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There are over 110 reviews listed, with a vast majority recommending the Rondo. Only 7 reviews ultimately do not recommend the Rondo (red in the list below). When a review does criticize the Rondo, it's usually about its looks, performance and/or handling. Almost all of the reviews are impressed with its utility, features and value.
Graeme Fletcher: CanWest News Service
Motoring Television (video): Test drive, Long-term wrap up
--Motoring Television's Small Car of the Year (Over $18,000) for 2007
See below for one more article by Fletcher
Okay I'm through the first 'negative' review on the cars.com link and found this near the end.
The question, though, is who is going to see that value? Thrifty compact-SUV shoppers who can no longer find a sub-$20,000 vehicle? Minivan owners who are looking to downsize and save money? I'm not sure, because Kia's full-size Sedona minivan starts at a price similar to a V-6 Rondo, but with a much more powerful engine.
There is nothing similar price wise from a V-6 Ronda to a Sedona, in fact, it's quite a substantial price difference. That's my first gripe.
Second is the knock on the rear fold down seats. I agree that they're a pain in the 7 seater model but the 5 seater model is about a simple as simple can get.
As far as looks - it does look a bit 'goofy' as I tend to say but it must have grown on me because I actually enjoy the look now. When I put some nice wheels on this, it'll look a little nicer. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder though isn't it.
There were a lot of positives in the article but I do take a bit of exception when critiques don't do their homework. Credibility then goes out the window.
I'm glad that you guys like the list of links. It's quite convenient having them all in one place. It really didn't take me much time to find most of those links (others also contributed, of course). As they say, Google is your friend--I periodically do a Google News and Google Blog search and it takes all of a few seconds to discover any recent Rondo reviews. The hard part is remembering if I had posted the review before (the review might be syndicated and appearing in other newspapers).
The list isn't complete because I ignored reviews that didn't seem very informative or were just previews. Having said that, I still included a link to the short comment by the Washington Post writer--it was a very negative comment, so I wanted to include it because it's rare and to avoid the appearance of "cherry picking" only positive reviews.
BTW, when I say that a review is positive or negative, I'm not implying that the review is entirely one way or another. Most reviews, of course, have a mixture of things to say, but it's usually clear if the reviewer is recommending the vehicle or not. Sometimes, it's not so clear, so it's up to each person's interpretation and perhaps you might come up with a different total than I did concerning the number of negative and positive reviews.
I've added some UK links to Kia Carens road tests.....can someone tell me a better way of doing this?....I've just copied and pasted the web-site addresses:
The 'MPV' market is very competitive in the UK. Most reviewers seem to like the value for money aspects and the practicality of the Carens while being less impressed with the styling. The diesel engine is a strong point as is the Kia warranty. Views on the handling are mixed but the ride is well regarded.
Having previously owned a Fiat Multipla, I'm not qualified to comment on style! Compared with the Multipla the Carens feels much more substantial and has much more 'poke'. The Carens is quieter and does have a better ride on poor road surfaces. It is practical but not as clever as the Multipla which had totally removable seats, a very 'square' tailgate opening and a low load floor....that said we often fold the split back rest on our 5 seaters rear seat and it is very easy to do. We also appreciate the underfloor storage areas which come with the raised floor level. The Multipla was a true MPV whereas I regard the Carens 5 seater more of a tall station wagon. For about the same money I could have bought another Multipla (lower spec end)....I didn't because the Carens is better built, a nicer drive, has a better warranty, a better safety score and a much nicer local dealer who tries hard to please.
Glad to see that you have dealers that are willing to help. I have run in to a few that just want your money, see yah, thx, and never help you again, at least not like they should.
Good reviews as well. Looks like the Rondo/Carens is a good seller worldwide.
"The Kia Rondo is not just an all-new vehicle, it's an all-new invention. It's a front-wheel-drive, seven-passenger, crossover utility vehicle with a low price, mid size, high fuel mileage, vast cargo space and passenger versatility, and complete safety features as standard equipment. It features good leg and shoulder room for the passengers despite its modest length. It comes with either a robust four-cylinder engine or smooth V6, and offers an excellent ride, handling and brakes."
That's just weird what Beeber says about highway performance of the V6. Maybe it's all about what you compare it to, or having realistic expectations. Maybe reviewers just drive too many of the nice cars to be satisfied with "average?"
We are delighted with the V6 Rondo on the highway, but that might be relative to the old Suzuki Esteem wagon. We're not so easy to delude on performance that we would imagine acceleration or quietness where they don't exist, but we haven't driven a lot of modern cars so maybe we don't know how good it can get.
Drives: 2007 Rondo LX - 7 Pass., 4 Cyl. and a 1995 BMW 318ti
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Originally Posted by gottarondo
That's just weird what Beeber says about highway performance of the V6. Maybe it's all about what you compare it to, or having realistic expectations. Maybe reviewers just drive too many of the nice cars to be satisfied with "average?"
I agree, I have seen several complaints for both the 6 cyl, but especially the 4 cyl, about lack of passing power. I wonder if these reviewers even drove the vehicle. The 4 cyl when fully loaded has no problem jumping up to 80 mph to pass a vehicle. As you say, they are too used to having 260 hp V6 cars that will throw them back in their seat when the step on the pedal to pass. Either that they are trying to pass at 100 mph.
Rondo Reviews
and to avoid the appearance of "cherry picking" only positive reviews.
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