Review; 2008/2009 Kia Rondo LX
10-17-08, 12:04 PM
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Review; 2008/2009 Kia Rondo LX
A Review of the 2008 Kia Rondo LX.*
http://www.kia.com/rondo/index.php
In a Nutshell: Bargain-priced*, and very well-done for basic commuter/shopping duties, but watch it on winding roads.
While there is probably not a whole lot of CL interest in this vehicle, I did get some non-CL questions and interest in it, including my own brother (who, like me, is a Subaru fan), and one or two of my neighbors. So, I decided to do a review, post it, and share my findings with you guys. Unfortunately, Kia has not yet started delivering 2009 Rondos, so I chose an end-of-year 2008 model for the test.
Kia offers the Rondo as more or less a cross between a conventional compact-sized hatchback/wagon and an undersized mini-minivan. In general design and purpose, it is more or less like (for those of you who remember them) the old Plymouth Colt Vista/Mitsubishi Expo/Eagle Summit Wagon triplets of the early 1990's, and the more contemporary Mazda5 people-mover. It's an ideal vehicle for those who want a relatively inexpensive, economical typical-suburban people or cargo-mover that is not too big or bulky for parking in small spaces. For this purpose, it fulfills its role pretty well, although it is worthy of note that Kia's own compact FWD Spectra5, slightly smaller than the Rondo, offers more car-like handling/driving dynamics and still has a fair amount of versatility and room inside, but without the Rondo's tall roof.
In the American market, Kia offers two Rondo trim lines for 2008, LX and EX, and three (Base, LX, and EX) 2009.....otherwise, no other apparant major changes for 2009. LX and EX models each have a choice of a 2.4L four and four-speed automatic or a slightly larger, but not much more powerful, V6 and 5-speed automatic. The new base model will be four-cylinder only, presumably automatic (the website does not have all of its specs yet), since few, if any, buyers in the American market want a manual transmission with this type of vehicle. I selected a four-cylinder LX with the third-row seat option for the review, as many buyers choose that option for some $500. In fact, the Kia people there said that non-third-row seat models are difficult to get because dealers just don't order many of them or keep them in stock. The best bet, for a two-row-seat only model, is to place a special order and wait, or see if one is available at surrounding Kia shops.
So, what is this inexpensive versatility machine like? Details coming up.
Model Reviewed: 2008 Kia Rondo LX*
Base Price: $17,895*
Major Options:
Convenience Package: $300
Third-Row Seat: $500
Carpeted Floor Mats: $95
Rear Upper Spoiler: $350 (a waste of money)
Rear Lower Liftgate Spoiler: $200 (another waste of money)
Destination/Freight: $650
List price as reviewed: $19,990*
*These prices don't match what Kia has in the database now for the Rondo. Kia apparantly raised LX and EX Rondo prices substantially for 2009, added the 2009 prices and the new (for 2009) base model Rondo to the site, but left the 2008 specs in the rest of the website. So, if you go to "Build and Price" feature on the website, you may or may not get the same data I did. Kia has not released 2009s yet to dealerships....which is why I reviewed and drove a late-model 2008.
Drivetrain: FWD, transversely-mounted 2.4L DOHC in-line 4, 162 HP @ 5800 RPM, Torque 164 Ft-lbs. @ 4250 RPM, 4-speed automatic transmission with Sportshift.
EPA Mileage Ratings: 21 City, 29 Highway
Exterior Color: Volcanic Red
Interior: Beige Flat-Woven Cloth
PLUSSES:
Bargain price.
Handsome (IMO) exterior styling and wheels.
Excellent Hyundai/Kia warranty.
Good overall versatility/utility.
Superlative underhood layout.
Relatively smooth, quiet four-cylinder engine (at idle).
Smooth, quiet automatic transmission.
Fairly low wind noise at cruise.
Slightly spongy but effective brakes.
Standard Electronic Stability control.
Fairly smooth ride.
Nice paint job.
Mostly dull but classy paint colors.
Tank-solid front doors.
Clear, simple gauges.
Superbly clear, easy-to-use dash *****/buttons/controls.
3 dome reading lights....1 for each row of seats.
