Best Cash-Back Finds: 12.27.07

Many year-end incentives end on January 2 so we thought it would be a good time to sift through the deals and see what models are actually worth your hard-earned cash-back dollars. For a list of all incentives, click here.

2008 Saturn Vue

• MSRP: $21,250
• Cash back: $2,000
• Percent off MSRP: 9.4%
• Expires: 1/2/08
• 5-Year Ownership Costs
• Cars.com Best New Car for Small Families

The redesigned Saturn Vue is a favorite at the Cars.com offices. It recently won our small SUV faceoff against the Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV4 and has a relatively upscale interior. It also scored nearly perfect on IIHS crash tests — an airbag redesign will have future Vue’s in fact perfect. The one main fault with the Vue is the seemingly high MSRP on certain trim levels. With $2,000 off that — including the sporty Red Line trim — this is a great deal.

Kia Wakes Up, Kills Off Cassette Player

I was just looking at the fact sheet on the 2008 Kia Rondo (introduced earlier this year as a 2007 model) and discovered that Kia has dumped the Rondo’s cassette player in favor of an MP3 jack. Progress! You may remember (or not) my thoughts on the 2007 Kia Sportage, when I told Kia to join the 21st century and get rid of the tape player, seeing as almost no one has used one in the past decade. Or you may remember the Suburban Dad Manifesto, in which I implored all automakers to make MP3 jacks standard in the face of more than 130 million MP3 players wandering the roads of America (the vast majority of which are iPods). Well, it seems the South Korean automaker, in its wisdom, has seen fit to embrace both concepts for the Rondo and the 2008 Optima. We haven’t heard yet about the Sportage.

Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for automatic windows everywhere. Take your time; we can wait.

Friday Fleet Notes: 05.18.07

This week we get some feedback from the staff on the recently reviewed 2007 Kia Rondo, as well as a summertime treat in the Pontiac Solstice GXP. Two of our staffers turned out to have radically different impressions of the little roadster.

2007 Kia Rondo

One of the Rondo's most impressive features is how open and airy the cabin feels; visibility is exceptional in all directions. The flipside, though, is that after driving the Rondo for a while you begin to feel like you're piloting a giant fish bowl because pedestrians have an equally good view inside the car. Subaru's Forester provides a similar experience, but it's one we're seeing on relatively few new cars these days.

• Mike Hanley, Cars.com reviewer

Cars.com Reviews the 2007 Kia Rondo

The all-new Kia Rondo perplexed just about everyone here at Cars.com HQ. Was it a minivan? A crossover? A mini-minivan? After one week and hundreds of miles, most of us still weren’t sure exactly who would desire such an odd duck. Check out the full review and get all of our thoughts.

2007 Kia Rondo Expert Review

Suburban Dad: 2007 Kia Rondo

The Rondo tries to break some new ground in the crossover game — which is pretty new itself — by being a small fish among big fish. If my kids were little, say, all in elementary school, the Rondo would be a handy choice: Room enough for them in the second row and groceries in the back with the optional third row down. For carpooling, the Rondo would be handy with that third row built for the younger set. Factor in its features and a starting price right around $16,500, before destination, and a base Rondo could be a good deal for a small family.

Given the size of my kids now, and some of the Rondo’s limitations, though, I’d have to pass.

Its dimensions are smaller than most of its crossover competitors, but it still tries to seat seven. It’s size does give it some advantages: It's certainly less intimidating than many larger SUVs and, as my wife said when she first saw it, "It's cute!" It’s like a giant, motorized jelly bean.

2007 Chicago Auto Show: Kia Rondo SX Concept

Kia is trying to shed the boring image many people have of the company by making a sporty version of its brand new Rondo crossover. The small hauler is a nifty and innovative vehicle but someone out there may want all that utility, small dimensions matched to a sportier driving feel. Kia answers that call — we’re not sure if there is a call placed but they answer it anyway — with the Rondo SX.

Most noticeably different from the base Rondo are larger front and rear body panels and a metal mesh grille. The headlights are darkened a bit, there are dual exhaust outlets, the roof rails have been removed and the whole thing rides on 18-inch alloy wheels. Slight engine modifications add 10 horsepower bringing the total to 192 hp. The vehicle has also been lowered three inches and larger discs improve braking. You also will find the radically trimmed interior with sport seats hard to miss.

We’re not sure if this concept will become its own trim in the Rondo lineup but the term SX is in line with the current — and more pedestrian — LX and EX models. More photos below.