Picture Gallery: 2008 Kia Rondo | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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The 2008 Rondo comes in a variety of flavours ranging in price from $19,995 up to $26,095 for the leather-equipped, V6 model with seven seats. It just so happens I get a taste of the all-dressed variety with a fully loaded “EX V6 Luxury - 7 Seater” as my tester for the week.
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Standard equipment on the Rondo includes: four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake distribution, traction control, stability control, six airbags, AM/FM/CD with six speakers, power locks, mirrors and windows.
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In my tester, there are leather seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, power sunroof, heated seats, automatic climate control, eight-way power driver seat, three rows of seats (seven-seater only), fog lights, heated power side mirrors and a windshield de-icer have been added to bump the price to just over $26,000.
I had never been inside a Rondo before today; the closest I had ever gotten to one was on the road. A few initial thoughts: the exterior is smaller than I expected — my old neighbour owned a Mazda5 which from memory seems larger, but parked beside my Mazda3, it doesn’t seem all that large.
I was a little surprised to see the rear doors were not sliders like the Mazda’s; instead they are conventional opening doors. This, combined with the second row being a full row, has to make climbing into the third row a challenge — I’ll try this tomorrow.
2008 Kia Rondo
MSRP as tested inc. destination & delivery: $27,590
For more information on Kia and the Rondo visit Kia Canada
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The centre console and dash layout and design seem excellent: stylish and solid-feeling with small touches that are unique, such as a wire guide in the centre armrest to guide the cables from your MP3 player to the power and auxiliary input jacks — nice.
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With the third row seats in place, as expected, cargo space approaches zero, but fold the two rear rows flat and cargo space is ample — I’d estimate you could fit 100 or so pylons in there.
There are a few things that fall short in the Rondo that you may not notice on a 10 minute jaunt around the block. The steering wheel controls are intrusive during parking lot maneuvers — I’m not sure how many times I have either changed the radio station inadvertently or upped the volume but it has happened enough to annoy me already.
At night, the interior lighting is lacking — at the front of the vehicle the map lights do not activate when you open the doors, and this means it is dark when entering and exiting the vehicle at night.
And some of the fit and finish is slightly suspect too, as the leather is peeling from the steering wheel — this does not give a good impression. Combine this with the airbag light that was on last night, and the only warm and fuzzy feelings I had for the Rondo came from the fast-working heated seats.
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On the road, the Rondo conveys a lot of qualities of much more expensive vehicles. The engine is quiet and very smooth and propels the vehicle with enough authority to not leave you wanting for more. Road and wind noise is minimal although the hatch in my tester seems to clank over bumps. I believe that is to do with ice stuck in the cracks more than anything as it didn’t do so before the snow arrived again.
I will plead with you though, please, please, please if you buy a Rondo, put winter tires on it. The stock tires are absolutely horrible in the snow and deadly on ice. Even on dry cold roads they have very little grip. If you believe the stability control and traction control will save you let me explain how the system on the Rondo works.
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As you start off and the system senses some slip, it cuts some engine power. It then allows a bit of slip then cuts power again, essentially leaving you stranded at the corner. Turn off the system spin the tires a little and away you go, the system was so intrusive for me, that off it went after the first time I couldn’t move!
The stability program was just as bad. The two systems, coupled together turning a corner on a snowy road resulted in power being cut and the car nearly stopped dead mid turn! I turned off the system, put the car in neutral and then back to drive and voila — I turned. I’m not sure what the system was trying to do, but whatever it was it didn’t feel safe — it was almost like the vehicle said, “You know what James? It’s slippery out, I’ll save you — stop here.”
I’m sure this system works great in warm climates with more grip — and thankfully the system can easily be turned off by hitting the button on the left of the steering column. Leave the ESC off during the winter and the Rondo drives with no drama; it is quiet and comfortable and easy to maneuver — perhaps not very exciting but not all vehicles need be. The Rondo certainly delivers what it is meant to deliver — A to B transportation with little drama.
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Interior room is generous in the first two rows, while the third row is somewhat of a pain to gain access to and, unlike the Mazda5, where a small child could easily climb to the third row themselves, the same maneuver Kia would require some assistance.
I was very impressed with the engine in the Rondo. The V6 in my tester is smooth and efficient, I was averaging 10.8L/100km during my normal routine. I strayed a bit from the routine and the weather turned for the colder and my mileage climbed to 13.0L/100km but that included nearly 2 hours of idling which is unfair. The Rondo is rated for 11.6 / 7.7 L/100km (city /highway), which seemed achievable or close to it.
The Rondo certainly is a competitor in the segment that will please many buyers looking for a small vehicle capable of carrying a truck load of passengers.
