Reactions to the new minivan
The kids like it, for the most part, thought they do miss the space the old van afforded them. Of all of them, James has taken the biggest shine to it -- insisting on going out for rides that he previously would have disregarded, just for the novelty of a trip in the new vehicle.
James' booster seat is right under the rear AC controls, so I learned quickly to switch the controls to the front (a dial on the dash either gives that rear passenger control over the flow of air or retains it for the driver), after a dozen or two "click-click-clicks" from his seat.
Each seat has a reading lamp, and they're pretty distracting, so I ask the kids not to use them when the van is in motion.
The biggest thing missing from the old van is a rear entertainment system, but that's a pretty easy fix. Audiovox and others sell relatively low-priced DVD player systems with flip-down LCD displays that bolt right to the ceiling of a minivan or SUV, and wire directly into the car's audio and power systems. Most of the mid-priced units I've seen even feature auxiliary inputs to attach a video game system, which I know the kids would love. I'm not in a huge hurry to get one, but I'll probably have such a thing installed before we take this van on any long trips.
Bonnie's pretty comfortable driving it; she says it handles like a car, and she's right (a Hyundai Sonata or a Kia Amanti, to be fair, as that's what the Sedona shares for a chassis with those other vehicles).
The only problem I've found with it outside of some minor cosmetic wear and tear that you'd expect after 42,000 miles is a washer motor that doesn't return the wipers to their down position. I have to call the dealer about that this afternoon.