2016 Kia Sedona: A hip 'multi-purpose' minivan

Kia has continued to find ways to make Sedona hip; it was completely transformed when it entered its third generation in 2015, right down to its nomenclature: while some might call it a minivan, Kia eschews that title and has dubbed it a Multi-Purpose Vehicle to attract more customers to the brand and vehicle - and because, let's face it - sport utility and crossover utility vehicle just sounds more sophisticated and "made for an active lifestyle buyer" than minivan.

For 2016, Sedona receives additional content, including a standard rearview camera system, improved seat fabrics, heated front seats (on the EX), with room for eight riders on SX and SXL trims, with the optional Technology package.

(Plus a $895 destination charge.) Winner of the best new-car design at the 2014 New York Auto Show, Kia fully redesigned the front of the Sedona last year giving it a deeply-raked windshield and a grill that looks more at home on a CUV, hoping that this will set it apart from its competitors like the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, and Dodge Grand Caravan, some of the mainstays from this once robust vehicle segment.

Standard active safety features include electronic stability control, traction control, brake assist, hill start assist control, electronic brake force distribution, antilock brakes, rollover mitigation, and cornering brake control.

Innovative available features include a 360-degree surround view monitor, smart cruise control, forward collision warning system, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot detection with lane-change assist, which utilizes a radar system to detect vehicles in the driver's blind spot and recognize those approaching from behind.

Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with sporty manual shifting, Sedona's 3.3-liter V-6 engine boasts 276 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and is tuned for enhanced mid-range torque, offering 248 lb.-ft. at 5,200 rpm and a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.

Sedona seats seven with second-row captain's chairs, eight with second-row bench seat, and offers standard second-row Slide-N-Stow seating that slides and folds upright to allow for on-the-go cargo hauling, as well as a 60/40-split third row that folds flat into the floor.