Kia confirms redesigned Sedona for New York show

WASHINGTON -- Kia today confirmed it will show a redesigned Sedona minivan next week at the New York auto show.The Sedona will ride on a new chassis and be powered by 3.3-liter direct injection V-6 engine, Kia says. The vehicle, which Kia calls a “midsize multi-purpose vehicle,” will also feature an updated version of Kia’s UVO infotainment and telematics system as well as additional advanced safety features.“With several new eServices features, the 2015 Sedona is designed to be the perfect companion for any lifestyle and accommodate any adventure on the road,” Kia said in a statement.The redesigned Sedona is expected to go on sale in the second half of this year.Kia phased out the Sedona in 2012 but returned the vehicle to its lineup last year. Sales through the first three months of 2014 totaled 1,539 units, vs. 555 a year earlier.Industrywide, minivan sales are nearly half of peak volumes at the turn of the century. Yet Kia has long had eyes for the segment. At the 2011 Detroit auto show, it revealed the KV7 concept, a sleek people mover with gull-wing doors, swiveling seats and a rear corner “lounge” area.No formal presserWhile the redesigned Sedona will be on displayed at the New York auto show, Kia has no formal press conference scheduled during media days on Tuesday or Wednesday next week. Instead, Kia will debut the car during the Monday morning broadcast of ABC’s “Live with Kelly and Michael” morning show, according to a New York auto show spokesman. Other vehicles with global or North American debuts planned for the New York auto show will appear on “Live” throughout the week, the spokesman said.“We think that this is a product that is going to defy convention in the segment and potentially eliminate some preconceived notions that people have of the segment,” Kia spokesman Scott McKee said.The show’s audience of young parents and empty-nesters are key buyer groups of the minivan segment, McKee said, adding that the reveal on “Live” is part of a broader, non-traditional launch strategy.“Reaching that audience is more important to us than following a traditional or expected strategy.”

Kia confirms redesigned Sedona for New York show

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