2007 Kia Rondo Review

Specifications

A New Option For Growing Families

The world outside of North America seems to move around from place to place in downsized vehicles. Go to Europe or Asia and, on the whole, just about everything on wheels is two-thirds to three-quarters sized; hatchbacks, family sedans and even minivans. Small cars arent trendy in other markets, mind you, but have long been that way due to narrower roads and decades of extremely pricy fuel. Still, despite our fuel prices rising dramatically over the last year or two, getting small only remains a trend here, rather than the norm. The trend continues to grow, however, particularly with vans, and Kias proactive decision to offer its roomy little Rondo in North America has netted it a secure spot in the mini-minivan market, ahead of the storm thats surely going to follow.

But what exactly is the Rondo? Its part tall hatchback and part minivan, which makes it a sort of a junior-sized crossover vehicle. North America has seen a couple of these family haulers before - the Mitsubishi Expo/LR-V, Dodge Colt Vista and Eagle Vista, the Nissan Axxess and the Honda Civic Wagon - but really, the only thing that it competes with now is the Mazda5 and Maybe, in size anyway, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class. Kia cites everything tall and hatchback-ish as direct rivals, however, like the Dodge Caliber and Toyota Matrix, but they dont offer the van-like stature and practicality that the Rondo does. And while we cant really classify the Rondo directly as a van, as it only seats five in base trim and doesnt have sliding side doors, well minimizing confusion by doing as the Europeans do; well call it a Mini-MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle).

Kias development of the Rondo was different than with previous-generation models, not to mention its different than any other European, Asian or domestic market vehicle that occupies the C-Plus Mini-MPV vehicle segment, because it doesnt share any roots with a C-Segment, or compact vehicle. The Mazda5 is based off the Mazda3, much the same way that the Citroen Picasso is based off the C4, the Touran off the Golf/Rabbit, and the Ford C-MAX off the Focus. The Rondo has nothing at all in common with the Spectra. Instead, its been based off the much larger D-Segment, or midsize Magentis, though its been extensively modified with a big chunk of the wheelbase surgically removed. Kia also designed a new multi-link rear suspension for the Rondo with a compact spring and damper design, allowing for a low lift-over height for the cargo bay, not to mention space for the third row of seats.

Those big bones are what make for the basis of the Rondos unique styling. Approach it from the front and it squats down in a rather athletic stance; and even though its quite a bit taller (and longer) than the Mazda5, youd never know because of its width. What also differentiates the Rondo from vehicles of its type are the design consistencies with regular hatchbacks. Equal proportions of glass to metal and a low belt-line from the side contribute to lessening van-like looks, as does the defined hood, normal windshield angle and the decision to use regular side doors instead of sliders.

It also doesnt hurt that I happen to like the direction that Kia is taking with the styling of its cars. Its international vehicles, such as the Picanto city car, and the forthcoming ceed are amongst the best looking in their class, adopting the kind of lines that are typically associated with European cars before they abandoned sleekness in favor of Mad Hatter levels of headroom (Renault Megane and Seat Toledo come to mind). Kias six-sided grille and large headlamps are nice, but the most interesting view of the Rondo is from the rear three quarters. It actually has shoulders where the upper half of the body tapers in by the rearmost window segment, and the angled, concave surface of the tailgate with kinked tail lamps that follow the vertical profile looks especially attractive.

It also doesnt look cheap, with chrome accented door handles and a chrome-lined lower fascia giving it an upscale appearance. On that note, all Rondos get 16-inch alloy wheels at the very least, with seven-seater models gaining torque-star 17-inchers, and everything above the base model gets fog lamps as standard. This is the kind of stuff that makes the Kia Rondo an impressively clean design, for which Kia should pat itself on the back. The Korean company might not be the next Lexus, but in terms of its image the brands going nowhere but up.

The Rondo will be offered with two engines, a 2.4-liter inline-four that makes 162 hp and 164 lb-ft of torque, as well as a 2.7-liter V6 that nets an additional 20 horsepower and 18 lb-ft of torque, both of which are borrowed from the larger Magentis sedan. The four is of the Chrysler-Hyundai-Mitsubishi “World Engine” variety, which means variable valve timing, four valves per cylinder and all that jazz. The six is a thoroughbred Korean powerplant, and an unusual offering. The Rondo is the only vehicle in the segment that offers anything more than four cylinders, let alone this level if power. Both engines are also automatic-only, the four gets a four-speed while the six gets an extra cog. Both gearboxes have a manual mode.

In most circumstances, the four-cylinder is more than capable of moving the Rondo around. In general it is reasonably peppy when called upon to accelerate due in part to a jumpy accelerator pedal. Show it a big, long hill and the four-pot Rondo will scale the incline easily, though for maximum progress its best to lock the gearbox into a specific gear (third in this case) or else itll hunt. I can imagine one loaded with passengers and luggage might begin to feel taxed under the same situation.

