Let's try a little call-and-response. I say: “Minivan!” You say: “Boring!” Wait, let's try that again. I say “Minivan!” You say: “A sign my youth has ended!” No, no - let me get more specific. I say: “Kia Sedona minivan!” You say: “Wow!” That's better. After all, the 2006 Kia Sedona isn't your ordinary minivan. It's a fun-to-drive vehicle that handles like a sports car and comes with one of the best warranties in the auto industry. Kia introduced the Sedona in 2001, and the stylish minivan (no, that's not an oxymoron) has held its own against big hitters like Toyota, Chrysler and Honda. The 2006 Sedona offers plenty of amenities found on its more expensive competitors, plus topnotch safety features. Value-minded car shoppers: You owe it to yourselves to check out this great new minivan.

Kia's development engineers did their homework, and the result is a minivan with the roominess and storage capacity you might expect - and the pep you might not. Take a peek under the Sedona's hood, and you'll find an all-new 3.8-liter, low-emission, aluminum engine rated at an revved-up 244 horsepower. All of this adds up to a 20 percent increase in performance power over the 2005 Sedona. And the improvements certainly don't stop there - the 2006 Sedona has a stiffer body than its predecessors, yet it weighs 400 pounds less than the '05. This minivan's front-wheel drive and four-wheel independent steering equates to a family vehicle that drives more like a sporty luxury car. Four-wheel brakes come standard, and it's also well-worth noting the Sedona's great safety features (including excellent stability and traction control), its class-leading warranty (10 years or 100,000 miles) and its brawny tow capacity of 3,500 pounds.

While the 2006 Kia Sedona is longer and wider than last year's model, a version with a shorter wheelbase will be offered later this year. The Sedona is offered in two trim levels; all Sedonas come equipped with dual-side sliding doors and a power-operated rear-lift gate. And when you need some extra storage room, just flip the third-row seats into the floorboards - it's a snap. Ride in comfort with creature comforts like the in-vehicle entertainment system, which can be upgraded to a 605-watt, 13-speaker advanced Infinity sound system.

The 2006 Kia Sedona gets 18 miles per gallon on city streets and 25 on the highway, and both trim levels come equipped with a smooth automatic transmission. Take the wheel of this super-reliable, fun-to-drive minivan, and prepare to be (happily) floored by the base sticker price - just under $23,000. I say: “Kia Sedona!” You say: “Yes, please!”