Boston.com's view

Yesterday in this space, we got an early look at where Kia will take us next in its attempt to climb the quality and content ladder-an upcoming SUV called the Sorento.

An earlier entry in this same effort, and one available now, is Kia’s offering in the minivan market, the 2002 Kia Sedona, available in LX and the higher end EX editions.

As has worked for Asian importers in the past, Kia steps to the plate with lots of standard content at a cheap price. The base model LX, for example, starts at $19,950, a price that includes power-tilt steering wheel, power driver seat, dual sliding doors, a real spare tire, power locks and windows, cruise control, power door locks, dual front air bags, and even a locking drawer beneath the driver’s seat. It has twin seats up front, and bench seats at the middle and rear.

The top of the line EX, as tested, starts at just $1,000 more and as add-ons include chrome accents, aluminum wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, outside mirror defoggers, wood-grain interior appointments, a roof rack, and captain’s chairs for second-row seating.

Both are powered by a 3.5-liter, DOHC, 24-valve, V-6 engine that produces a reasonable 195 horsepower.

In the test model, the leather seats were an extra $850, the sunroof was $595, and ABS brakes were $595. If you don’t have the $595 each for sunroof and ABS, go with the ABS in favor of safe stopping over soothing sunlight.

Inside, from the spacious, chairlike captain’s seats both front and center, to the folding, split bench seat at the rear, passenger room is very spacious-all that while allowing good cargo space behind the third row of seats.

That third row tumbles forward for more cargo space, and both the middle and last rows can be removed (out easily, in with some struggle) for big hauling jobs. Interior appointments are superb for a car at this price: burl-wood trim on the front door armrests and around the center dash console; good quality leather on seats and steering wheel; a pop-up lid storage bin at center dash to complement dual glove boxes (a thin, documents box up top and larger goodies bin below); a rubber-lined, low-centerdash bin for a cellphone with adjacent adapter; and a nifty folding table between the front seats that can be lowered for access to the rear (“If you kids don’t quiet down, I’m comin’ back there!”)

Access is easy all around, with big front doors, large sliding side doors, and a rear lid that snaps up with startling strength and speed.

If there’s a drawback to this car, it is its weight-nearly2½tons. That’s big SUVlike heft. It comes because, presumably to cut costs, Kia did not turn to lightweight materials common in other cars. Iron is found in the engine block and suspension; steel can be found in its rails, engine cradle, gas tank and rear beam axle.

That cuts down on fuel performance (just under 20 miles per gallon as tested), and certainly cuts down on acceler ation. On the other hand, I’ve never been a fan of those who think their minivans are supposed to be the fastest away from a stoplight or, particularly, those who think rapid passing with a van full of kids is an intelligent idea.

Holding up this weight is a suspension system that includes independent struts with control arms, coil springs, and antiroll bar up front.

In the rear, there is that rigid axle with four trailing links, coil springs, and antiroll bar.

The engine, coupled with a .ve-speed automatic transmission, moves the Sedona solidly, if not particularly swiftly, through traf.c. Underway on the highway, it cruises surely and with easy, solid power. It does not have the expansive, sure feel of a Honda Odyssey (nothing else does right now, either), yet it felt quite stable in sensible lane changes and reasonable cornering on sharper back roads.

Hard braking caused very little nose dive, though I think that without ABS, there might be a tenden y for the rear to swing out as the weight of the up-front engine and front-wheel-drive gear bore down in the weight shift that accompanies braking.

One drawback for Kia in theNewEngland market could be that traction control is not available on the Sedona.

Kia is still fighting a public image of poor quality, but as more and more people drive good cars such as the Sedona at these lower-than-market prices-and as Kia continues to back its cars with 100,000-mile warranties-they will realize Kia is building much better cars than in the past.

After all, it’s not unlike the transition that worked for Toyota.

2002 Kia Sedona EX

Base price: $20,995

Price as tested: $23,930

Horsepower: 195

Torque: 218 lb.-ft.

Wheelbase: 114.6 inches

Overall length: 194.1 inches

Width: 74.6 inches

Height: 69.3 inches

Curb weight: 4,862 lbs.

Seating: 7 passengers

Fuel economy: 19.3 miles per gallon

Source: Kia Motors America; fuel economy from Globe testing.

Nice touch

Amid all the dual glove boxes, dash bins, and other storage areas, I most liked the dual slots built into the front door panels. A smaller one up top for coins, pens, tokens, and other small items; a larger, door-length bin below for maps, magazines, and larger goodies.

Annoyance

The confusing jumble of controls on either side of the central control panel: defroster, inside lights, cruise control, fog lights, rear heat activator, rear heat air flow-all arranged in no discernible pattern.