KIA’s all-new Sedona Named to Ward’s 10 Best Interiors List

•  KIA’s all-new Sedona boasts world-class refinement and unmatched interior design
• Available Nappa leather and “First Class” lounge second-row seating sets Sedona apart from its segment competitors
• Sleek and sophisticated styling moves Grand Sedona into a new league
• Stronger bodyshell for improved safety, refinement, ride and handling
• High-quality, versatile interior inspired gives new definition to space

The all-new KIA Sedona has earned a spot on the Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list. The Sedona was recognized by the editors of the influential U.S publication for its impressive interior style, comfort, and overall execution, including the available second-row “First-Class” lounge seating*.

“The all-new Sedona completes KIA’s design-led transformation under the direction of chief design officer Peter Schreyer. It combines CUV styling, inside and out, with exceptional quality and offers unique interior features,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, KIA Motors America. “This is the second-consecutive year that KIA has earned a spot on the Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list, following last year’s inclusion of the ultra-popular Soul. This award is a testament to KIA’s continued commitment to world-class quality and top-notch design that is as beautiful as it is functional.”

Internationally, the completely transformed Sedona comes in seven- and eight-passenger seating configurations and offers available Nappa leather trimmed seating surfaces. Exclusive Slide-N-Stow second-row seats slide and fold upright for enhanced cargo hauling without the hassle of removing heavy seats. Sedona’s front center console is unique to the segment and allows for generous storage space between the front seats, while the large dual glove box offers a cooled lower storage area for convenience.

“Minivans may not be as popular as they used to be, but the all-new KIA Sedona gives us reason to think this segment is in store for a resurgence,” said Tom Murphy, executive editor, WardsAuto World magazine.

“KIA takes stylistic chances with the Sedona interior. Sedona is unique in its interior design with two-tone leather set off with white piping and orange contrast stitching. The van’s comfortable and spacious, with way-cool second-row lounge seats with footrests. It’s also flexible, with third-row seats that fold into the floor. Finally, a minivan that is truly cool!”

*The all-new KIA Sedona arrives in South Africa in the third quarter of 2015. More information about engine options and specification levels, including interior options, will be released closer to the local launch date.

2015 KIA Sedona receives J.D. Power APEAL award

• All-new Sedona scores highest in Large MPV segment amid record-setting sales year in the United States of America
• KIA’s combination of sporty CUV-like design, advanced safety features and technology scores big with customers

Arriving with a design intended to shake up the large MPV segment, the stylish, multipurpose 2015 KIA Sedona (known as ‘Grand Sedona’ in some markets) followed its debut in the U.S.A. with a record first-half sales performance and high praise from media and consumers alike. This trend continues as the Sedona has received the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) award in the Minivan, or Large MPV, segment.

This individual model accolade follows on the heels of KIA’s ascension in the 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS), in which the brand placed second among all brands and received the highest score among non-luxury nameplates.  All new for the 2015 model year, the KIA Sedona is setting a blistering sales pace with a 476% increase from mid-year reporting in 2014.

“The redesign of Sedona, which completes KIA’s design-led transformation under the direction of chief design officer Peter Schreyer, is an extraordinary success story for the KIA brand,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, Kia Motors America (KMA).  “Customers want vehicles they’re proud to drive, and the Sedona’s superior combination of a strong, confident design, advanced safety features, and premium amenities, is revolutionizing the large MPV segment. Earning top honours in the J.D. Power APEAL study is affirmation from our customers of the new Sedona’s appeal and desirability.”

The J.D. Power APEAL study measures new-vehicle owners’ overall satisfaction with their vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership. The results are divided into 10 categories and weighted accordingly: exterior, interior, storage, audio, seats, heating and ventilation, driving dynamics, powertrain, visibility, and fuel economy.

The J.D. Power APEAL award is the third accolade for the all-new KIA Sedona in the U.S.A in as many months: in April 2015, the new Sedona received a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA (the U.S.A’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), followed a week later by its inclusion on the authoritative Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list due to its impressive interior style, comfort and overall execution. The all-new KIA Sedona makes its South African debut at the end of July 2015.

Received NHTSA 5-star rating

• KIA’s all-new multi-purpose vehicle receives NHTSA’s highest rating1
• Engaging and empowering technology compliments advanced safety features and available enhanced driving-aid systems

The all-new 2015 KIA Sedona has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 5-star overall safety rating in the U.S.A. With its long list of standard safety features and robust body structure, the Sedona received a 5-star rating on the NHTSA front-impact, side-impact and pole tests.

“NHTSA’s recent 5-star rating of the 2015 Sedona is a testament to KIA’s commitment to safety. The Sedona is all-new for 2015 and combines CUV-like styling, inside and out, with exceptional quality and the tremendous value our brand is known for,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning.  “As families [in the U.S.A] begin planning summer vacations in their Sedonas, they can feel confident in the engineering that went into their vehicle and that NHTSA has validated the product with its highest safety rating.”

The 2015 Sedona is built on an all-new chassis with static torsional stiffness that is 36% greater than its closest segment competitor. Furthermore, 76% of the body is composed of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS), which provides exceptional rigidity, durability and crash protection for all occupants. Adding to its stout structure, the Sedona has been engineered to distribute impact loads evenly through the body with ultra-high-strength steel tubes installed in the A-pillars.

The all-new KIA Sedona arrives in South Africa in the third quarter of 2015. More information about engine options and specification levels will be released closer to the local launch date.