Kia builds a hot, new contender in the impressive minivan sector
There were a lot of years, over the past two decades, when the United States automotive customers desperately needed a new and different minivan. I’m not sure that this is exactly the best time for that, but we don’t always get to choose the best time.
In all those years when the only really popular and successful minivans were made by Chrysler Corporation, other manufacturers couldn’t seem to dent the Caravan/Voyager tandem. But in the last few years, Ford and General Motors have improved their contenders in that category, and Nissan, Toyota and finally Honda have come out with exceptional minivans, while Chrysler has also improved its gold standard in the field.
So right now, while a lot of minivan customers are going off in search of sport-utility vehicles, along comes Kia with the Sedona. Yes, Kia, a South Korean manufacturer, is shaking off the close-but-not-quite image of Korean auto-builders and sending off some very competent vehicles to the U.S. market. The Sedona might be the best example.
If there were no such thing as a minivan, and you were going to design one from the tires up, consider what you would want to include:
Compact size, maybe between the Caravan and the Grand Caravan, so let’s say 194.1 inches, with a wheelbase of 114.6, just over an inch longer than Caravan’s.
Good power but don’t overlook gas mileage, so we can go with a V6, but let’s make it a big one, at about 3.5 liters, and jazz it up, say, with dual-overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Because a lot of driving has to be done in the snow-belt, and because it has advantages in a long, flat floor as well as improved traction, we’ll put front-wheel-drive in the thing. That could put out 195 horsepower, and still could achieve 20 miles per gallon.
Innovative transmission, because a three-speed is no longer good enough, and a four-speed isn’t quite right, either. So let’s put in a five-speed automatic, even though no other current minivan has such a thing.
Three rows of seats inside, preferably two rows of buckets that fold down and flip out of the way, with a rear bench seat that also folds down. For convenience, the four buckets all recline, so let’s have the rear bench recline, too, and all of them can slide fore and aft as well as being removed. The front buckets, incidentally, should have eight-way power with a lumbar support, and 4-way power for the passenger seat.
Maximum access, so we want a good, high-lifting tailgate, and we also want side sliding doors, but definitely two of them, one on each side.
Safety is more and more important, so we want to make the Sedona solid, with a steel, unibody platform, large (10.87-inch) front discs, and make antilock an option. MacPherson struts are tried and true for suspension, so we’ll put that up front, with coil springs all around, and stabilizer bars both front and rear for handling. So while it will go, handle and stop, it also is strong enough to get a five-star rating in crash-testing by the U.S. government.
Price is also a major factor, so let’s make it inexpensive — a base price of under $20,000 and a top-line, loaded model for under $24,000. And, prices being what they are these days in the industry, the warranty matters, so give it the best you’ve ever heard of — 10-years, or 100,000 miles, just to prove you believe in its durability.
We want goodies, too. Plastic wood is OK, if you insist, but let’s make sure there are dual heat-air vents, front and rear, and a great stereo system, plus cupholders and cubbyholes — lots of them. Throw in not one, but two glove compartments, one right above the other; an extra storage drawer under the front passenger seat, and a center-dash pull-out cupholder and storage bin, plus a neat little goodie tray with a pop-up cover up on top of the dash, where it’s usually just wasted space.
Believe it or not, Kia set out to accomplish those tasks, and made it. The Sedona I drove was surprisingly quick, the benefit of the big V6 and the dual-overhead-cam power. The 5-speed transmission also puts you in the right gear without as much overlap, working or hunting. And the comfort and convenience also is surprisingly good.
Standard equipment on both the LX and EX includes three power plug-ins, front, rear and in the rear storage area, plus power windows, mirrors, door locks, dual air-conditioning, and map lights in the overhead console, plus reading lights in the second and third rows of seats, courtesy lights in the doors, which are a nice touch, and a light in the rear cargo area, but with an on-off switch, so you don’t have to leave the light on. Cruise control, full instruments including a tachometer, electric rear defroster, tilt steering column, and variable wipers front and rear.
I test-drove an EX model, which is the upgrade from the basic LX. When you move up to the EX, you get an upgraded audio system with a CD player on top of the AM-FM-cassette unit, and a couple of added speakers.
The EX also has standard roof rack and front foglights, and privacy side glass.
On the option list, the test vehicle had antilock brakes for $595, leather covering on the seats for $850, a power tilt and opening sunroof for $575, and two-tone paint for $195.
