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2017 Kia Sedona vs. 2017 Toyota Sienna

The minivan market is huge, and the Sedona and Sienna are easily two of the best vehicles you could purchase. They both offer plenty of space and features, but which one is right for you and your family? Our breakdown can help you decide.

Price

From housing to food to gas for the minivan you’re buying, every dollar saved on a car is a dollar that could be spent somewhere else. It’s understandable if you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars extra unless you absolutely have to. Both of these minivans are more expensive than a sedan, but the Kia Sedona is the cheaper of the two, with a starting MSRP of $26,800 for the basic L trim, according to the Kia website.

The 2017 Toyota Sienna is a little more expensive with a starting MSRP of $29,750 for the basic L trim, according to Toyota. That’s a difference of $2,950, which may not sound like much when you’re spending this much money to begin with. But it could equate to hundreds more on your monthly payments or a long-term loan compared to the Sedona. Is the extra cost worth it?

Fuel Economy

You don’t want to spend thousands on gas every year, and a minivan that gets good fuel economy means you have more money in your wallet. In this case, the Kia Sedona gets lower gas mileage with 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, while the Toyota Sienna gets 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

In the end, the difference isn’t that notable. You may not notice the three mileage difference while driving. However, if you spend most of your time driving on the freeway, it may be worth it to upgrade to the Sienna.  

Features

One of the best benefits of the Kia Sedona is that it feels a lot like a sedan in the cockpit. The third-row seats collapse to provide more cargo space, and you get plenty of features for your money including Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, USB connections, and satellite radio.

The Toyota Sienna seems like a better option if you want versatility. The refined ride quality gives it a confident feel from the driver seat, and the rear second-row seats have a broad range of adjustments. Plus, you have the option to upgrade to all-wheel drive, which provides much-needed traction during inclement weather.  

Safety

You want your family to be safe no matter where you’re going, so you need a vehicle with solid crash test ratings. The Kia Sedona is the safer of the two with an overall rating of five stars on both frontal and side crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It also received four out of five stars on the rollover test, and a frontal barrier crash test rating of five stars for both driver and passenger.

The Toyota Sienna received slightly lower scores. It received five stars for its side crash rating, but only four stars for the frontal crash and rollover tests. The frontal barrier crash test rating was also only four stars, with the driver’s side receiving five stars and the passenger side getting four.

Cargo Space

Cargo space is important so you can haul everything in one trip. By only a few inches, the Toyota Sienna is larger. The maximum cargo space of the Kia Sedona is 142 cubic-feet of space while the Sienna offers 150 cubic-feet, owing to the fact that the Sienna lets you take out the second-row seats.

Last Updated: December 12, 2018