Superb headroom in all seats.
Nice but not exceptional stereo sound quality.
Easy-folding split third-row seats.
Slick, well-done exterior mirrors.
Nicely-done cloth seat upholstery.
Attractive, high-quality interior trim.
Numerous interior storage compartments/cubbyholes.
Foot-pedal-operated parking brake easier to use than most.
MINUSES:
Roly-Poly handling.
Slow steering response.
Some road/tire noise on coarse surfaces.
4-speed automatic transmission blunts some engine performance.
Ugly, rough-feeling, flat-black exterior trim.
Cheap-feeling steering wheel.
Uncomfortable, protruding, front-seat head rests.
Gimmicky, overpriced dual rear spoilers.
2nd-row seat awkward to fold down.
No underhood insulation pad.
3rd-row seat takes up most of the cargo room.
(and non-3rd row seat models somewhat hard to find in my area).
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the Rondo, the first impression you get of it is that of Kia-related family styling, and sharing a number of styling features with other Kia products, The overall shape, with some minor variation, is strongly reminiscent of a shrunken Sedona Minivan, though the D-pillars, in back, are quite different, with a BMW-type forward-kink that, fortunately, is not enough to block outward vision. Though the styling would be considered frumpy and stodgy by some sport-oriented car people, I liked its somewhat conservative and tasteful looks. The basic two-box styling does a lot for interior room (more on this below), though the quite tall roofline, while adding tons of headroom, raises the center of gravity and degrades handling (also more on that below). I also liked the traditional 5-spoke, mag-type design of the alloy wheels, which looked like something from an American-nameplate muscle car like the Pontiac G8 or Mustang GT.
Exterior fit-and finish was first-rate for a vehicle of this class, except for the ugly, rough-feeling flat-black exterior window/roof-rack trim and wiper arms. All of the exterior sheet metal was well-done and solid, and panel gaps were quite thin. The two front doors and hatchback liftgate closed with a solid, tanklike "Thunk"; the two rear doors somewhat less so. The paint job is very well-done, about what we're seeing on other new Hyundais/Kias, and, though only seven colors are offered (and all are a little dull for my tastes), I rather liked the Volcanic Red, Black Cherry, and Velvet Blue. Both side mirrors were super-slick in their swivel motion, snapped easily in and out of their locking mode, and had a thick, high-quality plastic housing........this is something that American-nameplate vehicles sorely need to work on. The only real negative things I found outside, except for some the aforementioned rough, ugly black trim, are the two small, unneeded, and frivolous spoilers on the rear end....an upper and lower one (see the "Major Options" list above. Kia charges for each one separately, which, together, total $550...a complete waste of money, IMO, that impacts on its otherwise bargain price. As with non-third-seat models, it may be difficult to find Rondos in stock without them.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the solid hood (I couldn't tell if it was aluminum or steel, but it lacks an underhood insulation pad), and prop it up with a swing prop-rod, which, though gas struts are nicer, is acceptable in a vehicle of this class. The engine compartment's layout is superlative...one of the best I have seen in a contemporary vehicle (partly because of the vehicle's squared-off front styling). The transverse-mounted 2.4L four fits in with plenty of room to spare, with good open spaces all around it on all three sides. Even hardware and components on the rear side of the engine are easily reached with almost no effort, which is quite unusual. There are no plastic covers or panels anywhere to block things, and the battery, fluid reservoirs, dipsticks, and virtually every component is accessable right at your fingertips. Even the oil filter, in front on the lower-side of the engine block, is easily seen and reached by putting your arm and hand down between the upper radiator hose and the front of the engine block.
Ralph Nader: You want a model of how to design things underhood? Here's your car.