That ran the sticker price from $20,995 for the EX up to a total of $23,805 including destination.
That is a tremendous bargain, especially these days. And when you figure you could eliminate some of those options, or back off to the LX model, and be UNDER $20,000, and still get the same engine, transmission, suspension and warranty, we’re talking a major bargain.
I called Kia of Duluth, where the Sedona can be obtained for 0-percent interest on a 36-month loan, but I couldn’t get through to the sales manager, because he was too busy. That may be a good sign. A salesman told me the new Sedona, which just hit the marketplace a couple of months ago, is selling well, fitting in with the Spectra sedan and the Sportage compact SUV. I explained I was writing a column and has test-driven a Sedona, and was very impressed, which was just enough ammunition for the car-salesman.
“So,” he said, “ya wanna buy one, or what?”
Satellite radio should make Cadillac DeVille perfectly receptive
How much would you pay for the all-time trick car radio?
We know people who have paid $5,000 or even $10,000 to install a high-output, neighborhood-shaking audio system that is guaranteed to offend everyone outside their vehicle but who are subjected to the sidewalk tremors from 500 watts of bass. And we can think of dozens of high-tech shops where you can go to have such systems installed, as well as several attorneys who can defend you in disturbing-the-peace litigation.
But I’m not talking about that kind of high-tech audio. I’m talking just about the most futuristic radio system you’ve ever imagined. Think about it. You’re going for a drive, say from Minnesota to Chicago, or to Colorado, or anywhere outside your preferred preset radio-station range. Don’t you hate it when your favorite music station, or public radio station, or morning sports talk-radio show fades to static, and then away altogether?
Of course you do. Then you’re in a faraway city and you spend two or three days scanning and searching to see if you can find a compatible station.
So, how much would you pay to get a radio that would take care of all that?
Would you pay $55,000?
Probably not. But maybe, if you could afford it, you would spend $55,000 for just such a radio system if you could get it wrapped inside a high-tech, contemporary luxury sedan.
I must say, when a 2002 Cadillac DeVille DTS showed up as a test-drive vehicle, I was planning on test-driving the car, not necessarily the audio system. Of course, every car I drive gets its audio system tried out thoroughly and evaluated. You might recall that last weekend I test-drove a new BMW 745, and made particular note of the fact that it took me about four days to figure out how to turn on and tune the radio.
The DeVille DTS has a new XM Satellite radio, with 100 channels of coast-to-coast digital sound available. Using it is easy, but trying to decide what to listen to is more challenging, when you have cleaer access to 100 unique stations.
First of all, the audio system was impressive, with a Bose AM-FM-cassette and CD player, and eight speakers distributing the rich, full tones from the Bose. That is standard equipment on the DTS.
But a $295 option is the XM Satellite radio. You turn it on, and you can program in the local stations if you want. But we took the car on a trip from Duluth to Hibbing, and back. Driving from Hibbing to Duluth, we experimented. There were various specialty music stations, and sports stations, and there were a whole bunch of television-oriented programs, such as the CNN station, and the Discovery station.
Because we were coming back at around midnight, I was tired. Not so tired as to yield the driving duties, because I have strong feelings against driving when you’re too tired. But I was tired from a long day, and I knew I’d be better off if we could find some sort of stimulating stuff on the radio.
We found a comedy network, one of several available. We drove back laughing pretty steadily at various comedians, from nameless new ones who were funny, to risque ones who were still funny, to old reliables, such as Bob Newhart.
I realized that I have strong feelings about driving while listening to the radio, but I’d have to alter my theory. I think listening to a ball game, or a good hockey game, is a great way to go on a trip, because you follow it, even casually, and you find that two or three hours have flashed by while you were paying attention to the radio broadcast.
Good music also works, and I prefer stuff with good words, maybe thought-provoking. I also think that hard rock music, with a constant, throbbing beat, can fatigue you more then inspire you, even if it’s hard rock that you greatly enjoy.
But the humor station was a new favorite. You can get tapes or discs of various comedians, but they get very old, very quickly. To listen to new and different and spontaneous choices of comedians on a station that never fades or threatens to turn to static, the hour and a half flew by, and soon we were cruising over the hill and into Duluth.
What’s going on is a lot of music and other entertainment is being beamed up to satellites, and the newest radios with this XM Satellite system can pick up the relayed signals, so you get constant, clear sound all the time.
