2008 Kia Rondo Review

Specifications

I’m a big fan of practical vehicles, like minivans and roomy five-door economy cars. I suppose this is why I chose Kia’s Rondo for my ride on a recent business trip. I knew it would give me plenty of room for luggage, plus space for the clients I was visiting in case we decided to drive somewhere for lunch. What I didn’t expect was just how much room it would allow.

At first glance the Rondo appears almost compact, which is probably because of its tall proportions. The reality of its size becomes apparent as soon as you get inside, where its substantial width and surprising cabin length land it straight into the midsize category. This makes sense, after all, being that it’s based on the midsize Optima sedan. It’s actually a bit wider than the four-door model, by 0.6 inches, and of course taller by 6.7 inches, while it’s wheelbase is 0.8 inches shorter and overall length is down 7.5 inches. The extra length of the sedan is because of its trunk, where the Rondo enjoys a more practical liftgate that opens up into a minivan-like cargo hold measuring 74.4 cu-ft when all the rear seats are folded down, 14.7 cu-ft when the third row is folded flat and 2.6 cu-ft behind the final row. I only used the third row to see how accommodating it was, and suffice to say that I can fit inside but wouldn’t want to spend all day back there. For kids or even smaller teens it’s ideal, though, making the seven-seat Rondo a true minivan alternative.

Another benefit that comes from its size is a solid, planted feel while on the road. This comes from its wide stance, long 106.3-inch wheelbase, and substantial 3,511-lb curb weight in top-line trim (the base LX weighs in at 3,333 lbs), further enhanced by its fully independent suspension system with MacPherson struts up front and a multilink setup in the rear, and nicely weighted power rack-and-pinion steering. My tester also featured Kia’s well-proven 2.7-liter, 24-valve, DOHC, V6, an engine that makes 182 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque, and thanks to a five-speed automatic combines surprisingly quick acceleration with pretty decent fuel economy at 18 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, not to mention a more upscale feel than the four-cylinder base model (the four-cylinder doesn’t offer much better fuel economy at 19 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, so you might as well opt for the V6). I spent my days running around town, going from meeting to meeting within the city itself and then covering the city’s network of highways and byways at varying levels of speed, sometimes at full sprint and other times landlocked at almost no speed at all. The Rondo’s high driving position and multitude of windows made for superb visibility, which was really helpful when tooling around in an area that I don’t know as well as my home town.

Something else that surprised me about the Rondo is how refined it is. Driving down the highway at 60+ mph, the engine and transmission are virtually silent, there’s not much tire or road noise to talk about and no squeaks or rattles are audible either. No, only the sound of wind around the pillars and battling against its sizable mirrors can be heard, and that noise is hardly overbearing, but merely made more noticeable because everything else is so quiet. Together with its smooth comfortable ride and supportive seats, it’s really a nice vehicle to travel in. It isn’t particularly sporty, mind you, so if you’re looking for something to light up the asphalt at takeoff or excite all the senses when attacking the curves it’ll probably leave you feeling a bit flat. No, while it’s energetic off the line and holds its own in the corners the Rondo is a mature vehicle for mature adults, a car purposed for pragmatic concerns first and foremost.

But that’s not to say that Kia hasn’t outfitted it with some nice creature comforts, mind you. My EX V6 sported attractive 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin tires, chrome door handles, chrome lower accent trim and other niceties for a classier look than the base model, a treatment that carries over inside where leather seating surfaces, the driver’s of which gets eight-way power adjustment plus manual lumbar support, a power tilt and sliding glass sunroof, digital climate control and a trip computer. Even base models come pretty well equipped, with 16-inch alloy wheels, projection headlights with an auto-off function, variable intermittent windshield wipers, a rear window wiper/washer, body-color door handles, side moldings, side mirrors, the latter of which are powered, plus power windows, power locks, a tilt steering column, a six-way adjustable driver’s seat with manual lumbar support, a 60/40 split-folding second row, and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with an auxiliary plug for an external music player (two extra speakers and a DVD-entertainment system with a 10-inch LCD screen can be had too).


There’s plenty of standard safety equipment too, such as dual front airbags, side-thorax airbags, side-curtain airbags for all window passengers, as well as shoulder straps for all occupants, the LATCH system for anchoring child safety seats into the second row, clip-in tethers for older style safety seats, and shingle-style headrests that can be raised high enough so that the tops of larger safety seats can be wedged in underneath, making it so the seats to flop around from side to side - a problem when the headrests can’t be removed. Parents or single folks can take heart in the Rondo’s standard traction and stability control too, one of the most important safety features there is, the inclusion of which makes sure ABS brakes are also part of the standard package, these ones featuring discs all-round and Electronic Brake force Distribution. While adding to the car’s safety, height adjustable front seatbelt anchors and front tilting headrests, the latter of which are of the anti-whiplash active variety, also make it more comfortable.

So what’s wrong with it? Not everyone likes the Rondo’s styling, although pretty well everyone on our staff likes the rear of the car, with its sporty spoiler built right into the hatchback. Some interior plastics are a bit on the hard side, and someone had slathered them with a shiny cleaner; a matte finish would be nicer. This was a shame considering how well everything is put together, with tight panel gaps and absolutely no loose components. The switchgear is good too, with high quality buttons and knobs that give off a general feel of quality. I was also surprised to find premium-like woven headliner material used to cover the roof. This is much more upscale than the “peach fuzz on cardboard” used in Toyota’s high-priced Highlander, for instance, making me wish for a higher grade of plastics all the more. And one more thing, the single-temperature heated seats could use another setting, or two. Oh well, we’re not talking about a Mercedes-Benz here, now are we.

On that note the Rondo is priced to sell at $16,395. Pardon! Yes, you heard me right. A midsize family hauler for just a little over $15K, albeit with the base 162 horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and four-speed automatic transmission, not to mention only five seats. If you want seven occupant seating it’ll set you back $18,395, but that also includes LX trim, which adds so many features that I don’t have space to write them all down (check out www.kia.com for an itemized list). Needless to say it’s worth the money if your budget will allow. And if you want all the features but don’t need the third row of seats, a five-passenger LX can be had too, for $17,895, saving you $500. An EX I4 is yours for $19,195, and is pretty well the same as the EX V6 without the V6, the latter of which costs $20,195, an outright bargain for what you get. Lesser V6-powered models include a five-seater at $18,895 and seven-seater at $19,395, all of which are well equipped and represent excellent value, enhanced by Kia’s superb five-year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

After a few days in the city I came away with warm feelings for the Rondo. It’s a vehicle that I had wanted to drive since it debuted, but for reasons I can’t put a finger on never got around to doing so. Now that I have I can recommend it to people looking for a well-featured, budget-priced family hauler, as I think it would serve well while cocooning all occupants in a high level of safety.