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"There's nothing goofy or awkward in the Rondo's overall look, but there's also little to captivate the mind's eye. It might just be the perfect getaway car for a seven-member gang. Eyewitnesses would have a hard time describing it to the cops."
We're addicted to our vans and SUVs but hate the pain at the pump they can cause. South Korea's Kia, with its U.S. operations in Irvine, took a noteworthy shot at juggling cargo hauling and gas mileage with the new Rondo. The look's quirky - an oddly oversized wagon - but the price seems right, under $25,000. And the buying public - a shrinking group overall in 2007 - seemed pleased. Kia sold 24,000 Rondos through November, a debut that's 1,500 or so better than Irvine-based Mazda's sales of its newest van, the CX-9. Smaller was better in '07.
Last edited by MedicineMan : 12-29-2007 at 08:58 PM.
A syndicated column called "The Car Family" from the National Motorists Association did a comparison of popular minivans with the Rondo thrown in for good measure. The blurb on the Rondo:
Quote:
Smaller than the other vans, but still offering seating for seven and a price that the others can’t match coming in with a V6 around $20,000 and the quite adequate four cylinder a couple of grand less. The Rondo handles great, can be parked much easier than the other vans, and is very large on the inside. It is the best model Kia sells and worth a long ride. The reason it did not place higher was that most people buy a minivan for the room, and the Rondo just doesn’t have as much due to its smaller footprint. It would have won first place if it were our choice, but we were testing for the typical minivan buyer.
The Kia Carens brings a welcome dose of style to the entry-level MPV market. A modern common-rail diesel engine delivers adequate performance, while engineering that is fit for the US and European markets should inspire confidence.
I can't say that I totally disagree with his three main gripes, though.
One, he absolutely hates how it looks, stating, "Even at its price, why would anyone want to be caught dead in one?" I'm a little more generous about its looks, but it's obvious that the Rondo's eccentric styling will elicit a strong reaction from some people.
Two, as some others have noticed (e.g., check out Canadian Driver's Day-by-Day Review and Narvo's post here), he had some scary moments with the ESC on slippery roads, especially up an incline. Sounds familiar, Narvo? So does this have more to do with the Rondo's crappy all-season tires and not using winter tires rather than the ESC that is just doing its job? Or is the ESC at fault, too, being too intrusive and shutting you down while you're in the middle of a manoeuvre?
Three, he points out, "On the loop, including highway driving in bad conditions, it rang up 20MPG. Efficient? Not exactly." I think a lot of us have noticed that the Rondo is a relatively thirsty beast, but I knew this was a possibility before I even bought the Rondo from the early reviews and forum posts that I had read. My fuel consumption is only slightly worse than the new EPA estimates, however, and there might be some room for improvement as my vehicle is still in (I think) break-in mode.
Last edited by MedicineMan : 01-06-2008 at 04:08 PM.
I have to comment on this article, this is a US article so the mileage should be taken in that context (it is rated as 18/26 US mpg) so its within the ratings and also his conditions were very poor as he stated. I've checked out evey fillup so far (just over 3300km) and its ranged from a 26 to 34 mpg (imperial gallon). But like you said MM I'm still on the break-in mode.
The other thing, and I continue to notice this, is the traction problems he talked about, again its a V6! He did not try the problem with the ESC shut off, but took a different route. I'm beginning to think that the V6 is way too much power for this vehicle which gets exceplified in bad conditions. I wonder what would have happened in this situation if the ESC was shut off and he used the Steptronic and took off in 3rd???
As of this writing I still have not encountered any problems with my 4 cylinder Rondo in snow conditions and with the all season Hankook standard tires. This is not to condem snow tires, which if you feel you require them get them, but just to provide another view point for anyone reading this forum (none Rondo owner) and getting the wrong impression.
__________________ Mileage: 21,200 km (13,200 miles), Ownership: 13 months
Two, as some others have noticed (e.g., check out Canadian Driver's Day-by-Day Review and Narvo's post here), he had some scary moments with the ESC on slippery roads, especially up an incline. Sounds familiar, Narvo? So does this have more to do with the Rondo's crappy all-season tires and not using winter tires rather than the ESC that is just doing its job? Or is the ESC at fault, too, being too intrusive and shutting you down while you're in the middle of a manoeuvre?
I have never had a problem on all season tires until I purchased our Rondo. I too experienced a situation that the reviewer talk of. I was in a parking lot that has a bad blind spot. I inched out to get a better view and notice an on coming vehicle. I accelerated and was on a patch of ice. The ESC came on and my efforts to negotiate the turn more aggressively were fruitless because the ESC stayed on for what seemed an eternity with a vehicle head at you in the middle of an intersection. The system finally gave me back control and I was able to power out of the intersection.
The installation of winter tires on my Rondo has made 100% difference. The ESC almost never comes on and the ABS which used to work OT is rarely engaged.
I don't think the V6 is too much power for the Rondo as Trevor suggested. Some reviewers actually state the V6 is not very powerful for its engine size. You should not have to take off in 3rd gear, and I am not even sure if this is possible. You can have all the power in the world but if you are not using it it should make no difference. I do not consider myself an aggressive driver by any means.
I rarely use the full capacity of power that my V6 has. I notice last weekend while passing another vehicle I did put the pedal to the floor and engage the passing gear. The vehicle does exhibit a strong torque steer which maybe exaggerated by my pulling problem.
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