*Rating out of 5:
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*Rating based on vehicle’s classification
2008 Kia Rondo
MSRP as tested inc. destination & delivery: $27,590
For more information on Kia and the Rondo visit Kia Canada
December 21, 2007, 05:55:58 pm
Can anyone over 5ft drive the car with the back seat down?
I'm 5'10" and if I recall correctly, MM is taller. It works for me, although there are moments where I could use another inch or two, but that has nothing to do with seats being down - seat extends to max position when seats are down, as I imagine to be the case in any wagon or SUV where the back seats fold - and is in my experience.
Yupper! But I don't see real beauty in the butts of any wagon/SUV with the possible exception of the Infinity FX 45, the Nissan Murano, and Mercedes or maybe BMW wagons. If it's not an Audi TT coupe, it's not going to have the butt of one, is it?
What makes the back end work in the Rondo is that the bump-out at the bottom of the glass allows the glass to be out far enough that almost the full length of the floor can be used to almost full height. Having formerly driven a Saab 900 for many years, I know the slope of the glass can be a limiting factor - in the Rondo, it isn't. I have transported a bookshelf 5 feet tall and 30" wide (we had to put it on its side so my kids could still sit in 2nd and 3rd row respectively), so it became a box 5' long, 30" high... we were able to fully close the hatch with no threat to the glass. For its footprint, it's got serious capacity.
December 22, 2007, 02:59:19 am Like Gottarondo said, the front seats can be slid back as far as it can go and the back seats will still fold down. Yup, I'm over 6 feet tall and I have no complaints about things being too cramped.
As for the comment about the Rondo being butt-ugly from the back, I'm surprised that you find it butt-ugly only from the rear because some people think that the front and the side and the top and the undercarriage are butt-ugly, too. The Rondo is utilitarian to a fault, making no apologies for its lack of sports-car aspirations when it comes to its handling, performance and looks. The Rondo, quite simply, is a mini-minivan disguised as a tall station wagon. If the Rondo is ugly, it's ugly for the same reason any minivan is ugly--it's all about the utility and versatility, baby, so deal with it.
This snippet comes from a World of Wheels review and it sums things up quite nicely:
December 22, 2007, 03:19:26 pm to give you a comparison here is the storage room in my 5-seater Rondo, where you can actually recline the passengers seat to give you extra space through to the dash - handy for those 8' boards!
plus this rear under floor storage
and with a 4' x 6' piece of carpet for protecting the original covering (and keeping the dog hairs off). I have carried a 200 lb large item in there with no problem. Both front seats are at there maximum rear position and yet don't actually touch the folded rear seat.
December 22, 2007, 09:28:51 pm
plus this rear under floor storage
and with a 4' x 6' piece of carpet for protecting the original covering (and keeping the dog hairs off). I have carried a 200 lb large item in there with no problem. Both front seats are at there maximum rear position and yet don't actually touch the folded rear seat.
It definately gives you a lot of room for transporting stuff when the seats are out of the way for the size of the vehicle. That's was one of the reasons i chose my Fit for the cargo space even though it is a very small vehicle.
December 23, 2007, 12:35:46 am
Funny you should mention the Honda Fit because I've always thought that the Rondo and the Fit have a passing resemblance to each other (I'm sure I've just insulted some Fit owners or Rondo owners or both).
December 23, 2007, 03:05:21 am I said in a previous post that I thought the Rondo's butt looked like it was gob-smacked with a large piece of dimensional lumber. I still think so, and I don't like those truncated rear-quarter windows either. Styling over function never made much sense to me, especially in utilitarian vehicles like the Rondo. Kia also needs to do something about the driving position, which is too bus-like for me.
December 23, 2007, 09:29:22 am Schmengie, are you sure you're not channeling Gottarondo? I could have swore Gottarondo originally made that "lumber" comment, but I guess I'm mistaken. I agree with your comment, although I'm only agreeing to what I think you mean by it (i.e., the vertical flat area below the rear-hatch window looks like it was walloped with some mean piece of timber). I'm not sure if you were also including that as "styling over function," because if you were, I don't see it. I think it would have been more of a styling choice if the Rondo's lower butt had been extended so that it looks less truncated and more pleasing to the eyes of some people. The case could be made that the Rondo would actually be more functional with an extended lower butt due to the slight increase in cargo space--but that would defeat the Rondo's mission of having big-time capacity in the smallest footprint.
I also agree with your comment about the truncated rear-quarter windows, which most definitely is a style-over-function choice (I think Gottarondo mentioned this before, too). But come on, I think most people would agree that the Rondo is thoroughly utilitarian, so the Rondo can't be given a pass for having just one flourish or two? To tell you the truth, I haven't really noticed those two blind spots. It isn't that significant to me, but I can't say for sure why that is. Sure, on paper, you can easily imagine huge blind spots existing in the rear corners, but nothing beats real-world experience. That's just me, though, and perhaps other Rondo owners have a different tale to tell.