INTERIOR:
I was pleased and impressed by most of what I found inside, despite a lack of the wood-tone trim that I generally like. The seats have a nice feel to the fabric upholstery, and the cushions, while still firmer than I like, are not as firm as on many other vehicles today. There isn't much side bolstering or support, but then, this is a classic un-sporting vehicle that is simply not capable of hard cornering, so you don't need sports-car seats (more on that below). The gauges, while right out of the standard Hyundai/Kia parts bin, are, nevertheless, clear, well-marked, and easily legible. The *****/controls/buttons layout for the stereo, climate control, and other features is superlative......one of the best I've seen (Ralph Nader, here's another benchmark for you). It's simple, easy-to-use, intuitive, and can be deciphered in an instant (BMW/Audi/Mercedes, are you listening?). All of the interior hardware is solid, reasonably durable, and well-done. The interior trim is not lavish or flashy, but is still (in my tested vehicle) an attractive two-tone black/beige dash and door panels with beige seats. The stereo sound quality is not Lexus-grade, but still above average for this class of car. Legroom was adequate, but not lavish, front and rear, and of course, it was a tight climb back into the third-row seat, which is suitable mainly for children or small adults. Headroom, mostly because of the tall roof and boxy styling, is excellent front and rear....I'm 6' 2", and guys taller than me can easily sit with their heads clear. A headroom-robbing sunroof is not available except in the Premium-package EX versions....and even then, headroom is so that good one may not notice. Three ceiling dome/reading lamps come with the third-row seat option...one for each row of seats. There are numerous cubbyholes, built-in cupholders, and storage compartments everywhere. Even the left-foot-operated parking brake pedal, which is an awkward device to use in many vehicles, was a cinch in this car. The design of the lower dash and steering column allowed plenty of room for even a big, heavy leg/knee combination like mine to step up and down on it without banging it on something else.
There were few things inside I didn't care for, but I will mention them (it wouldn't be a fair review, of course, if I didn't). The steering wheel has a cheap, uncomfortable feel to the padding material that covers the rim. The fold-flat mechanisms for the second-row seats are cumbersome and somewhat awkward to operate (more on that below, in the CARGO AREA/TRUNK section). And the active-safety headrests tend to stick forward somewhat uncomfortably and put a little pressure on the back of your head....I had to rake the seatback angle a little a little further down than I normally like it for my head and neck to be comfortable, even with the normal up/down headrest adjustment clicks.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
The optional third-row seat in my test car, of course, took up almost all of the cargo area with both of the split-seatbacks up. With them down, there is a good amount of cargo room, owing to the high, squared-off roofline, and with the second-seats folded, a cavernous amount of room, which one would expect with a vehicle of this type. A third (and unusual) dome/reading light in the back serves either the passengers in the third-row seat or as a cargo-compartment light (so you have to remember to make sure that all three of them are off when you leave so the battery doesn't run down). Dropping the individually-folding third-row seats is easy....just pull the strap on the back of each seat, push forward, and bingo, they're down and folded flat to the floor. Dropping the split 50/50 second-row seats is much more difficult. You have to use an awkward release to tilt the lower cushions up and forward, then take off the headrests, use another awkward set of levers that unlock the seatbacks, andpull them forward and down.....sometimes the latch doesn't work properly, and they jam halfway down, necessitating a repeat. One folded properly, they lie flat on the floor, and everything in back of the front seat becomes a big flat cargo area just like a small minivan, with cavernous room. The cargo area itself is finished pretty well with a nice grade of carpet for this class of vehicle and has cubbyholes and storage compartments,though the temporary spare tire (acceptable in this class of vehicle) is a little more difficult to reach when the third-row seats are up.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the Rondo's 2.4L four with a conventional ignition key and switch. It settles into a silky-smooth, quiet, Honda-like idle, but has a little noise and vibration as revs built up on the road.....it is difficult to get larger-displacement fours to run really smooth without balance shafts and other trick engineering features. Its maximum 164 ft-lbs. of torque is reasonable for a vehicle of this size and class, but comes at 4250 RPM, where most owners of this type of vehicle rarely exceed 3500 RPM or so in routine daily driving. Still, it will get out of its own way, though not by much, and you definitely won't be able to keep up with a Camaro SS or Mustang GT. The engine's rather meager performance is blunted a little more by the 4-speed automatic, which is geared for economy rather than acceleration, and the 4 gears, of course, mean rather wide gear spacing. Otherwise, however, the transmission is smooth and quiet, seamless in operation, and has a slick-feeling/slick-operating shifter. One feature of the auto-manual shift function (which probably won't get used very much by most Rondo owners), is the fact that, with no Sport-mode for the fully automatic feature, after you slide the shift lever right to the manual-shift ate, it displays the gear the transmission is current in on the dash BEFORE you start to shift manually...so there' no guesswork as to what gear you are in before you nudge the lever forward or back. Some units, in manual-shift mode, don't tell you what gear you are in until after you actually bump the lever forward or back.....sometimes resulting in jolts when you think you are downshifting to one gear and it is actually the one below that. While the 4-cylinder-automatic combination is OK for normal suburban commuting and shopping in flat areas, consider getting the V6 (which, as I indicated in the opening section, is available in both LX and EX versions), if you routinely carry several adults, a lot of cargo, or drive in hilly areas. The V6 is rather small, though, at 2.7 liters, and doesn't offer a whole lot more horsepower or torque....182 of each, to be exact.
