The 2008 Kia Sedona sees no significant changes.

Like Mark Wahlberg, Kia has honed its craft and has quickly grown from being a source of sharp-tongued jokes to something that gets serious praise from critics. Less than 10 years ago, Kia had about as much presence in the automotive marketplace as Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch would've had sharing a stage with Prince. Honda and Toyota executives weren't exactly losing any sleep over Kia back then. But about five years ago, Kia begun to add feature-laden, competitively priced vehicles like the Sedona and Sorento to its lineup, and it's been gold-album hits ever since.

Today Kia stands wheel to wheel with the biggies, and the 2008 Sedona is a great example why. Though the first-generation Sedona was a good choice for those on a tight budget who needed a minivan loaded with features for a bargain price, it lost points for its lackluster acceleration, sloppy handling, so-so fuel economy and hefty curb weight. But this second-gen Sedona (which bowed two years ago) is the benefactor of an extreme makeover that makes the old and new Sedonas as different as night and day.

With a longer wheelbase, more powerful engine, new suspension and lighter curb weight, this Sedona is much more agile, while also providing more passenger room and greater fuel efficiency. There's also a short-wheelbase Sedona that came out last year. More than a foot shorter in overall length and even more affordable than the standard Sedona, this new addition is ideal for those who don't need the space of a small apartment on wheels. There are a few caveats for the shortie version -- instead of the 60/40 split, fold-flat third-row seat is one that's split 50/50 and must be removed from the vehicle if more cargo space is needed. To its credit, though, the SWB Sedona still comes standard with important safety features like stability control and side curtain airbags.