Kia Sedona vs. Chrysler Pacifica: a Recent Recall Just Made the Choice for You

Kia’s recent recall concerns its already struggling Sedona. Is the Chrysler Pacifica the best alternative for a lightly used minivan?
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
A 2021 Kia Sedona minivan driving down the road.
At the end of January,
Kia
recalled over 400,000 vehicles from its 2017-2019 Kia Souls, Soul EVs, and Sedonas due to a defect that may prevent airbags from deploying. The
recall
could be what convinces you to forgo the Sedona for one of  Chrysler’s higher-performing minivans.
The only brand currently selling more than one minivan model, Chrysler has won back families after struggling to keep up with the competition for years. The Stellantis-owned automaker has dominated the market since releasing the latest generation of the Pacifica in 2017.
Kia’s airbag defect is just the latest problem for the Sedona. Poor ratings from critics and slumping sales convinced the brand to scrap the nameplate altogether for 2022, choosing instead to reveal the all-new Kia Carnival.
Jerry
looked a little deeper into the Sedona’s fate.

What’s wrong with the Kia Sedona?

No one wants to deal with the inconvenience of a recall. The repairs might be free, but they still require time out of your schedule to complete, and they can cause you to lose faith in a vehicle’s reliability. They also might make you think twice about buying it in the first place.
The recent recall of the Kia Sedona will likely do just that for some consumers, but it isn’t the only thing convincing families to go with other minivan models. 
Less than stellar grades from
Car and Driver
and
Consumer Reports
might’ve helped contribute to the Sedona lagging behind every other model sales-wise for the last decade.
Both sources say the latest model doesn’t accelerate or handle as well as its rival minivans and that its interior isn’t as flexible either. They also complain that Kia’s advanced safety features only come in the minivan for a hefty price.
MORE: Autotrader Says the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Is One of the Best Cars for Dog Lovers
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How the Chrysler Pacifica took back the minivan segment

The go-to family haulers in the ‘90s and ‘00s, minivans became less popular over the last decade as SUVs took over the job of school dropoffs and road trips. But the Sedona still has a few rivals vying for moms and dads, the most formidable being the Chrysler Pacifica.
Even as minivans trail in sales compared to other segments, the Pacifica has managed to fare pretty well because it does what a minivan should do: offer immense cargo space, comfort, safety, and entertainment for the kids while keeping gas bills low.
In every respect, Chrysler built the Pacifica with families in mind. 12 USB inputs keep everyone’s devices charged and accessible for long drives. An interior camera allows parents to keep an eye on the backseat. Plus, every trim can come as a hybrid to keep costs down.

Car insurance: another reason to buy a minivan

MORE: Buying a Car for Your Family? Here Are Some Top Picks
Minivans might not look as cool as the crossovers and SUVs filling the school parking lots lately, but will always do a better job of carrying your family wherever you go. Because that’s what they’re designed to do. They aren’t pretending to be for anything else. 
Insurance providers know this, and that’s why
car insurance
rates for minivans are lower on average than any other type of vehicle. But who you choose as your carrier still makes a big difference. That’s why shopping with Jerry can make such a big difference. 
Jerry will generate competitive quotes from over 50 top providers in less than a minute. Jerry also gathers your information from your past insurer, so you're not responsible for any long forms or phone calls. 
Basically, you get all of the savings and coverage, with none of the hassles.
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