This vehicle is strictly for sensible, sedate driving. Throw it around a sharp curve or hairpin like you would a Mazda Miata or Honda S2000, and you'll not only draw protests from the front tires, but plow ahead with gross understeer and possibly wind up in a ditch. This is not a car for showing off. There's significant body roll from the high center of gravity. The steering response, by modern standards, is well on the slow side, and the standard Electronic Stability Control, of course, can only help as much as the car's steering, tires, and suspension system will give it. While the power-steering effort has an almost pleasant, BMW-like firmness to it, the wheel's rim, where you hold it, itself feels cheap and unpleasant.......and response, as noted, is quite slow by modern standards. Stability System or not (and I didn't push it hard enough to try and test its limits), you will simply have to put up with classic understeer in this vehicle. If you want a autocross-capable machine, you'll have to look elsewhere.
Ride comfort, on the other hand, from the 16", 60-series tires and fairly soft suspension, while not Town Car or limo-like, is not bad at all....the trade-off to the less-than-Formula-1 handling. Bumps are absorbed and isolated pretty well, though some road and tire noise comes in on coarse road surfaces. Wind noise is sealed off fairly effectively from well-designed, solid doors and weatherstripping, and engine noise (as described above) is acceptable despite the lack of an underhood insulation pad. Brakes have an initial slight bit of sponginess, but then take hold pretty well, with effective response. Pedal placement is good.......there are no brake/gas pedal hangups for big feet/shoes going from one pedal to the other.
THE VERDICT:
This is a great all-around suburban commuter/shopping machine that can also carry a fair number of people or cargo as well, though, for heavy loads and steep terrain, it is best suited with the V6. It is generally well-built (the wheel alignment/balance defects on my test car notwithstanding), bargain-priced, comes with an excellent warranty, is superlatively designed underhood and inside except for the irritating headrests and second-seat folders, and would be reasonably comfortable on a long trip. It has a few minor negatives, and one major one (the sloppy handling) but, other than that, I could find little to complain about, except for the awkward second-seat releases. Unless you want sports-car handling (which most buyers of this type of vehicle don't), I recommend it for its overall pleasantness, long warranty, and bargain price. The price, of course, has gone up significantly for 2009, but a new lower-price base-model has been added to compensate.
However, if a little less people of cargo room is needed inside than the Rondo, then consider Kia's own slightly smaller Spectra5, which more or less replaces the old Rio Cinco 5-door, though the Spectra is slightly larger than the current Rio. It sells for slightly less than the Rondo, has FWD, 4 doors and a hatchback/liftgate like the Rondo, has significantly better handling, and, of course, has the same good Kia workmanship and warranty. And, of course, if the Rondo's cargo space is desired in a more porting/better-handling package, consider the Mazda5, which is much the same type of vehicle with sleeker styling and a more responsive chassis. The Mazda5, however, IMO, doesn't quite equal the Rondo's overall fit/finish and interior quality.
http://www.kia.com/rondo/index.php
In a Nutshell: Bargain-priced*, and very well-done for basic commuter/shopping duties, but watch it on winding roads.
