Kia Sedona Receives Five-Star Safety Rating; NHTSA Bestows Highest Rating on New Minivan

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 30 -- The new Kia Sedona minivan has earned the federal government's highest safety rating for the driver and front- and rear-seat passengers in both frontal and side impact crash tests, according to information released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Sedona received a five-star rating in both frontal and side impact crash tests, an achievement equaled by only one other 2002 model-year minivan.

The frontal and side crash tests are part of NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that provides consumers with safety information about the two most dangerous injury-causing crashes.

NHTSA tested an all-new 2002 Kia Sedona LX in a 35-mph frontal impact into a fixed barrier, which is equivalent to a head-on collision between two similar vehicles each moving at 35 mph. In a separate test, NHTSA administered a side impact to another 2002 Kia Sedona in a test that is meant to simulate an intersection-type collision. In the test a 3,015-pound barrier moving at 38.5 mph is thrust into a standing vehicle. The barrier is covered with material that has ``give'' to simulate the front of a vehicle, which would behave in a similar manner during a crash. In both tests, the Sedona was given the highest rating.

``The five-star rating is a great achievement and a tremendous validation of Kia's engineering expertise,'' said Peter M. Butterfield, Kia's executive vice president and chief operating officer. ``With the highest safety rating, more standard features and a powerful V6 engine, the Sedona stands out as the best value in the minivan market.''

Since its launch in August 2001, the Sedona has been a hot-selling vehicle for Kia, with more than 15,000 units sold in 2001.

The front-wheel-drive Sedona continues Kia's tradition of well-built, high-value vehicles by including many features that equal or surpass the class leaders as well as an industry-leading 10-year or 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. The Sedona features a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 195 horsepower -- among the best in class -- backed by a sophisticated five-speed automatic transmission, marking the first time a minivan has offered a five- speed automatic.

The Sedona is available in two trim levels, the LX and EX, both offering a long list of standard features. A base LX is priced at $18,995 making it the lowest-priced import minivan, while the EX trim level starts at a base price of $20,995, with a fully-loaded EX topping off at $24,100.

Kia Motors America is the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea.