Update: Honda Odessy vs. Kia Sedona

[DrSally]

We need to buy a new car, and DH is going to take my Oldsmobile Intrigue sedan and I get a minivan! I've heard such great things about the Honda Odessy, basically my dream minivan, but the Kia Sedona looks like decent quality a long warranty, and significantly less $$. What do you think? Does anyone have the Kia Sedona? Reviews say the interior isn't as "refined". Another option is to buy a certified used Honda. Any BTDT experience on choosing a minivan would be much appreciated. TIA!

Update: We bought the Honoda Oddessy EX-L for a little over invoice. DH emailed all the local dealers and asked them to match his price, most didn't reply or said it was just too low, but one accepted (happened to be the place I test drove). It is only about 2k more than the Kia with simiar options. I really love it and am very glad we got the honda. I'm sure we will have it for a long, long time. We're getting a GPS add on, as we didn't want to get the touring model just for that. It is a little weird to drive b/c it feels so long compared to a sedan. I'm sure I will get used to that though. Thanks for all the advice!

[Lynnie]

I got the kia's cousin the hyundai entourage last june and have been meaning to give a full review. Don't have tons of time, but, I love the hyundai.

We got one with all the bells and whistles, and I especially like the automatic doors on both sides & trunk, and the beeping sensor when backing up. (not necssy, but nice). It is comfy, supposedly one of the safest on the market, and really nice to drive.

the only cons with it I see are:
1) no controls for the dvd player in the front seat. if you can't find the remote (which doesn't work well from the front anyway) you need to lean over backwards stretching one arm back to press play.

2) on the steering wheel, you can increase the volume of the speakers, or switch between audio "modes" (dvd, tape, cd, radio) but not change radio stations. minor, but if you're gonna have steering wheel controls, it doesn't make sense to me.

3) no storage under seats like I have read some of the hondas (and maybe toyotas) have.

But, it folds down great, is a confortable drive, and has held up great - knock on wood - this past year.

Sorry I can't tell you about the sedona. I think the entourage is supposed to be a teeny step up from that, since it was built to compete with the honda and toyota, but that could have changed - they are made by the same people.

good luck, and happy shopping.

[DebbieJ]

Do not buy the Kia. Kia's are known to be repair prone.

Honda is a trusted brand with proven reliability.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[megs4413]

i don't think you can go wrong with either...

the better trim packages on the odyssey make it pricey, though. i'd go with a new option packed sedona over a used honda. hopefully i'll be in your position in 6 mos.!

[KBecks]

We chose new over used Honda because we wanted the latest safety features and frankly used Hondas don't depreciate enough to make them the bargains I hoped for. I drove some used ones and the newer style/model is so much nicer than the older generation.

I looked at Kia but didn't drive it. We have had trememdous reliability/performance with our Honda/Acura vehicles and decided to be brand loyal. Definitely test drive the two and see how you feel then.

[KBecks]

oops!

[DrSally]

Thank you for all the advice. I will definitely be test driving. There are so many pros and cons. Honda (and Toyota) does have an excellent reliability record, but Kia seems to be trying to prove themselves with the long warranty. Also, pp is right when it comes to the fact that Hondas don't depreciate that much, so a used Honda might not be that great of a deal. I just don't know. Maybe, it will hit me once I do a test drive.

[jasmine_bay]

Yes, definitely drive both of them. We ended up buying an Odyssey last year. We were going to buy a used Odyssey or Sienna but they hold their value so well, we couldn't find a good deal. If you price-shop the Ody, they're not much more than the Sedona. We paid $150 over invoice on our Ody.

[alexsmommy]

Do a search here if you opt for the Ody. There are lots of old posts on getting the best deal. We also got ours just over invoice. Soooo worth it. I cannot believe how much I love my Ody - I am not a car person and definately wasn't a minivan person until I had one.
Alaina
Alex Feb '03
and #2 in early summer '07

[icunurse]

I haven't heard great reviews about the Kia, honestly - maybe also look into what Consumer Reports has to say to get a bigger picture of how the two compare. If you decide to get an Odyssey, visit odycub.com - lots of great advice, including the best deals in your area. I would suggest that once you know what you want, do the haggling online. We dealt with a few and were able to get a new Ody under invoice shortly after the 2007's were released. Only took a couple hours of my time in total and we were able to literally walk into teh dealership, sign the papers, and be done with everything since we had made the arrangements online.

[ShayleighCarsensMom]

I dont really know much about comparing the two but I will tell you that I LOVE my Odyssey. Honestly, I think the resale on Honda will be higher when you are done as well (and for an extra $1000 you can get the same warranty that Kia has).
We bought ours last fall (the ex-l w/dvd and nav) for $1000 UNDER invoice, so there are some good deals to be had. We got this price by emailing every honda dealer within 50 miles of our house, and we kept emailing until no one would go any lower...we then price matched it with our in town dealer, went in, did the paperwork and were out in an hour!

