Car Mini-van Comparisons: 2010

Remove the badges and you'd struggle to tell these two minivans apart. Both are the conventional single box, sloped hood design with seating for seven and a capacious load area. Each has a V6 of around 3.6 liters displacement mated to a five speed automatic transmission and capable of delivering almost 250 hp and close to 250 foot pounds of torque. Gas mileage, at 16 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway, is identical, which is to be expected since both vehicles weigh in at just over two tons. What's more, both have the full complement of safety gear that you'd expect in a modern vehicle, especially one built to haul families.

So why does the base Odyssey list for about the same as the top of the line Sedona? (That's $26,805 for the entry-level Honda versus $28,495 for the loaded Kia.)

There are some subtle differences. The Honda has a slightly smaller turning circle and provides a little more cargo area behind the third row seating. Fit and finish is perhaps a little better and the overall interior appearance is neater with a more upscale design look. But the Kia comes with a ten year powertrain warranty while the Honda has an equivalent of 5 years or 60,000 miles. Does this mean the Honda lacks the reliability of its Korean competitor? Probably not, in fact Hondas have an excellent reputation for trouble-free ownership.

The base Kia, at just over $21,000 has a shorter wheelbase than the LX and EX versions, while the Honda comes in only one size but four trim levels, LX, EX, EX-L and Touring. The Touring version, it must be said, is gorgeous, loaded up with leather and every toy you could desire. But at over $40,000 it's definitely aimed at the well-heeled family man or woman.

On the road, the Honda handles crisply: it feels light and controllable, not what you'd expect from a minivan. The Sedona, in contrast is a little heavy and well, van-like. If you take the view that you buy a minivan for its ability to haul kids and their stuff, then perhaps precise handling is less important than value for money. But if you value a premium driving feel, the Odyssey might be a better choice.Driveway perception matters to many minivan owners and the Odyssey impresses the neighbors in a way the Sedona never will (assuming they can tell the difference.) The Honda has a golden reputation for quality and engineering excellence while Kia, rightly or wrongly, is still saddled with a budget image. Resale values reflect the perceived status: Odyssey owners are unfamiliar with the concept of depreciation while Kia values tend to drop much like a stone. Given the excellent value for money proposition of the Sedona, that may be unfair, and over time the Kia's residuals may improve, but for now the Odyssey is probably going to deliver a lower total cost of ownership than its up-and-coming competitor