2007 Kia Rondo First Drive

2007 Kia Rondo – First Drive: If you have about $20,000 to spend, don’t like compact SUVs and can’t be seen in the minivanish Mazda5, then this Kia might just be what you’re looking for. It’s not a minivan, because its rear doors are hinged. It’s not an SUV, because it doesn’t offer all-wheel drive. Instead it’s a…well…it’s mostly a five-door hatchback with a tall roofline, an optional V6, seating for up to seven, and the ability to haul a lot of stuff for just a little bit of money. Kia calls it a “crossover.” We just call it a wagon, one with a great blend of practicality and value that is hard to beat.

The Basics: Origins

Even though this is the first time it has been sold in the U.S. market, this is the third generation of a car the rest of the world calls the Carins. The Rondo is a stubby, tall wagon with styling that makes it seem smaller than it actually is. It's based on the Optima sedan and is within an inch or so of its dimensions with the obvious exception of height. But the Rondo is a distinct model with some clever touches, and at an exceptionally reasonable price. Its compact dimensions combine with an optional third row of seats and available V6 engine and five-speed automatic for a vehicle perfect for kid-toting, coffee-sipping commuter lifestyles that don’t need the bulk of an SUV or minivan.

The Basics: Pricing

Not surprisingly, price is a key selling point for Kia. The Rondo “base” LX starts at $16,995 including the $600 destination charge. The standard LX is $18,495 and the EX starts at $19,795. Add $1000 for the V6 and five-speed transmission to the standard LX and EX trim levels. The third row of seats is a reasonable $500. A convenience package for LX models adds keyless entry and cruise control for $300, while the premium package on the EX includes a sunroof and a 315-watt Infinity stereo with a six-disc in-dash CD changer for $1,200. Also exclusive to the EX is the leather package, which replaces the comfortable cloth with leather seat surfaces for $1000.

The Basics: Model Mix – Standard Features

The Rondo is available in “base” LX, LX and EX trim levels. The base LX is the price leader, where even air conditioning is optional; this will be the one you find at the rental car agency. Standard LX models come with A/C, as well as roof rails, body colored outside mirrors, and optional keyless entry. The luxury EX comes with chrome touches sprinkled on the exterior, a better standard stereo with MP3 capability and many of the LX’s options standard. It also offers optional leather seats and an optional premium package with a sunroof and CD changer. The third row of seats is available on all models, and the V6/five-speed drivetrain combo is available on standard LX and EX trims.

The Basics: Model Mix – Options

The standard Rondo interior is a comfortable and roomy place to spend your driving time. LX and EX models are trimmed in cloth upholstery as standard equipment. The headliner is a mesh material, a nice touch that’s unfortunately offset by the hard plastic A-pillar covers. For LX buyers, they’re stuck with cloth seats, but Rondo EX models can be furnished with leather seating surfaces for $1,000. The leather itself is fine, but the vinyl used on the sides of the seats was cheap and greasy feeling. Also available in the EX is an upgraded Infinity stereo system with 315 watts, 10 speakers including a subwoofer and six-disc in-dash changer. Notable by their absence on the options list are a navigation or entertainment system.

What’s New: Outside

The Rondo’s styling resembles Kia’s Sedona minivan at first glance, but boasts its own unique cues. Alloy wheels are standard; 16-inch six-spoke wheels on LX models and sporty 17-inch five-spokes on EX models. The big jeweled headlights frame a trapezoidal grille that has black crossbars on LX models and chrome on EX models. EX models also get chrome door handles and a chrome body strip as well as standard foglights. Big jeweled taillights flank the square hatch opening, which has a hidden release button above the license plate, away from road grime. An available appearance package attempts to butch up the exterior with SUV-like cues, but the Rondo is a five-door wagon no matter how you dress it.

What’s New: Inside – Style

The Rondo’s interior is well designed and boasts very good fit and finish. The gauges are big and clear, with a large speedometer dead center flanked by a tachometer on the right and fuel and temperature on the left. The radio and air conditioning controls are logically arranged and feature large knobs with metallic-look rings. The high-mounted shifter frees up the floor for more storage space. The two-tone interior scheme is pleasing to the eye and cuts down on windshield reflections, and touches like the silver-ringed air vents give the interior an upscale appearance. Our only complaints were a few visible mold lines, a cheap-sounding seat track, some hard plastic and sun visors with mold seams sharp enough to shave with.

What’s New: Inside – Utility

The Rondo has utility down pat. The interior is rife with storage compartments, with lots of thoughtful touches like a purse hook on the passenger’s side of the center console. There are lots of cupholders, of course; eight in two-row models and 10 in three-row models. There are also big storage bins in the two-tiered center console and the glovebox. With the standard two rows there is plenty of cargo room, including a handy compartmentalized under-floor storage area. Cargo space is severely limited behind the optional third row, but it easily folds into the floor and splits 50/50 for flexible loading. With all the seats folded, two-row models get 35 cu. ft. of cargo room, while three-row models get 31.7 cu. ft.

What’s New: Under the Hood – Four Cylinder

The standard engine for the 2007 Kia Rondo is a 2.4-liter 162-horsepower four-cylinder that is mated to a four-speed automatic. With 164 lb.-ft. of torque at 4250 rpm and a flat torque band, the engine is flexible, with plenty of grunt to keep the Rondo going even up steep grades. Fuel economy is also good with 21 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway. The main drawback is engine noise. While quiet at idle or while cruising, it gets thrashy at high revs or under a significant load. The automatic could use a little polish as well, with occasionally harsh downshifts and abrupt upshifts. A manual shifting gate is available, but largely ignorable.

What’s New: Under the Hood – V6

The other engine choice is a 2.7-liter V6 mated to a five-speed automatic, the only V6 engine in this class according to Kia. With 182-horsepower at 6000 rpm and 182 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm, there is not much of a performance advantage to the V6, maybe a second or so improvement in acceleration. The real reason to choose the V6 is the added refinement. Where the four-cylinder is noisy, the V6 is smooth and quiet. The five-speed automatic is also more pleasant, with shifts noticeable only by looking at the tach. In addition, the V6 is available in both LX and EX trims. Forgo the third row, and you can get a V6 Rondo for less than $19,000.

What’s New: Safety

Kia has established a solid safety reputation in recent years, so it’s not surprising that the Rondo boasts a number of standard safety items. Naturally there are airbags everywhere: two in front, two side-impact bags for the front passengers and two full-length side curtain bags for a total of six safety balloons. Each Rondo also comes standard with electronic stability control and anti-lock control of its four-wheel disc brakes. Government crash tests give it five stars for frontal impacts, and five stars for front passengers in side impacts and four stars for rear seat passengers. It also gets a four-star rating in rollover tests.