Our Kia Rondo's overall functionality has earned it numerous unenviable assignments, and once again it finds itself vacationing in the 114-degree California desert.
Cool air conditioning, a wide-opening rear hatch, and a no-frills interior make it the perfect sand city compadre.
Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 18,536 miles
dougtheeng says:
02:24 PM, 08/21/08
I quite like this car. It seems to do its job well, although the looks are subjective. A Rondo isn't the most glamorous, but I'd take it over the other CUV/SUV's any day.
clay92 says:
02:24 PM, 08/21/08
I do quite like the Rondo. Very practical and functional. Not to mention, I like the way it looks.
misterfusion says:
05:00 PM, 08/21/08
I know that automakers refer to the glassed area of a car as the "greenhouse", but in these circumstances the term must be painfully appropriate.
BTW, I've always found the "action" photography at Edmunds(motion shots or car-to-car) to be uniformly excellent.
mrryte says:
06:47 AM, 08/22/08
"Rondo isn't the most glamorous, but I'd take it over the other CUV/SUV's any day."
Practicality need not be stylish.;-)
I also feel that the Rondo is the (almost)perfect cure for the CUV/SUV blues.
Bryn MacKinnon says:
01:32 PM, 08/22/08
I agree. If the Rondo had the Mazda5's sliding rear doors and factory window-tinting, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
firstwagon says:
03:41 PM, 08/22/08
How about a comparision test?
Rondo,Mazda5 and the new Dodge Journey.
3 clever small wagons/vans in the same price range but done a little different.
cx7lover says:
03:47 PM, 08/22/08
The only problem with the Rondo is that the MPG isn't good at all with the V6.
carfreak8394 says:
12:50 PM, 08/23/08
"How about a comparision test?
Rondo,Mazda5 and the new Dodge Journey.
3 clever small wagons/vans in the same price range but done a little different."
+1, firstwagon.
Edmunds, we've made a lot of suggestions for comparison tests. I can see you're going to be pretty busy for a while. (;
Tim.
irismg says:
05:30 PM, 10/18/08
Why does window tinting need to come from the factory? For less than $150 you've got it done and done well if you've shopped correctly.
Don't like the MPG of the V6? There is the option of the 4-cylinder. Granted, they are hard to find.
I like these cars. I smashed my finger in the door of one at Carmax back in March after a test-drive. These should make super cheap secondhand transportation for a person or family with better things to spend their money on than transportation. I hope I can easily play my iPod through the stock stereo, as I have no more use for CDs. If not, not a huge deal, I've got my cassette adapter and my Sennheiser earbuds. It is a Kia, though, and time will tell how reliable it ends up being. Wish it were a Toyota.
Looks-wise, I think it's adorable. I'm of the age now where height is a good thing. Can't help but think it needs bigger tires, though.