CD Article: 2008 Kia Rondo EX-V6 Luxury

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


"The Rondo - and this type of vehicle in general - has a lot going for it," says Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.  The top-of-the-line EX-V6 Luxury offers a smooth 2.7-litre V6 engine and three rows of leather seats, he reports.  

 More:
Read the article | View the photos | All The Test Drives

[PJungnitsch]

More competition in this sector would be good. Personally I suspect Ford would slaughter the Rondo with the S-Max:



Jeremy Clarkson on the S-Max:

Well, at last there’s an answer in the rather beguiling shape of the car you see pictured this morning. The Ford S-Max. It’s a people carrier but they’ve named it after a slang word for heroin. And that sums it up rather well.

You look at the exterior styling, the 18in alloy wheels, the raked windscreen, the low roofline, and you think, yes, it might well have seven seats in there but who could possibly fit on them? Richard Hammond? You’re in for a shock. There’s tons of space for me behind the wheel and tons of space in the middle row too, which is made up of three individual seats, all of which slide and tilt independently of one another.

I was expecting a characterless unibox but I was wrong. It was great to look at and cheap and more versatile than a decathlete’s trusty Leatherman. I’m not saying it’s a sporty car in any way, but it goes, handles, steers, stops and most importantly rides way, way better than you could hope for. And on top of this, it did 30mpg, felt very well screwed together and came as standard with air-conditioning, electric everything and automatic headlamps. Which were second world war searchlight bright, incidentally.

This, then, is the holy grail. It’s an MPV you buy because you like it. Not because you need it.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article700556.ece

However somehow Kia can bring the Rondo over, a type of thing that mighty Ford just can't seem to get organized.

[Matthew]

Great article.  I really like the Rondo.

I recently passed by Kia Headquarters on the weekend and saw a Short Wheelbase version of the Sedona on the front lot!! It looks great!! The body and interior are mildly tweaked, but the size it really good.  I encourage anyone to pass by and have a look.

[OliverD]

I don't think compact SUVs killed the mini-minivans of the early '90s. Keep in mind that car-based compact SUVs didn't even exist until the introduction of the '96 RAV4 and '97 CRV. At that point, all but the first gen Odyssey had been discontinued.

[odman]

I think what helped kill the original compact van was someone's idea that minivans had to be able to carry 4x8s. Now, they are 4,500lb barges that are a tight fit in the garage, and get 16 mpg in real world driving.

As an owner of a first-gen Odyssey, I'm feeling stuck. I like the Rondo/Mazda5, but we're quite tall (me 6'5", wife 5'11") and have 3 kids (one in baby seat, one in booster, one in regular seat). Mazda5 is too small. Rondo fits a bit better, but lacks the space of our '98 Ody.

I'd like to see the S-Max and the Opel Zafira come to market. The Zafira is rumoured to be coming as a Saturn or Chevrolet at some point. I haven't seen the Dodge Journey in person yet, but we question the quality and refinement. That leaves the RAV4, which isn't quite right either.

[odman]

Incidentally, I see that in Canada, Mazda5 and Rondo sales are pretty close, but in the US, Rondo outsells Mazda5 by a wide margin. I wonder if there are relatively more Mazda dealers here? I'm seeing lots of Rondos on the road in 905, and they are very nice looking, especially in darker colours.

I've read that it is difficult to get snow tires/rims for the Rondo.

[Leviathan]

but in the US, Rondo outsells Mazda5 by a wide margin.

You could probably chalk that up to a V6 being available in the Rondo.

[safristi]

PJ that Clarkson review is PRICELESS  it should be a STICK.Y...funniest thing i've read in 2008...

[jww]

PJ that Clarkson review is PRICELESS  it should be a STICK.Y...funniest thing i've read in 2008...

Anything Clarkson has to say about any car is not only worth listening to/reading - it's usually right on the money ---- not to mention incredibly entertaining, which of course, is the draw for Clarkson.

[doron]

I have a few beefs about this car. Firstly, our situation. We loved this car when it came out so we went out and bought a 2007 EX V6 Luxury. Loved the car. Wife loved the car. She totaled it. We go and get a replacement and there are no 2007's left. No problem, they give is a 2008. Upgrades for 2008 are an AUX port on the stereo for an mp3. Great. I have to tell you, the 2008 versus the 2007 completely sucks. KIA pulled out so many features I can't tell you. And cheapy stuff too. I've counted at least 12 features missing on the 08. Yes it's nice to have an AUX port, but I had to give up the ashtray (which was awesome for loonies and toonies) and my cargo area light? For a complete list of things missing from 08 to 07, email me. I would be glad to share this list with anyone.

[stodge]

"The requested URL /forum/articles/cc/08rondo.htm was not found on this server."

[PJungnitsch]

"The requested URL /forum/articles/cc/08rondo.htm was not found on this server."

You have to select 'Read the article'

'More' doesn't seem to be linked.

[stodge]

"The requested URL /forum/articles/cc/08rondo.htm was not found on this server."

You have to select 'Read the article'

'More' doesn't seem to be linked.

I was just pointing it out to Wing so he can fix it.

[gottarondo]

I have a few beefs about this car. Firstly, our situation. We loved this car when it came out so we went out and bought a 2007 EX V6 Luxury. Loved the car. Wife loved the car. She totaled it. We go and get a replacement and there are no 2007's left. No problem, they give is a 2008. Upgrades for 2008 are an AUX port on the stereo for an mp3. Great. I have to tell you, the 2008 versus the 2007 completely sucks. KIA pulled out so many features I can't tell you. And cheapy stuff too. I've counted at least 12 features missing on the 08. Yes it's nice to have an AUX port, but I had to give up the ashtray (which was awesome for loonies and toonies) and my cargo area light? For a complete list of things missing from 08 to 07, email me. I would be glad to share this list with anyone.

That's been discussed on a Rondo forum or two as well - the changes do stink, and they seem somewhat irrational.  I have a 2007 and am glad of it. 
I really don't understand why options cannot be by buyer choice if you are willing to order the car as opposed to buying it off the lot.

[jww]

I have a few beefs about this car. Firstly, our situation. We loved this car when it came out so we went out and bought a 2007 EX V6 Luxury. Loved the car. Wife loved the car. She totaled it. We go and get a replacement and there are no 2007's left. No problem, they give is a 2008. Upgrades for 2008 are an AUX port on the stereo for an mp3. Great. I have to tell you, the 2008 versus the 2007 completely sucks. KIA pulled out so many features I can't tell you. And cheapy stuff too. I've counted at least 12 features missing on the 08. Yes it's nice to have an AUX port, but I had to give up the ashtray (which was awesome for loonies and toonies) and my cargo area light? For a complete list of things missing from 08 to 07, email me. I would be glad to share this list with anyone.

That's been discussed on a Rondo forum or two as well - the changes do stink, and they seem somewhat irrational.  I have a 2007 and am glad of it. 
I really don't understand why options cannot be by buyer choice if you are willing to order the car as opposed to buying it off the lot.

This kind of model evolution makes no sense at all to me. Why on earth would you take a cargo are light out of a vehicle like this??