Kia Sedona

“The Sedona isn’t pretty, but family buyers shouldn’t be put off by its looks because nothing can rival the big Kia when it comes to space and equipment.” Trade Insider

That’s four for the big Kia! The Sedona has won a quartet of titles in our Used Car Honours, and its top-place finish was never in any serious doubt this year.

The market for full-sized people carriers is in decline, partly down to the latest crop of excellent seven-seat compact models. But, if you need a large MPV, the Kia delivers most metal for your money.
It comes with a choice of only two engines, but while the 2.5-litre V6 is cheaper, 26mpg makes it an expensive car to run. In reality, there’s only one option to go for and that’s the 143bhp 2.9 CRDi
oil-burner, which is robust and responsive. There’s even an automatic option over the awkward manual, and you’ll pay only around £500 more for the self-shifter.

Go for SE trim and there’s standard leather trim, while the range-topping LE features sat-nav and parking sensors. Even base variants come with loads of standard kit and more interior space than rivals.

The driving experience isn’t anything special, but soft suspension delivers good comfort. Running costs are low for such a big car, with service intervals of 10,000 miles or 12 months on post-2002 models (it’s every 9,000 miles on earlier versions).

Finding a decent example is likely to get even easier during this year thanks to declining residuals – the smart all-new model is bound to affect resale values of the late examples – and the launch of Kia’s revised approved used car scheme.

The excellent dealer network continues to grow, too, so the ownership experience once you’ve made your choice shouldn’t pose too many headaches, either.
 

Commended: Citroen C8

2002 to present

More common than its Fiat Ulysse and Peugeot 807 brothers on account of Citroen’s cut-price new car offers, the C8 is a fine full-sized MPV. It doesn’t represent the huge value of the Kia, and can’t match its Renault rival for flair, but practical sliding rear doors, a spacious cabin and generous standard kit levels all make it a good choice.

Commended: Renault Espace

2003 to present

The car that started the whole MPV craze in the Eighties has evolved into the most luxurious offering in the sector – and its premium prices reflect that. Smart exterior styling and sci-fi interior set it apart from rivals, while strong diesels provide decent performance – especially the torquey 3.0 dCi. The even bigger Grand Espace commands a £700 premium over standard models.