From March 2010 issue

List price when tested: £24,295
Kerbweight: 2212kg*
85% match: 1880kg
Max towing weight: 2000kg
Towball limit: 85kg
30-60mph: 12.3seconds
30-0mph: 10.7m
*Maximum kerbweight quoted by Kia

THE KIA Sedona may not be the most sophisticated MPV, but it is one of the heaviest. Mix a high kerbweight, a healthy towing limit and a powerful diesel engine and you have the recipe for an impressive towcar.

With a few minor reservations, that’s what you get. Thanks to the 322lb.ft of torque the engine puts out, there’s little the Sedona isn’t strong enough to pull. The 2000kg towing limit keeps just about any tourer within reach. In fact, it’s the slightly disappointing 85kg noseweight limit which is likely to be the limiting factor in your choice of suitable matches.

In control throughout

Through the lane-change test, we would have liked more bite from the front tyres and less body roll, but the big Kia stayed in control of the caravan throughout. A hill start on a 1-in10 slope proved straightforward. The Sedona coped easily enough with the same gradient in reverse.

However, on our road route in heavy rain we found it all too easy to spin the front wheels. The Sedona may be fitted with traction control, but we found it rather slow to intervene.

The big Kia has plenty of space inside for all seven passengers, although the car’s length and width mean care is needed to drive the Sedona down narrow streets. The ride is mostly comfortable, although bigger bumps can be felt with a thump.

For such a large, roomy MPV the Sedona is keenly priced. However, resale values aren’t as healthy as those of many rivals, and fuel economy lags behind many other people carriers. You can expect 37.7mpg, according to official figures. However, towing a caravan around our economy route we could only manage 19.5mpg.

We say
Towing: 4/5
Solo: 3/5
Practicality: 4/5
Buying & owning: 3/5

Verdict: 4/5 – A big powerful MPV which tows well.

Find out more about this car at www.whatcar.com