[KBecks]

I second Odyclub, and yes, you can get a good deal if you shop via online sales. We got our 07 EX for $600 under invoice last November, and we're very pleased with it.

One thing about the Kia to consider, although the long term warranty would cover any issues, your time is important, and personally, I didn't want to risk having to take it in for odds and ends when I could be nearly certain the Honda would not have issues. I have heard that the new Kias are really nice though, but they don't have as much of a track record.

We also have a Honda dealer nice and close, while the Kia dealer is a little hike.

[Lovingliv]

I agree with KBecks. I have a 2007 Odyssey. I love the reliability of the Honda...and I would not give that up for any amount of money. If I had to choose between a used Honda, and a brand new Kia....easy.
I would not have enough time to go and sit in the shop...regardless of if it was free or not.
Honda all the way! Good luck with your decision.

[Lynnie]

FWIW, I know I don't have the kia, but DH has driven a friend's oddysey and says he actually prefers the entourage, so a test drive and a safety feature comparison would be key.

Maybe that's just so he can feel good about getting a good deal, who knows ! :)

But, the hyundai has not been in the shop the year I've had it other than oil changes. (again knock wood). Again, not sure about how kias hold up. I do know all my friends with hondas love them, but this is my second hyundai, and I could not be happier (except with steering wheel for entertainment switching). Every time a relative drives it, they say how great it is.

[DrSally]

Thanks for the buying tips! Sounds like you guys got some amazing deals. Truth is, everyone I know who has an Oddessy loves it. I'm just wondering if I can get sig savings on a Kia or Hyundai IF they really have improved their quality. I'm going out tomorrow to test drive a Honda, Kia, Hyundai, and Toyota, whew!

[HannaAddict]

I would buy the Honda, no question. We had a three week Kia Sedona rental minivan and I thought it would be nice since I'd read that they were very safe, etc. It was a bucket. Cheap feeling, etc. Nothing like even a bare bones Honda. I couldn't believe it had received good reviews. We did like one feature, the conversation mirror - the little built in mirror so you can see the backseat, but I bet other minivans have it. I wouldn't buy a Kia after our extended "test" drive. (And even though it was a rental, it had full options and was new, not beaten to death yet.)

Kimberly

[ivparker]

We have a Honda and love it. Although I know that the Kia does give you a long warranty, you need to be careful. My sister in law had a Kia and they were going to the shop with it every few months with things breaking here and there. And then their engine completely shut down and they needed it replaced. When they tried getting that under warranty (it was only 3 years old) they wouldn't do it becuase they didn't change their oil filter (I think that is the part) every 6 months. So they ended up just getting rid of the car as the cost of replacing the engine was more then what the car was worth. I know this is just one story but I would stick with a long going car company that has a proven track record of being good quality.

[DrSally]

Ok, DH stayed with DS and I did a marathon minivan testing session. I don't want to offend anyone and appreciate everyone's advice. These were just MY observations/preferences:

All claimed to have exactly the same gas mileage and had similar interior layouts.

The Honda was WONDERFUL. Drives like a car, smooth and quiet, very refined interior, lovely colors, they have just thought of everything. There was one used 06 on the lot, that was only $5k less than a new ODDY. REar seat very comfortable. Could seat an adult for a long ride with no problem. Like the telescoping steering wheel and pedals and "conversation" mirror. Was very impressed too that the bathroom had a changing table (the only one of all the dealers).

Toyota was comparable to the Honda. Didn't have floor storage, but does offer AWD. Sticker prices seemed higher than the Honda, not as many color choices. Didn't like the exterior design as well as the Honda. They had an 05 on the lot with 25k miles, for $24,000. I thought that was a very good deal. Relatively new used Honda's and Toyota's don't come around often. The certified program looks good on both.

Kia, ride was actually smooth and quiet, comparable to the Honda and Toyota. No GPS avail. Interior noticably less refined. Rear seat not very comfortable, less leg room and shorter, so you have to put your legs up at an angle a bit. Not great for adults, but how often will you have an adult in the back. Captain's seats not as comfortable. Just not as luxurious as the above 2. The one I drove was only $2k less than the Honda I drove?? The sales person was atrocious, saying things that just weren't true (other vans don't have side curtain airbags), and kept emphasizing the DVD. I finally told him that I don't like my kids to watch a lot of tv, just to get him to stop talking about it. I have questions on quality, reliablity and options and things like that.

Hyundai. I drove a more basic model with fabric seats. The captain's seat was very uncomfortable, seemed hard to me. Maybe the leather is better. The rear seat was the most uncomfortable of the 4. THe deal breaker was that you have to physically remove the rear seats, rather than fold them down into the floor. If I'm transporting something, I'd have to know in advance, which doesn't always happen. Oh, and if you want GPS, you can get it, but it suction cups onto the windshield?

So... I have to do some comparing of prices and features to see if a used Honda or Toyota is worth it compared to a new Kia.

[jd11365]

I had a KIA, but it was the older model. It was AWFUL. It spent more time in the shop than with me. Did I mention it was AWFUL?! And a gas hog!!
Again, older model, so the new ones may be better, but I ended up sucking it up to got an Odyssey, and LOVE it! Worth every penny!

[KBecks]

Sounds like you had a long, but hopefully fun day. Glad the test drives helped you get focused.

There are two online forums. Odyclub.com and Siennaclub.org full of minivan fanatics.

I chose the ody over the sienna because I preferred the Ody handling. The sienna is a very nice van too. Enjoy whatever you get!

ETA: I sit in the back row of our ody sometimes when DH is driving so I can entertain the baby. It is comfortable. We had a full van of people a few weeks ago when we got together with the grandparents and Dave's mom and I both fit in back and were pretty comfy.

[colleenfs]

We *just* got the Hyundai Entourage too, and we love it! I hadn't even heard of this car, but it was profiled in one of the parenting magazines recently, and it was listed as a best pick, along with the Odyssey and the Sienna. It gets excellent safety and comfort marks.

We were able to get the top of the line model with all of the bells and whistles for less money than a Sienna or Odyssey with fewer features. We haven't used the DVD player yet, but we plan to in a few weeks when we take our first road trip. Can't wait!



>I got the kia's cousin the hyundai entourage last june and
>have been meaning to give a full review. Don't have tons of
>time, but, I love the hyundai.
>
>We got one with all the bells and whistles, and I especially
>like the automatic doors on both sides & trunk, and the
>beeping sensor when backing up. (not necssy, but nice). It is
>comfy, supposedly one of the safest on the market, and really
>nice to drive.
>
>the only cons with it I see are:
>1) no controls for the dvd player in the front seat. if you
>can't find the remote (which doesn't work well from the front
>anyway) you need to lean over backwards stretching one arm
>back to press play.
>
>2) on the steering wheel, you can increase the volume of the
>speakers, or switch between audio "modes" (dvd, tape, cd,
>radio) but not change radio stations. minor, but if you're
>gonna have steering wheel controls, it doesn't make sense to
>me.
>
>3) no storage under seats like I have read some of the hondas
>(and maybe toyotas) have.
>
>But, it folds down great, is a confortable drive, and has held
>up great - knock on wood - this past year.
>
>Sorry I can't tell you about the sedona. I think the entourage
>is supposed to be a teeny step up from that, since it was
>built to compete with the honda and toyota, but that could
>have changed - they are made by the same people.
>
>good luck, and happy shopping.
>


~Colleen
Julia, 1-10-02
Emma, 7-27-05

“I do believe in fairies. I do, I do.�

[colleenfs]

We have the Hyundai with leather, and the seats are very comfortable. I even sat in the 3rd row when my mom was here, and it was fine. You do not have to remove the 3rd row seat to fold them down. We didn't care about GPS, as we already have a portable one.


>Hyundai. I drove a more basic model with fabric seats. The
>captain's seat was very uncomfortable, seemed hard to me.
>Maybe the leather is better. The rear seat was the most
>uncomfortable of the 4. THe deal breaker was that you have to
>physically remove the rear seats, rather than fold them down
>into the floor. If I'm transporting something, I'd have to
>know in advance, which doesn't always happen. Oh, and if you
>want GPS, you can get it, but it suction cups onto the
>windshield?
>
>So... I have to do some comparing of prices and features to
>see if a used Honda or Toyota is worth it compared to a new
>Kia.


~Colleen
Julia, 1-10-02
Emma, 7-27-05

“I do believe in fairies. I do, I do.�

[Lilysmom06]

Congratulations! I have the same model, and got it in February. I love it too (too bad I am such a bad parker - oh well) :)

Kathy

[DrSally]

Thanks! I too was wondering how I would every parallel park with it, but hopefully I won't run into that issue.

[scoop22]

hey congrats on your new honda.. when we were looking for vans i loved the oddessy.. we are no longer looking for vans. boo hoo..
http://b2.lilypie.com/XbITm4.png

[scoop22]

hey congrats on your new honda.. when we were looking for vans i loved the oddessy.. we are no longer looking for vans. boo hoo..
http://b2.lilypie.com/XbITm4.png