Hello again everyone Posted a couple of weeks ago asking for a bit if advice about a suitable tow car. We won a caravan and have to change from our lovely Nissan Serena. Anyway, we've been looking at a Kia Sedona and I just wondered if you think it's a good choice. Can anyone offer any advice please?
Can't help with the towing capabilities, as I just hang a couple of cycles on the tow ball of my 10 plate Sedona 3, but I can echo Steve's comments re comfort and spaciousness.
Absolutely love ours.
Thanks for your comments...what are they like economically?? I'll also be using it daily to get to and from work. Are there any known problems with them?
Good tow car for weight and stability.
I had to fit spring strengtheners (rubber inserts) as the rear springs were a little soft. Pulled our 1300kg Adria really easily.
Our 56 plate TS is the older 2.9L Diesel engine, the newer 2.2L is more economical. We only get 35mpg max solo, around 22 mpg towing.
Just had it chipped for more torque and power as now have a heavier 1800kg van. Just as good as before.
Very stable tow car. Very comfy too!
We love our Kia and will keep it a while longer. Some good ones on the Kia site.
Heard great things about KIA in general.
Honest John website seems to rate them.
Take a look, Google honest john KIA, then pick your prospective model from list.
*edit* This may be the model; http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/kia/sedona-2006/?
He also lists what to look out for.
Good luck for your new motor, hope it goes well.
Post last edited on 29/09/2013 07:58:46
------------- Regards
Chris
Caravanning for 22 years
1997 Toyota Land Cruiser 3.0TD & 2004 Avondale Mayfair 510-5L
Previous towcars:
2002 Nissan Primera - sold
2002 Ford Galaxy - Died & scrapped. Good riddance.
1998 BMW 525TDS SE - PEx
1998 VW Passat SE - Crashed into & scrapped
1997 Peugeot 406 GLX - PEx
I have had a 06 Sedona for 4 years, apart from normal services, I've spent £400 on repairs in that time. That included a scheduled timing belt change.
One point with the Older models, the rear heater, is fed by 2 metal pipes, and these corrode, and if not caught, can lead to catastrophic engine failure, as it dumps all the engine coolant out.
The fix is simple and can be done on a DIY basis. You simply cut the metal piping out, and replace with rubber piping. I paid £10 for 10m on ebay, and a friend who is a mechanic installed it for £20.
In that time I have towed Caravans (including up Rhuallt Hill on the A55, in 5th Gear), trailers, and a Folding Camper. And found it to be a very stable tow vehicle.
On the plus side, take out all the rear seats, and it's a medium sized van. I've moved friends using it, saving them hiring a van out.
I have a 07 Sedona pulling a 1700kg van, its a auto so having to pay the higher tax hurts. However pulls the van great and very stable, get about 22-25 towing.
Kids have loads of room, went to France this year and removed the rear seats for extra storage, took another fridge to save on supermarket trips.
Only bad point is seem to get turbo lag on some occasions.
Things to check on the 2.9CRDI, pipes for the rear heater, especially where they go up into the rear arch, these corrode, leak water, and the main cause of head gasket failure on these.
CAM belt, get proof its been done, otherwise its a £300-£350 its a faff of a job to do, either engine out, or at the least alot of fiddling and removing an engine mount.
on the test run, find a good, long hill that you can labour the engine up at full throttle for a couple of minutes, Mine, a friend have had sedonas (well, my mate still does) that under load, full throttle conditions end up with the EML light coming on/engine cutting out no idea if its particularly common, didn't find any more info on it.
if you get the model with electric rear doors, make sure they function correctly, the limit switches have been known to go faulty, the doors not quite latch correctly, and then you can return to it and find the door wide open.
MPG of 30-35 is a little optimistic, maybe on a good run, but I generally got closer to 25-30 round town. its a nearly 3L engine pulling round 2.2 ton of car.
Thanks for all of your comments everyone...still looking at other options but keeping the Sedona in mind. I'm tearing my hair out now coz I've also seen a Kia Sportage that I like the look of.
Just can't make my mind up.
Just wanted to say a big thank you though to all who comment - don't get the chance to come on here often enough but keep checking in from time to time.
We had a remap. I used a chap who was recommended by a friend who has had it done to his motor home to good effect.
Definitely noticed a difference on fuel, power and torque - all good. It removed the turbo lag mentioned by other posters.
I met a gentleman on a campsite with the older Sedona who has a plug in unit. He said he'd noticed a similar effect with his vehicle. When I chatted with the technician who remapped our car, he explained that a lot of the units just increase fuel pressure and tend not to adjust other parameters properly.
I couldn't tell you if that's true or not, it could be a case of 'he would say that wouldn't he'. However, chuffed with the remap.
It has saved me some money as I might have changed the car otherwise.
PS. The guy who did our remap did it quite conservatively. He didn't go for maximum power but rather a more balanced approach. He said this would be better for the engine. His Volkswagen Transporter had been done and I think he said it had over 150k on the clock.
Quote: Originally posted by Bignose+jo on 05/10/2013
Hi Simon
We had a remap. I used a chap who was recommended by a friend who has had it done to his motor home to good effect.
Definitely noticed a difference on fuel, power and torque - all good. It removed the turbo lag mentioned by other posters.
I met a gentleman on a campsite with the older Sedona who has a plug in unit. He said he'd noticed a similar effect with his vehicle. When I chatted with the technician who remapped our car, he explained that a lot of the units just increase fuel pressure and tend not to adjust other parameters properly.
I couldn't tell you if that's true or not, it could be a case of 'he would say that wouldn't he'. However, chuffed with the remap.
It has saved me some money as I might have changed the car otherwise.
PS. The guy who did our remap did it quite conservatively. He didn't go for maximum power but rather a more balanced approach. He said this would be better for the engine. His Volkswagen Transporter had been done and I think he said it had over 150k on the clock.
hi, just curious how you are getting on with the Sedona, am looking to replace our older model with the newer one, (56 with 58k on the clock) but cautious about all the toys that are on them
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Topic: Kia Sedona
Posted a couple of weeks ago asking for a bit if advice about a suitable tow car. We won a caravan and have to change from our lovely Nissan Serena. Anyway, we've been looking at a Kia Sedona and I just wondered if you think it's a good choice. Can anyone offer any advice please? 
