Believe it or not, you can break the front wheels of the 2006 Kia Sedona loose and lay a patch of rubber if you get into the throttle hard enough. That’s because the new Sedona offers the most powerful engine in the class, a new aluminum 3.8-liter V6 equipped with 24 valves and dual continuously variable valve timing (CVVT). This new V6 makes 244 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 253 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm when running on premium unleaded. That’s more horsepower and torque than Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota offer in a minivan. Run the 2006 Sedona on regular unleaded, and you only lose two horsepower and 2 lb.-ft. torque.

Despite its somewhat porky 4,387 base curb weight, the 2006 Kia Sedona joined Kirstie Alley on the Jenny Craig program, shedding 400 pounds thanks to an aluminum – rather than iron – engine block, a lighter rear suspension, and other measures. Combine this weight loss with the 25-percent gain in engine power, and it’s clear that the new model is a performance champ compared to the old Sedona. Fuel economy is also improved by 13 percent, up to 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. We averaged 17.7 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving over mountainous terrain with two people on board.

Power flows to the Sedona’s front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission equipped with Kia’s Sportmatic manual shift feature, which works like most others – slide the gear selector into a special gate and then tap down for downshifts and up for upshifts. Not much use for this feature in a minivan, and we only used Sportmatic to get some engine braking on steeper grades, though it is quick to deliver downshifts if not upshifts. Kia says it has no plan to offer all-wheel-drive on the Sedona since most people who want four driven wheels combined with lots of interior space buy an SUV.

The 2006 Kia Sedona rides on an all-new, dedicated platform supported by a four-wheel independent suspension with MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link rear design with struts. Coil springs manage body motion, and stabilizer bars help limit body roll. Kia’s suspension tuner, Gordon Dickie, aimed for a blend of the Honda Odyssey’s taut responsiveness and the Toyota Sienna’s soft cushiness, and we’d say he succeeded. Power rack-and-pinion steering guides P225/70R16 Hankook all-season tires on the Sedona LX and P235/60 Michelin all-season tires on the EX. The new Sedona also gets bigger brakes, four-wheel discs that are vented in front and equipped with ABS, EBD, and brake assist.