2007 Kia Rondo EX V6
06/12/2007
Greg A. Godsell
The Rondo is a best described as a tall station wagon designed to haul up to 7 passengers in a smaller package than a minivan. Offered with a choice of four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, five and seven passenger seating, the FWD Rondo can call a healthy list of vehicles competitors. The five-passenger model competes with many popular 5-door compact wagons including the Chevrolet HHR, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Dodge Caliber and Toyota Matrix. However, the mid-sized Rondo is significantly longer and taller than these vehicles and none of these vehicles offers three rows of seating or V6 power. When equipped with three rows of seats, the Mazda Mazda5 is the only other similarly sized and priced competitive vehicle, but the Mazda does not offer a V6 either.
Our test vehicle was a Rondo EX V6, which has a base price of $20,795. The optional premium package ($1200), leather seating package ($1000), and third row seats ($500) brought the price as tested to $23,495. Remove the V6 and third row seats and a significantly roomier Rondo at $21995 is competitive with a comparably equipped HHR LT at $22,195, Caliber R/T at $21,180 and Matrix XR (without leather seats) at $20,615. The seven-passenger vehicle compares to a similarly equipped Mazda5 Grand Touring at $22095 or 4-cylinder RAV4 Limited (without leather seats) at over $25,000.
The interior of our test model was finished in shades of grey. The dash, instrument panel and center console are substantial and would be at home in a more expensive vehicle. The leather-seating package features leather seats in all three rows. The seats are conservative and attractive, but somewhat flat and firm.
At 65 inches tall, the Rondo splits the difference between other 5-door hatchback models and the compact SUVs. Most of the extra height is above the doors, leaving a more pronounced greenhouse. The extra height pays dividends on the interior. Even six-footers will find abundant headroom in the first and second rows of seats. The second row of seats has a tip and slide feature to provide access to the third row of seats. The third row of seats has full-sized seatbacks, but only sit about 7 inches off the floor limiting comfort for adults. The second row slides forward and locks allowing more legroom for the 3rd row occupants. Although seating seven would be a trick, the Rondo can comfortably seat four average sized people in rear seats.
The strength of the Rondo is utility, and the interior contains numerous storage compartments, sculpted shelves, and pockets for holding miscellaneous items. One unusual item is a hook on the right side of the center stack for holding a purse or grocery bag.
The 50/50 split rear seat folds flat to the floor providing a generous 32 cubic feet of storage capacity. With the third row in use, the Rondo suffers from the same problem as most crossover vehicles. The third row of seats intersects with the hatch limiting cargo volume to a scant 6.5 cubic feet. Whether or not this is a problem depends on how frequently you need to use all of the seating positions. If the kids are at school and you are doing some shopping, the third row of seats drops easily and expand the cargo hold to a size on par with most 5-passenger SUVs. For larger hauling duty, fold the bottom cushions forward and lay the seat backs flat.
With the extra height, we were pleased to find that body roll is minimal. The Rondo does not feel as tall as it looks which greatly enhances its driving performance. The ride is firm and the Rondo corners well partly due to the upgraded 225/50R17 tires that are included on the EX model.
A V6 is unheard of in this class of vehicle, but the relatively small displacement V6 adds only 20 hp and 20 lb-ft of torque. The penalty is 100 pounds of weight and 1-2 mpg reduction in fuel economy. Although we did not have a chance to test a four-cylinder model, we would be tempted to save $1000 and opt for the 2.4L four-cylinder.
Our only complaint with the driving experience is with the transmission. The Rondo has lots of torque at the instant you step on the pedal, but seems hesitant to work the engine properly for livelier driving. The shift logic is clearly biased towards economy. Placing the transmission in manual override mode makes the driving experience much more rewarding. The standard manual transmission on the four-cylinder model would make this a moot point.
Buyers looking for a versatile and stylish people hauler have many options in today's crowded market. The Rondo has a lot going for it, but it is not going to win buyers on value, utility, or styling alone. It is the sum total of these attributes that makes the Rondo appealing and ironically hard to define. Buyers looking for an affordable way to haul more than five people will definitely want to shop the Rondo.