As much as I admire the tractability and efficiency that the four offers, it cant match the V6 for smoothness and all-out grunt. The six simply flies; the thrummy backdrop of the inline-four is replaced mostly by the sixs sweeter-sounding exhaust note. You wont be hearing too much of it though, as the extra gear keeps the revs ultra low, improving fuel consumption and reducing noise. With the V6 on hand, the Rondo becomes the most powerful vehicle in its class, out-pacing everything around it - Mazda5, Chevy HHR, Toyota Martix - with the exception of Chryslers turbocharged PT Cruiser.

With a car like the Rondo, you dont expect very much from the vehicle when it comes to dynamics, especially from something that seats seven. The steering has a weighty feel, although with little weight around the nose it steers into corners decently. And though its no sports car, Kia has done a very good job setting up the suspension, which, like the Magentis its sourced from, has been tuned to meet European tastes. It corners very flatly, with a ride thats firm but well dampened, those nitrogen-filled shocks soaking up almost anything the road can throw its way; its more than sporty enough to warrant a manual transmission. The extra-rigid structure and rear suspension system helps the Rondo feel composed and tied-down, even at speed in a heavy downpour.

From the inside, the Rondo bridges the gap between minivan and hatchback with a layout and driving position thats similar to many of its competitors, such as the Matrix and Caliber. The climb is no higher than a regular car, but you sit on the seats rather than in them, facing an ergonomically correct, console-mounted gearshift lever. The dashboard is a mix of Asian and European influences, with moulded round vents and flushly integrated, orange-backlit stereo and climate controls. The orange trim around the hazard lights looks a little too much like the red-orange LED information strip on Mazdas 5, mind you.

Overall, Kias done a good job with the interior of the Rondo. All the panels on the dash and console fit with a precise tightness and the materials feel robust and built to last, though use of soft-touch plastics is limited to the arm rests and doors. Yep, thats it. But there are improvements in other areas.

The headliner, for instance is made of proper cloth rather than the nasty mouse-hair fuzz thats popped up in previous cars. The seats are comfortable enough for the long haul, and when opting for the top-rung model, perforated leather takes the place of cloth trim. And in terms of luxury items, the digital climate control and CD-stereo system both look and work great.

As a five-seater, the Rondo is a fairly spacious vehicle with ample room in all directions for all passengers. On the seven-seater model, things start to get a little tight when the third row is deployed from its fold-flat position within the floor. The second row, which is mounted on rails, slides forward in order to make legroom, but riding with seven on board should really only be for short trips. Though head, hip and shoulder room are completely acceptable, its the legroom thats tight. And wear Pumas or sleek running shoes; big clog-like dress shoes wont fit. Where the seats normally go on the seven-seater model, two sets of weatherized storage compartments to store valuables or other things that might float around in your trunk make the five-seater more convenient for smaller families. The seven-seater version also loses 0.6 cubic feet of total cargo space, also attributed to the third row.

Families will undoubtedly take comfort in the fact that even without the height and weight of a sport utility vehicle, the Rondo will keep everyone inside safe. All the usual stuff, like three-point seatbelts at each seating position, and six airbags including side-curtain airbags that extend the entire length of the cabin are expected to be standard. Four-wheel discs with ABS and electronic brake force distribution will also most likely be standard. Beyond that, theres even active front headrests to prevent whiplash, and electronic stability control, two top-tier feature that arent normally available with this kind of vehicle, especially one that starts at under twenty grand. Kia is also betting strongly for a good score in the EuroNCAP/IIHS tests thanks to a resoundingly stiff body structure.

Stepping up the game all-round in a manner as great as this usually entails cutting back on value, but, of course, if Kia did that, the Rondo just wouldnt be a Kia. Instead, its extremely well equipped even in base form, which should start around $17,000, and features power everything, plus all that aforementioned safety equipment. Actually, the only items it lacks are air conditioning, keyless entry and an auxiliary input jack for an MP3 player (Kia says its working on it). Less than $5,000 more should land a fully loaded V6 with leather. But dial it back down to base trim and the Rondo will probably come out cheaper than its comparably-equipped competitors.

After sticking it out for two generations in one of the most competitive segments in the global market, Kia has come up with a product that will be able to gain massive ground in Europe and Asia, plus dig its heels in as an innovator in the North American marketplace. The opposition isnt exactly going to be taking this sitting down, as rivals are already preparing to launch new and improved designs. Next year, Hondas North American operations will offer a Mini-MPV of their own, based off of the recently redesigned Stream, and you can be certain that Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen wont be too far behind, amongst others. Although, since parent company Hyundai wont be getting its own version of the Rondo, its clear sailing for Kia for the time being.