

Toyota Highlander Brand Reputation: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2009 | 4dr SUV 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD |
Toyotas are reputed to be bulletproof and that was our experience with a 1994 Previa minivan see full Toyota Highlander review |
2007 | 4dr SUV 208-horsepower 3.3L V6 Hybrid CVT FWD |
This is my 3rd Toyota/Lexus. What else can I say, they are great cars/appliances. Although not a styling icon, Toyota/Lexus knows how to build what most people want/need in a reliable good quality vehicle. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2006 | 4dr SUV 208-horsepower 3.3L V6 Hybrid CVT AWD |
Previous Toyota SUV lasted 25+ years with great performance and low maintenance. The new vehicle was the first affordable hybrid SUV available to the public. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2006 | 4dr SUV 215-horsepower 3.3L V6 5-speed automatic FWD |
Not much to say, Toyota has made great products. So many people I talk to discuss the fact that they have over 150K miles of maintenance only repairs. see full Toyota Highlander review |
2004 | 4dr SUV 230-horsepower 3.3L V6 5-speed automatic FWD |
Well...up until the issues with cars accelerating on their own their reputation was untarnished. Still...very few cars exhibit this trait so I still would buy another one. see full Toyota Highlander review |
Kia Sedona Brand Reputation: Cons | ||
Year | Comment | |
There aren't any strong reasons not to buy the Sedona. Yet when a friend recently bought a minivan his wife wouldn't even look at the Kia. Why not? Because it's a Kia. Some bases for this prejudice remain. Past Sedonas haven't been nearly as reliable as a Sienna or an Odyssey. Plus many Kia dealers have been with the company since its less illustrious days. Their showrooms can be small and shabby (though some newer ones are anything but), and they developed a culture that focused on buyers most other auto makers would not loan money to. I recently stopped into a Kia dealer to research how the seats operate in a lower level Sedona--and was kicked out. I'd folded and unfolded the seats a couple of times, and was in the driver seat when the sales manager informed me: "We're going to be showing this van soon, and can't have you slamming stuff around in here. So I'm going to have to ask you to leave." I've been visiting car dealers to gather information for my reviews for over 15 years. The great majority have been very helpful. This is the first time I've been bounced from one. Maybe the manager didn't have faith that the seat mechanisms could withstand a couple of folding and unfolding cycles? Whatever the manager's motivation--I still can't believe it happened--that dealer isn't doing much to improve Kia's image. see full Kia Sedona review |
Kia Sedona Brand Reputation: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2009 | 4dr Minivan, ext. 250-horsepower 3.8L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
It says "Kia" on it, and people still think that Kia means "unreliable" - Wife and I love driving the thing. see full Kia Sedona review |
2006 | 4dr Minivan, ext. 244-horsepower 3.8L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Sedona and Kia have a reputation for low cost but also low brand image for quality. I think they have made great strides on the quality side and in improving the overall designs in the latest models see full Kia Sedona review |