They say that timing is everything, and in the case of the minivan segment, it couldn’t be any better for Kia.
Just as the Koreans are set to roll out the fully-redesigned Sedona MPV, Chrysler have announced that they will no longer be producing the Dodge Caravan (from 2016).
This news may come as a surprise to many, as the Caravan has always been one of the best-selling models for Dodge.
They averaged 10,000 units per month last year, and have already moved 45,000 units through April of this year.
Despite those figures, FCA, the new parent company of Chrysler, has decided that the time has come to call it quits on the ever-popular minivan.
Dodge Sold 20 Times As Many Minivans As Kia In 2014
The huge gap that is sure to be left by the departure of the Caravan is one that Kia will be very keen to fill.
To put it in perspective, Kia sold 627 units of the Sedona last month, with Dodge selling 20 times as many minivans as the Koreans to this point in 2014.
No matter the huge gap in sales, Chrysler is getting out of the market. It’s fair to say that Kia would be happy to just pick up half of the sales of the Caravan, and that is something that is not out of the question.
The likes of the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna simply cannot match the price point that Kia will deliver the Sedona at.
There’s A Lot To Like About The 2015 Sedona Minivan
Another thing that Kia has in their favor is that the new Sedona has been given a complete overhaul, which means upgraded features and technology will abound.
Many of the features included in the new Sedona are bordering on the upscale, yet it will still come in at a price that will undercut the other vans in the segment.
Also on offer will be an SXL trim level that will be absolutely loaded with safety, comfort, and technology features that Kia believe will help the Sedona raise the bar to all new levels in the segment.
One of the things that Kia has done to make the Sedona a whole lot more desirable is to change the way it looks on the inside and out.
At first glance, it would be easy to mistake the 2015 Sedona for a CUV as opposed to a minivan.
On the inside, the amount of passenger and cargo space is absolutely incredible, with a number of flexible seating options that can help improve both.
The 7-seater Sedona is expected to be released in the US later in the year, giving consumers plenty of time to get excited about what’s on offer.
It will also give them time to start looking at all of the other options available in the minivan segment.
If they compare what the Sedona has to offer for the price with all the others, it could well be that the 2015 Kia Sedona becomes the new leader in the family mover pack.
Fiat Motor want to kill Chrysler corp, it is too $$$$$$$$ demanding to keep it afloat!
Cutting the only car that sell at Chrysler is a dead end.
its misleading, yes they are stopping production in 2016 of the Dodge Caravan but all that production will still continue but under the Chrysler Town and Country name, so the volume will probably not drop production will still continue at the Windsor plant. It’s simply a shift in model names.