January 31, 2002

2002 Kia Sedona receives five-star crash rating

Irvine, California - The recently-introduced Kia Sedona minivan has earned the U.S. federal government's highest safety rating for the driver and front- and rear-seat passengers in both frontal and side impact crash tests, according to information released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) yesterday.

The Sedona received a five-star rating in both frontal and side impact crash tests, an achievement matched by only one other 2002 model-year minivan, the Ford Windstar equipped with side airbags.

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The NHTSA tested a 2002 Kia Sedona LX in a 35-mph frontal impact into a fixed barrier, which is equivalent to a head-on collision between two similar vehicles each moving at 35 mph. In a separate test, NHTSA administered a side impact to another 2002 Kia Sedona in a test that is meant to simulate an intersection-type collision. In the test a 3,015-pound barrier moving at 38.5 mph is thrust into a standing vehicle. The barrier is covered with material that has "give" to simulate the front of a vehicle, which would behave in a similar manner during a crash. In both tests, the Sedona was given the highest rating.

"The five-star rating is a great achievement and a tremendous validation of Kia's engineering expertise," said Peter M. Butterfield, Kia's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "With the highest safety rating, more standard features and a powerful V6 engine, the Sedona stands out as the best value in the minivan market."

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