At $295, the radio is a bargain. And you can find satellite radios now in aftermarket shops. But in the DeVille DTS sedan, the sticker is $55,140.
However, you have to concede that there’s a lot of car available at that price. A 4.6-liter, dual overhead cam V8, and a 4-speed automatic gets the power down swiftly. Firm suspension with quick, agile steering and a Stabilitrak chassis system and all-speed traction control enhances the feeling of command.
Added performance features include 17-inch aluminum wheels, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, rain-sensing wipers, a power massaging lumbar support, airbags all around you, 10-way power adjusting seats, and heated seats both front and rear, put the DeVille up there against the most luxurious competitors.
Zebrano wood trim and leather seats further distinguish the DTS, and an electronic compass in the mirror is a nice touch.
Beyond that standard equipment, which includes the 300-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine, DTS options beyond the XM Satellite radio include rear airbags, chrome wheels, an express-open sunroof, and three special items — OnStar, Night Vision, and Ultrasonic rear parking assist.
OnStar is unexcelled as a navigation system, because it puts you in voice contact with folks manning global positioning system computers that can tell you precisely where you are and advise you of where you want to go.
The Ultrasonic rear parking assist is something I first tested on a BMW 7-Series sedan about 10 years ago, but it is an exceptional item. There are little sensors imbedded in your rear bumper, and as you back up, when you get closer and closer to an object, you hear a beep, which then becomes beep-beep-beep, in closer and closer order as you get closer to the object. Very helpful for parking, or for pulling up to your garage door and being unaware of an item you might have left in the driveway.
As for the Night Vision, that started out as a unique Cadillac item. It consists of an infrared camera lens located in the circular emblem in the middle of the grille. It shoots out ahead of you — way ahead of where your headlights can reach — and detects anything that might emit warmth, such as a pedestrian, or a deer, or an engine or transmission of a car. The image is relayed, like a negative, light on dark through a screen that can be positioned on your windshield. You can heighten the contrast and brightness, and the location, including moving it off the windshield or up right near your normal line of vision.
If the Cadillac DeVille DTS was not a good car, the gimmicks and gadgets would make it an interesting choice for a buyer who could afford it. But the DTS is an outstanding car. I like its new design, which came out a year ago. It has a sleek look to it that actually makes the Eldorado and Seville look a bit dated — especially with the new CTS model out looking so futuristic. The DeVille DTS is a front-wheel-drive luxury sedan, with enormous room, that goes swiftly, handles with great precision, and now, with items like Night Vision, OnStar and the XM Satellite radio system, it goes to the head of the class in usable gadgets.
Bulldogs big-play opener puts Mankato on the Fritz, 23-18
Whether you call it “putting on the Fritz,” or “Touchdowns in the Mist,” a record-shattering performance by sophomore quarterback Ricky Fritz ignited UMD to a 23-18 victory over Minnesota-State Mankato Saturday before 3,181 fans at Griggs Field.
UMD, wearing new maroon helmets, reversed the trend of having suffered early-season losses to Minnesota State-Mankato each of the past four years, and may indicate that coach Bob Nielson’s rebuilding job is ahead of schedule. Nielson, starting his second season, had the Bulldogs well-prepared to spring the prestigious upset for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
The Northern Sun allows only about half the football scholarships of NCC colleges, so it was no surprise UMD had lost its last 12 starts against Minnesota’s two NCC entries, Minnesota State-Mankato and St. Cloud State — this weekend’s Bulldog foe at Griggs Field.
Fritz picked up right where he left off last season, running a varied-look offense by accumulating 319 total yards, a UMD single-game record. The only criticism of Fritz was that he was too impatient — so impatient that he did most of his damage on the first play after the ‘Dogs gained possession, including 47- and 88-yard touchdown passes to Chris Walker, a freshman from Waukesha, Wis.
Although it took him nearly 10 months to do it, Fritz established a possibly unreachable successive-game record for total yards. Last season, when the Bulldogs sputtered to a meager 3-8 record, Fritz concluded his freshman term with a school record 306 total yards against Winona State.
Saturday night, in his next opportunity, the former Eden Prairie broke his one-game-old record with 294 yards on an 11-21 night passing, plus 25 more yards on 10 carries.
The victory required a total team effort, as the defense came through repeatedly in the second half, when the ever-increasing mist blew in hard off Lake Superior and led to several fumbles.
