2006 L.A. Auto Show: 2007 Kia Rondo

In a press conference that spouted oddball terms dubbed “Rondoisms,” the North American public was introduced to Kia’s new SUV/minivan/wagon/we-don’t-know-what called the Rondo. The big deal with this thing is that there‘s room for seven people with a third row of seats wedged into the back. That’s about all the Rondo can do.

In a rare auto show move, the company announced the starting price along with the model itself. The four-cylinder Rondo LX will start at $17,985 and get 21/29 mpg city/highway. A V-6 Rondo will also be available with a minimal gain in horsepower, from 162 hp in the four-cylinder to 182 hp in the V-6. Keep reading for more photos of this auto oddity.

Comments

This car looks like it's going to be put into production some day.

Just to be clear, the Rondo *is* a production car.

Crossover vehicles are the future. To stay competitive auto makers have to give the consumer what they want. Minivans are out and crossovers are in. I say way to go and keep the variety coming.

I agree that crossovers are "in". I also think that offering a sub-$20k 7-passenger vehicle seems like a good idea. But, isn't this very similar to the Mazda 5 which appears to have been a dismal failure?

"I also think that offering a sub-$20k 7-passenger vehicle seems like a good idea."

It is, but it will likely remain a small niche in the US. US gas prices are extremely low (much lower than the cost emissions impose on society) and therefore these practical and fuel-efficient cars can't compete here.

These cars have been red-hot in Europe (and also Japan) for many years now.

"But, isn't this very similar to the Mazda 5 which appears to have been a dismal failure?"

Dismal failure? Any evidence of this?

this car is already available in the 5 passenger version. We have two of them on our lot right now. The seven passenger option and AWD won't be available for a while though. The car has the same drive train as the new Kia Optima- the 4 cylinder is really impressive in the power department.

Ermatthe,
We noticed a few sold in October even although Kia would refuse to release any information about the car until the show today. Odd.
The third row in the Rondo looks pretty useless to me. The Mazda5 is a bit more minivanish with sliding doors and a more usable 3rd row. Although the rondo's interior is nicer.

Dave T,

OT

Are monthly car sales by model available anywhere online? If not where can they be found (I have access to a bunch of databases)? I now some analyst reports include the dealer inventory numbers per model...are these available anywhere?

I LIKE THE LOOKS OF THIS PASSENGER CAR. THE INTERIOR IS A MIX OF THE SEDONA AND THE OPTIMA BUT THERE IS TOO MUCH TOY BOX PLASTICS. WHAT I STILL QUESTION IS HOW CAN THAT CAR POSSIBLY CRAM 7 PEOPLE. THAT CONFIGURATION WOULD MOST LIKELY BE 4 ADULTS WITH 3 SMALL CHILDREN. ENGINES SHOULD READ 2.4L 4CYL FOR THE 5 PASSENGER OR UPGRADED 3.3L V6 FOR THE ADDED WEIGHT. VERY USUABLE BUT NO CERTAIN THREAT TO THE MARKET WITH OTHER WAGONS OUT THERE. HYUNDAI/KIA ARE DOING WELL.

These have been rolling around S Korea for about 8 months now. Nice looking cars, although the rear end looks like it's been hit or something. I'd buy one of these. It can carry five people comfortably and seven in a pinch...while getting 29mpg. Not too bad.

Is it just me or do the rear ends look like Subaru rear ends?

Tor,
At the end of every month the automakers must release their sales figures to the public. November's will most likely come today as a matter of fact. They usually break it down per model per month and year to date. but not how many each dealer sold. Dealer inventory numbers are kept by certain database companies yes but you usually have to pay for the information.

here are the sales numbers for Mazda in general through Oct. 2006

the goal was to sell 15,000 Mazda5s a year.

http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_display.cfm?article_id=24725&make_id=227

Thanks Hector,

The Mazda5 has reached its sales goal of 15000 in October and therefore looks certain to exceed the goal for the whole year. So its certainly not a dismal failure....

....the Mazda data is what I want for all automakers....I never see it in press release (breakdown per model)

The Rondo has alot more usuable space than the Mazda5. The 3rd row has about an inch more legroom too. It looks like it has the Mazda5 beat in alot of areas, including room, power, and gas mileage.

The V-6/5-spd auto tranny combo gives the Rondo a wheel up in this vehicle category...

I already own an 06 Kia Spectra, and after 7 thousand miles, still not even one tiny problem ! What I like about the Rondo is that the doors, front and back, are hinged not sliding, so should be quieter, more reliable and much less noisy.
If the Rondo is even half as good a car, "sign me up !
Lee

A hyundai version of this would be nice.

The Kia Rondo looks great except for one factor. The Rondo is supposed to compete with the Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe, but look at the gas mileage difference. The Toyota Matrix gets almost 30% more mileage around town. It looks like Kia really needs to get with a more efficient engine like the Toyota with VVT technology.

