Toyota Camry | STARTING PRICE: $22,900

In a gutsy and surprising move, Toyota has opted to redesign its top- selling Camry sedan after only three years. Normal automotive life cycles are five to six years so to do it in just three is both a huge expense and risky. The risk comes in the form of introducing a dramatically new vehicle to replace the current model which is the most reliable midsize sedan on the market, and on track to sell 415,000 units this year which absolutely crushes all competitors. One might ask what is the disease that the new Camry is supposed to be the cure for.

With the 2015 model, clearly Toyota made the styling more engaging, but more fundamentally, the company revamped the entire driving dynamic of the car to attract younger buyers while hoping not to alienate the current customers.

The styling of the 2014 is angular and square-ish… some would say a bit bland and even featureless. The 2015 is highly styled and has adopted the new corporate front end design language. It now looks smaller than the 2014 and remarkably like the new Corolla its smaller compact sibling.

Similarly, the older 2014 had a comfortable and roomy interior, but it was pretty bland. The new one is very spacious and is much more engaging and interesting.

For 2015, Camry models with an “L” signify luxury and with an “S” are sporty. Historically, most models have been quiet, soft, isolated and did a fine job of keeping the din of the outside world at arm’s length. The mildly sporty SE model had some handling chops and excellent steering feedback and delivered outstanding handling while maintaining a compliant ride. What surprised Toyota was that the take-rate on the SE model in 2014 was a whopping 45 percent and it was attracting younger buyers. What caught my attention upon driving several new 2015 “L” and “S” models is how far the 2015 lineup has swung to the sporty side of the road. Not only does the new Camry look radically different, it drives radically different as well.

This new driving dynamic breathes vigor into the Camry, but it comes at a price. To convey a sporty feel Toyota engineers have significantly increased the steering effort, meaning it takes more muscle to turn the wheel so there’s no more one-fingering the steering wheel around to get into that tight parking spot. It also means that all models now handle in a more sporty fashion but also have a much firmer ride. Even in the “L” models you now hear sounds and feel the road much more than in the past.

Toyota wisely maintained the same choice of engines as before with the base 2.5 liter 4 cylinder being chosen 84 percent of the time, the excellent 2.5 liter hybrid 10 percent and the fine 3.5 liter V6 by only 6 percent of buyers.

When you take a drive in the new Camry prepare to be surprised. It’s not your dad’s Camry anymore.

Kia Sedona | STARTING PRICE: $25,900

The first new minivan from Kia since 2006, the new 2015 Sedona surprises on many levels. A select group of manufacturers continue to produce minivans because they understand that when families grow to a certain size no other vehicle can match them for efficiency and even in weak economies minivans still sell.

Their unique combination of a low accessible floor height, huge power sliding doors on each side and a relatively high roof allows for unmatched interior volume compared with any other vehicle on the road. With seating for up to eight people and a total cargo area of 142 cubic feet, the Sedona has more cargo space than either the Chevy Suburban or the Ford Expedition extended EL full size SUV’s.

Minivan manufacturers have wised up over the years and now pack these vehicles with a very long list of available luxury amenities to accommodate families on the go. My test vehicle, a fully loaded $43,295 SXL, included features like leather seating with power lumbar support, cooled seats with perforated and stitched leather, plus heated seats and steering wheel. A totally updated combo navigation/infotainment center with Infinity surround sound technology added to the joy of the journey. Xenon HD headlights, lane departure warning systems, forward collision warning and smart cruise control – which maintains a constant distance between you and the vehicle in front of you – add a new element of vehicle safety to the Sedona. The surround view monitor system has cameras on all four sides of the vehicle with a look-down view, allowing you to clearly see how close you are to the curb or other vehicles on all sides.

The “First Class Lounge Seating” for second row passengers is just plain decadent. Imagine sitting in a big, puffy leather seat in First Class on an airplane and then transplanting that chair to the middle of a minivan and you’ve got the idea. These posh seats slide way back, recline, and even have a foot rest that slides out to accommodate however long you are.

The new Sedona also benefits from a new and more efficient drivetrain. The 3.8 liter V8 has been replaced by a 3.3, and with that it delivers more horsepower and better fuel economy. The Sedona motors about with ease and it feels and drives much smaller than it is. The free revving engine paired with the 6 speed automatic transmission make this minivan quite lively and responsive. The pleasant and controlled ride is a function of some very fine chassis engineering on the part of Kia.

Even with just the driver onboard, the Sedona is fun to drive. It’s responsive, easy to handle and quiet. In fact it’s so good that you might almost forget you’re driving… a minivan.

For more information on these models, visit MyCarData.com.

Toyota Camry and Kia Sedona