“I’m really proud of our kids,” said Nielson. “I think we showed the people of this community that we’ve got our pride back. I thought we lacked that last year. I could tell we had some confidence from hearing the guys talk this week. I think the people saw tonight the kind of offense we’re going to have. We’re going to make some big plays.”
On defense, freshman Shaun Fisher, from Milltown, Wis., led UMD with six unassisted tackles from free safety, and junior strong safety Kevin Westbrock had four unassisted and 10 assisted tackles.
But the whole unit contributed to a bend-but-don’t-break form that prevented the Mavericks from matching UMD’s big-play offense, despite yielding a 20-14 edge in first downs and 121-57 in rushing yards. Fritz outgained Mankato’s Ryan Dutton and spot-reliever Andrew Shea 294-146 in passing yards.
A pair of seniors collaborated for a pivotal turnover in the first quarter, as Justin Hipple’s solid hit jarred a fumble loose and Jimmy Malo recovered it at the Mankato 47. On first down, Fritz rolled left and passed back across his body to Walker, who sped up the left sideline for the 47-yard touchdown. Chad Gerlach’s kick gave the ‘Dogs a 7-0 lead.
The Mavericks countered when Dutton merely gave the ball to T.J. Schraufnagel, who carried on 15 of 19 plays on a 70-yard drive, including the final rush, from the 2, early in the second quarter. But the tying kick missed, and the Bulldogs still led 7-6.
After the ensuing kickoff, Fritz again ignited UMD with a first-play pass, this time a 41-yarder up the right sideline to Cloquet freshman Tim Battaglia, setting up Gerlach’s 28-yard field goal for a 10-6 lead.
But the chance to come undone availed itself later in the second quarter. Troy Gago mishandled a Mankato punt and Colin Bryant recovered for Mankato at the UMD 16. On first down, as if to provide a grim reminder of last season, the defense sagged, and Schraufnagel tore off right tackle for an easy 16-yard touchdown. But any similarity to last year vanished when the Bulldogs snapped back into focus and prevented Schraufnagel, a 6-2, 220-pound sophomore who carried 33 times for 108 yards, from any other runs as long as that 16-yarder.
“One of the toughest things to do in this weather was handle punts,” said Nielson. “I’m not sure we would’ve gotten any guys to volunteer to field punts tonight.”
The Bulldogs held their poise in the second half, and erased the 12-10 halftime deficit after receiving a punt at their 12 midway through the third quarter. With the wind at his back, Fritz launched a high, hard one on first down and Walker ran under it, tipping it away from the deepest two Maverick defenders before grabbing it and running away for the 88-yard touchdown and a 16-12 UMD lead.
The Bulldog defense stopped the Mavericks on downs at the UMD 31 late in the third quarter, and Fritz worked his magic yet again, firing a first-play, 33-yard pass to Steve Battaglia, the sophomore half of the Cloquet receiving brother tandem. Moments later, he found freshman Tim Battaglia for a 25-yard pass on fourth down and four that put the ball on Mankato’s 5, and Erik Conner scored from the 1 on the first play of the fourth quarter.
That made it 23-12, but the Bulldog defense had to come up with some big plays to hold the lead.
Cash Langeness, a freshman from Luck, Wis., intercepted a Dutton pass at the 39 to stop one series, but there was still time to crack. With five minutes left, Mankato’s Lubin Joseph recovered a low, slithering snap on a UMD punt attempt at the 21, and this time the Mavericks capitalized when Shea’s only completion, on third and 9, produced a 20-yard touchdown to Dan Weldon with 4:01 remaining.
“We had a couple kicking-game screw-ups that cost us touchdowns, but for the first game, we limited the amount of our mistakes, and we did a great job defensively. The big thing was we put them in a position where they couldn’t just run the football, and our defense stepped up for a couple of big series.”
True, UMD might have won more convincingly with tighter special-team execution, because two of the three Maverick touchdowns were the result of special-team turnovers. But at 23-18, the Bulldogs offense avoided turnovers, and the defense came up with key stops, ultimately holding the Mavericks on downs with 39 seconds left. One play later, the coach didn’t have to ask for volunteers to stream off the bench to celebrate a successful season opener.
Scuba diver, fish mingle at aquarium
A giant sturgeon seemed unimpressed at Saturday’s Great Lakes Aquarium opening by the invasion of a Scuba diver in the two-story Lake Superior fish tank that featured dozens of lake trout, salmon and other fish.
What does the backside look like?
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
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