to understand all the complaints there have been about its long-term reliability. That being said, Kia offers a great warranty.

Another issue that has come up is the low resale values that Sedonas generally fetch.

Kia Sedona 2012 Interior


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