Two ways to move the family
It used to be that if you had a family, you drove a sedan. And then it was a wagon. My generation? We grew up with minivans.
Sure, they weren’t cool, at least not by traditional standards, but nothing was more practical.
And then, somewhere along the way, minivans became the mullet of the auto industry, with only a small group of folks brave enough to be seen with them in public. In their stead came crossovers of all shapes and sizes, which quickly earned the unofficial title as the next big thing in family haulers.
But are they really better suited for family life than minivans? To find out, we brought together the latest versions of the Kia Sedona and three-row Hyundai Santa Fe, two of the best in their respective segments.
Making the minivan’s case There may not be a better ambassador to represent the few remaining minivans on the market than the Kia Sedona. It’s not the most affordable out there — that title belongs to the rapidly aging Dodge Grand Caravan — but it easily offers the most bang for your buck.
Starting at a reasonable $27,995, the Sedona comes preloaded with some solid-if-not-spectacular standard features for that price, including cruise control, a backup camera and automatic headlights. Fully loaded models carry a price of $46,695, diminishing the Kia’s value proposition, but only slightly. Even at that price, the Sedona undercuts most of its top-trim competition by a fair amount but looks and feels just as impressive.
The tester we used for our comparison falls somewhere in the middle of the price spectrum, which is where you’ll find the Sedona’s sweet spot. For $36,695, it packs a nice amount of premium content inside and out without breaking the bank.
Countering with a crossover With all due respect to the likes of the larger — and pricier — Ford Explorer, there may not be a better three-row crossover on the market than the Hyundai Santa Fe XL. Its position at the top is only cemented by its competitive pricing.
Base models will set you back $32,199 in Canada, and, much like the Sedona, come fitted with few features to get excited about but enough to justify the price. And just like its counterpart from Kia, the Santa Fe XL can be optioned out to keep pace with the segment’s best — but it will set you back a few extra bucks. At $44,799, our tester falls closer to the top end of the Santa Fe’s pricing structure, which is where it starts to come into its own.
Room for the whole clan With a crossover like the Santa Fe XL, it’s all about space, something Hyundai’s largest offering delivers with ease. In the interest of fairness, we chose a seven-passenger version of the Santa Fe XL to go up against the Sedona, but second-row captain’s chairs are available.
Regardless of seating arrangements, legroom in the Santa Fe’s second row offers an impressive amount of space, with a maximum of 1,026 millimetres. On paper, the Sedona’s second row provides a comparable 1,031 mm but feels like much more.
It’s only in the third row where the Sedona’s passenger space stands out from the Santa Fe’s, both on paper and in practice, with 884 mm of legroom compared with 785 mm. The third row in the Sedona is also easier to access than in the Santa Fe and is usable for more than just emergency situations.
Space reigns supreme It’s when it comes to hauling cargo that the Sedona packs its biggest advantage. Open the tailgate, and cargo room is a respectable 960 litres, thanks to a deep floor well needed to stow the third row of seats. Tuck away the third row and space grows to 2,220 L, which is almost the same as the Santa Fe with both rows out of the way, while removing the second row of seats provides a maximum of 4,021 L of space.
Cargo room in the Santa Fe is respectable for a three-row crossover, but it can’t come anywhere near matching the likes of a minivan. Space with all three rows of seats upright sits at a paltry 382 L, which is less than the average subcompact hatchback, but it does have enough room for day-to-day jobs like a trip to the grocery store. Tumble the third row into the floor and the Santa Fe offers 1,158 L of space, which is more than enough room for a trip to Costco. Fold the second row and cargo room swells to 2,265 L.
When it comes to towing, both do reasonable jobs. The Santa Fe is rated to tow as much as 2,268 kilograms, which is a lot for a crossover, while the Sedona is good for 1,588 kg.
Plenty of premium features On the comfort and convenience side, both the Sedona and Santa Fe are available with just about everything you’d want in a family hauler this side of a rear-seat entertainment system.
Our Sedona featured heated and ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats, as well as tri-zone automatic climate control and a touchscreen infotainment system that has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
It also features an attractive twotone leather upholstery that’s easy to clean in the event of an inevitable spill, and a power tailgate and power sliding doors that make great companions for families, providing hassle-free access when it’s time to strap the kids into their car seats.
It’s much the same story in the Santa Fe, with our tester decked out with almost identical features and the added bonus of a panoramic sunroof. The infotainment system features Android Auto compatibility, though Hyundai hasn’t yet worked out the details to include Apple CarPlay.
On the safety side, practically all the features you could want are available in both vehicles, including adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking systems.
Same powertrain, different drive As Hyundai and Kia are sister brands, much is shared between them — including the 3.3-litre V6 that powers both.
Mated to the same six-speed automatic transmission, engine response is smooth and linear, with plenty of power and reasonable fuel economy.
And while both are pretty easy to live with for commuting duty or a longer road trip, the Sedona seems to drive just that much better than the Santa Fe XL.
It’s much smoother and it doesn’t feel like it’s hauling around all the extra sheet metal and glass.
The engine also feels snappier in the Sedona, with a better throttle response and a sense of more power on tap.
By the same token, the minivan feels lighter, despite weighing as much as 2,113 kg, compared with the XL’s 1,904 kg.
The term “minivan” is a little misleading because the Sedona is pretty big. It stretches more than five metres long (5,182 mm), which is about the size of a Mercedes-Benz S-class, but it drives a lot smaller than its size.
Much of the credit goes to the power-steering system, which cuts down on the van’s perceived mass, especially at low speeds, but it can feel a little too loose at higher speeds.
None of that is to say the Santa Fe drives poorly; quite the contrary. It does a lot well and provides a more car-like ride than some of its competitors. And it can be had with allwheel drive, something not available on the Sedona.
The verdict When it comes to finding a new family hauler, the market is flooded with choice, with plenty of crossovers to pick from — and a few minivans and wagons still kicking around. So which would I choose? Sure, the Sedona doesn’t offer allwheel drive like the Santa Fe and it can’t tow as much, but it’s roomier, more versatile and offers a smooth, car-like ride.
It may not be the coolest thing out there, but there’s still nothing more practical than a minivan.