Unlike you, I like the "bus-like" driving position. My back seems to appreciate it, plus that upright position gives me a commanding view of the road and I just feel more confident with my back straight and my shoulders back. Yeah, a lot of that is psychological, but that counts too, doesn't it?
December 23, 2007, 12:46:41 pm
December 23, 2007, 02:36:08 pm Awwwwwww, the Rondo rear end styling is the best of any angle to me.
Hyundai is getting a tall roofed Elantra Wagon last I heard, based off the Euro model.
December 24, 2007, 02:20:31 am
I also agree with your comment about the truncated rear-quarter windows, which most definitely is a style-over-function choice (I think Gottarondo mentioned this before, too). But come on, I think most people would agree that the Rondo is thoroughly utilitarian, so the Rondo can't be given a pass for having just one flourish or two? To tell you the truth, I haven't really noticed those two blind spots. It isn't that significant to me, but I can't say for sure why that is. Sure, on paper, you can easily imagine huge blind spots existing in the rear corners, but nothing beats real-world experience. That's just me, though, and perhaps other Rondo owners have a different tale to tell.
Unlike you, I like the "bus-like" driving position. My back seems to appreciate it, plus that upright position gives me a commanding view of the road and I just feel more confident with my back straight and my shoulders back. Yeah, a lot of that is psychological, but that counts too, doesn't it?
Don't get me wrong, the Rondo's an attractive vehicle in a lot of ways. It's well-built, has a very nicely done and incredibly spacious interior and it drives very nicely, just to name few. I just happen to think that the details I mentioned could have been done better, that's all. The rear-quarter window's abrupt kick-up did make for noticeable blind-spots when I did a test drive, and the indentation in the hatch under the window looks out of place to me. Smoothing the sheetmetal here might actually provide a little more cargo room. I agree that the driving position is a subjective measurement and if the Rondo's suits you, that's great. I found it quite uncomfortable, but that's just me.
December 24, 2007, 11:19:36 am Thanks for clarifying your views, Schmengie. I just wanted to clarify my own view on the idea that the indentation below the rear-hatch window is an example of "style over function." The fact is, there is no inward bump on the inside of the rear-hatch door due to the indentation, so this particular styling flourish isn't taking up any cargo space.
The rear-hatch door can absorb the indentation because it's much thicker than the indentation is deep. The indentation is more shallow than you are probably remembering it to be. If there is a gain in storage space due to not having the indentation (sort of like pushing in on one side and popping out on the other), it would be negligible at best (we're talking about millimetres here in a localized area). The indentation hardly qualifies as "style over function."
Is there a drinking game for every time I say "indentation"?
Edit: vastly simplifying my post
December 25, 2007, 07:20:41 am Yeah it's called havva nuffer ROUNDO on ME..............
December 25, 2007, 07:14:15 pm
It's not that these Rondo type vehicle have not been sold here before. Remember the Nissan Multi and Dodge Colt Vista and Eagle whatever.People didn't buy them here for some reason probably not enough gusto. Maybe we are ready for these vehicles again as the price of gas goes higher.
December 26, 2007, 11:28:59 am We have just been off-line for four days due to a computer problem (try adding THAT to Christmas for family stress) so I'm late to address the source of the lumber comment. It was not me who made it initially but I enjoyed it so much that I have referred to it since its original appearance. Schmengie's point about the rear quarter windows is also well taken; I would prefer to lose that upswing in the beltline for better visibility. However, I am always amazed at how much better the visibility is when I fold down the second row of seats or at least drop as many of the headrests as I can - the window line isn't the only source of sightline problems, and may actually make a minimal contribution as MM says. I find the thickness of the pillars in the rear (and in the front), especially relative to the size of the rear window itself, to be more of an issue.
MM, I'm glad someone finally did that side-by-side photo thing with the Fit. As I think I've related before, we ordered our Rondo when there were none on roads, none in showrooms (except for two for a brief time at the dealership we visited), no ads, and not even a colour brochure (which explains why we didn't get Aqua Silver; it just looked grey on the photocopy) - so by the time we'd waited for it for two weeks, I'd pretty much forgotten what it looked like. So when I saw an ad for a Honda Fit, it took me a minute to register that it wasn't identical to the Rondo, especially as the cars are always photographed alone and you can't "get" their size. But for all that, the Fit looks more uptight - I mean, upright - and for all its utilitarian design, the Rondo does have a little slope and stance.