I love the NAME -RONDO! It gets AROUND! get it?

I just bought a Kia Rondo -- great car, folks. It makes so much sense for those of us who want a nicely appointed, not flashy car with many of the advantages of an SUV, but with decent gas mileage. There are no rattles, no flaws, the interior is roomy, my loaded EX model had the things that were important to me: leather; heated front seats; in-dash CD changer, sunroof; numerous cubbies and cupholders and "stash" places; smooth automatic transmission; plenty of get-up-and-go for the interstate I have to travel; easy to use and see dials/shifter/radio; I could go on but that gives you an idea.
Maybe the reviewers don't know what to call it, but I call it "great!"
Melissa

We chose the Rondo over the Mazda 5 because the Mazda seating is configured 2-2-2 rather than 2-3-2, and the Mazda's second row is two distinct seats rather than a bench, and the two distinct seats don't fold into a flat surface when the seats are down. Useless for cargo, in other words.
The Rondo in contrast is pretty versatile and has no such deal-breaking drawbacks. It parks like a small car, which it is, and drives at least adequately. It is surprisingly tall, however, which may or may not be a good thing. We found the package configurations annoying - we wanted the power adjustable driver's seat but couldn't get that without going all the way to the top model and taking options we didn't want, such as leather. The 2 extra seats do accommodate adults, but not for long trips. Also, no tonneau cover with the 7-passenger model.

I just purchased a new Rondo. Liked the look. The selling point for me was the wide rear doors which allow me plenty of room to get the car seats in and out without hitting a thing. Plenty of room for everything. The handling is great and road noise is quieter than the KIA Optima that I owned. Great car.

The Mazda5 is better than the Rondo because:
* the sliding doors offer much better access to the 3rd row
* 2nd row captain's chairs are much more comfortable than a bench and prevent children from fighting
* much better fit & finish from Mazda than from Kia
* The Mazda5 looks way better than the Rondo
* Mazda5 comes with much more equipment for the $

The Rondo has a leg up if you want a V6 or must have 7 seats instead of 6. Also the powertrain warranty is better. I liked everything about the Mazda5 better so I bought it instead.

"The Mazda5 is better than the Rondo because:
* the sliding doors offer much better access to the 3rd row"

- no, the Mazda was much harder to get into the 3rd row seat because the seat doesn't move far enough out of the way. I broke a seatbelt clip off the show room model. The only advantage to the sliding door is that it won't hit the car beside you when the kids throw it open.

"* 2nd row captain's chairs are much more comfortable than a bench and prevent children from fighting"

- They aren't as comfortable when you don't have as much leg room, and they sit too low and feel like you are sittin on wood. Not to mention you don't have a middle seat.

"* much better fit & finish from Mazda than from Kia"

- Nope, don't judge the Kia without looking at it. I drove both, and the fit/finish on the Kia was just as good.

"* The Mazda5 looks way better than the Rondo"

- subjective, I think the Mazda5 is pretty ugly, the tail lights stand out like a sore thumb.

"* Mazda5 comes with much more equipment for the $"

- No it doesn't, they are similarly equipped for the $, and the Mazda doesn't even offer a V6 or stability control.

Both are good vehicles, and you should drive both before making your decision. I thought the Mazda5 was not as comfortable, but much sportier driving. Why do you buy a people hauler? Usually not for the sportiness (if you do, your priorities are probably inverted), and the Kia is still fun to drive.

We were looking for a vehicle that had good room inside for cargo and tall kids and got good gas mileage. After test driving a number of vehicles including the mazda, we kept coming back to the Rondo. We could not justify buying anything else. Now that we own it, we are very happy with the Rondo and have no regrets. It is a smooth drive, has all the features we need, and looks good. We did get the windows tinted and I would highly recommend this. You do get a lot of car for your money.

I test drove a kia and the mazda 5. I chose the mazda 5, because it looks and drives better. The Kia is a little better equipped for its price, but that's where it's advantage ends. The 5 handles much better than the kia, and I love the sliding doors. I would also expect the mazda to fetch better resale than the kia, since the 5 is built in japan, and it carries a better name plate. It attracts alot of attention from people. The Rondo is a good car, I just find the 5 more engaging to drive.

We recently bought the V-6 EX Rondo and are really happy with it. It is very roomy (I'm 6'-3'' and can sit front or back in comfort), has tons of storage space, rides and handles well, good power, decent gas mileage, and more standard features for the price than mosyt of the competition, particularly all the air bags and electric stability control. I don't agree that the Mazda 5 is its competition. It's more of a van. The CRV, Rav4 and new Nissan Rogue are more similar.

we just bought kia rondo here in toronto.i supposed to choose mazda5 but when i compare the two i end up with many different good features of a crossover car which is rondo.until now im overwhelmed with this car.compare first before you buy.thats what i did.been to many mazda dealer but i end up to only 1 kia dealer.i am surprise with this car until now.

VIVA LA RONDO BABY!