Seating - I love the bench feel of it as I despise climbing over side bolsters every time I have to get in and out of the car, which is often. Although, while the seat back support is adequate, I have to say lumbar support is somewhat minimal. But I like sitting upright; that racy curved position in our Suzuki gave me heartburn :-)
And prior to that, the Fiat Multipla. Not sure what the archetypal vehicle is in this class. But interestingly I still see a few of those others on the the road and gather that in their day they acquired a bit of cult status - rejected by the masses, but adored by their owners. I get that feel from the Rondo for some reason, but oddly not so much from the Mazda 5. It may be because I still feel not many people understand what kind of vehicle the Rondo is, and so it retains that feeling of an undiscovered secret.
Also thanks Conwel for making the important point that the front passenger seat in the 7-seater model does not fold forward. There are definitely some tradeoffs for that 7-seat flexibility, and that's one of them.
January 03, 2008, 12:57:39 pm I looked at and test drove the 7 seater V6 Luxury model recently, thinking about a purchase this spring. I am still doing some comparison shopping for a smallish utility vehicle as a 2nd car, so I will be trying out the new Matrix/Vibe and the Mazda5 as well.
I was pleasantly surprised. It was roomy, very well equipped, rode pretty well (not as well as my daily driver SAAB 9-5, but surprisingly well), and had decent pick-up. About the only thing I didn't like was the 7-seat configuaration. I have no use for the 3rd row so much preferred the storage and flatter floor with no gaps in the 5 seater. Unfortunately, I also like a sun roof, climate control, and leather, and that isn't available in the Canadian 5 seater. It is available in the US market. I found the same problem when looking at the Santa Fe last year, as a possible replacement to the 9-5. I wanted the GLS version with leather and sunroof, and it can't be had in our market. Available in the US optioned that way? - you bet. As Mick says, you can't always get what you want....
January 03, 2008, 02:13:22 pm
Hyundai added a Santa Fe GLS 5-seater later in 2007MY, if I recall. So they listened to you, and hopefully Kia has their ear open as well.
January 03, 2008, 10:58:55 pm
You can have the 6 without the 3rd row seat. What you can't have is the fully loaded 6 without the 3rd row seat. I agree that it is a shame about these packaging deals. However, it seems fairly common based on previous threads discussing the issue.
January 04, 2008, 07:55:48 am
It's not that these Rondo type vehicle have not been sold here before. Remember the Nissan Multi and Dodge Colt Vista and Eagle whatever.People didn't buy them here for some reason probably not enough gusto. Maybe we are ready for these vehicles again as the price of gas goes higher.
The Nissan Axxess was the other original microvan, selling quite well from '90-'95. I always liked them and still see lots on the road. You could even get a 7-passenger version for a while, but I can't imagine how small it would have been. AWD was an option too. Honda's Wagovan (Civic stationwagon) was a bit smaller, but also available with AWD.
The problem with these, and with the larger but equally efficient '95-'98 Odyssey was that they were priced at or above entry-level Caravans. The '98 Odyssey was a $30,000 van, in a market when Chrysler was selling Caravans below $20k (last summer you could still get value Caravans for $15,666)
Opel's Zafira is probably the best of this concept, and the next generation is rumoured to be coming to North America. We've been waiting 5-7 years for Honda to bring over its Stream.
January 04, 2008, 08:43:44 am
You can have the 6 without the 3rd row seat. What you can't have is the fully loaded 6 without the 3rd row seat. I agree that it is a shame about these packaging deals. However, it seems fairly common based on previous threads discussing the issue.
6
January 04, 2008, 09:37:40 am
You can have the 6 without the 3rd row seat. What you can't have is the fully loaded 6 without the 3rd row seat. I agree that it is a shame about these packaging deals. However, it seems fairly common based on previous threads discussing the issue.
6
V6
January 05, 2008, 05:16:10 pm
you can get a 5-seater with the V6 in the '08 model line up (EX-V6 5-seater), its listed in their '08 brochure.
January 06, 2008, 01:55:35 am
you can get a 5-seater with the V6 in the '08 model line up (EX-V6 5-seater), its listed in their '08 brochure.
Which is what I said just 5 or so posts above.
At least one poster stated that what he wants is a fully loaded 5 seater V6: Sunroof, climate control, trip computer, ... In short, imagine - if you will - an EX-V6-LUXURY 5 seat edition.
January 06, 2008, 07:48:48 am "Which is what I said just 5 or so posts above."
Instead of saying it, you should be be writing it, I cannot hear you, my volume is turned down
January 06, 2008, 12:21:26 pm
March 18, 2008, 02:51:57 am Wouldn't a Mazda 5 with 2 power sliding doors, leather, for $26K with 0% 5year financing sound more appealing?