While there is probably not a whole lot of CL interest in this vehicle, I did get some non-CL questions and interest in it, including my own brother (who, like me, is a Subaru fan), and one or two of my neighbors. So, I decided to do a review, post it, and share my findings with you guys. Unfortunately, Kia has not yet started delivering 2009 Rondos, so I chose an end-of-year 2008 model for the test.
Kia offers the Rondo as more or less a cross between a conventional compact-sized hatchback/wagon and an undersized mini-minivan. In general design and purpose, it is more or less like (for those of you who remember them) the old Plymouth Colt Vista/Mitsubishi Expo/Eagle Summit Wagon triplets of the early 1990's, and the more contemporary Mazda5 people-mover. It's an ideal vehicle for those who want a relatively inexpensive, economical typical-suburban people or cargo-mover that is not too big or bulky for parking in small spaces. For this purpose, it fulfills its role pretty well, although it is worthy of note that Kia's own compact FWD Spectra5, slightly smaller than the Rondo, offers more car-like handling/driving dynamics and still has a fair amount of versatility and room inside, but without the Rondo's tall roof.
In the American market, Kia offers two Rondo trim lines for 2008, LX and EX, and three (Base, LX, and EX) 2009.....otherwise, no other apparant major changes for 2009. LX and EX models each have a choice of a 2.4L four and four-speed automatic or a slightly larger, but not much more powerful, V6 and 5-speed automatic. The new base model will be four-cylinder only, presumably automatic (the website does not have all of its specs yet), since few, if any, buyers in the American market want a manual transmission with this type of vehicle. I selected a four-cylinder LX with the third-row seat option for the review, as many buyers choose that option for some $500. In fact, the Kia people there said that non-third-row seat models are difficult to get because dealers just don't order many of them or keep them in stock. The best bet, for a two-row-seat only model, is to place a special order and wait, or see if one is available at surrounding Kia shops.
So, what is this inexpensive versatility machine like? Details coming up.
Model Reviewed: 2008 Kia Rondo LX*
Base Price: $17,895*
Major Options:
Convenience Package: $300
Third-Row Seat: $500
Carpeted Floor Mats: $95
Rear Upper Spoiler: $350 (a waste of money)
Rear Lower Liftgate Spoiler: $200 (another waste of money)
Destination/Freight: $650
List price as reviewed: $19,990*
*These prices don't match what Kia has in the database now for the Rondo. Kia apparantly raised LX and EX Rondo prices substantially for 2009, added the 2009 prices and the new (for 2009) base model Rondo to the site, but left the 2008 specs in the rest of the website. So, if you go to "Build and Price" feature on the website, you may or may not get the same data I did. Kia has not released 2009s yet to dealerships....which is why I reviewed and drove a late-model 2008.
Drivetrain: FWD, transversely-mounted 2.4L DOHC in-line 4, 162 HP @ 5800 RPM, Torque 164 Ft-lbs. @ 4250 RPM, 4-speed automatic transmission with Sportshift.
EPA Mileage Ratings: 21 City, 29 Highway
Exterior Color: Volcanic Red
Interior: Beige Flat-Woven Cloth
PLUSSES:
Bargain price.
Handsome (IMO) exterior styling and wheels.
Excellent Hyundai/Kia warranty.
Good overall versatility/utility.
Superlative underhood layout.
Relatively smooth, quiet four-cylinder engine (at idle).
Smooth, quiet automatic transmission.
Fairly low wind noise at cruise.
Slightly spongy but effective brakes.
Standard Electronic Stability control.
Fairly smooth ride.
Nice paint job.
Mostly dull but classy paint colors.
Tank-solid front doors.
Clear, simple gauges.
Superbly clear, easy-to-use dash *****/buttons/controls.
3 dome reading lights....1 for each row of seats.
Superb headroom in all seats.
Nice but not exceptional stereo sound quality.
Easy-folding split third-row seats.
Slick, well-done exterior mirrors.
Nicely-done cloth seat upholstery.
Attractive, high-quality interior trim.
Numerous interior storage compartments/cubbyholes.
Foot-pedal-operated parking brake easier to use than most.
MINUSES:
Roly-Poly handling.
Slow steering response.
Some road/tire noise on coarse surfaces.
4-speed automatic transmission blunts some engine performance.
Ugly, rough-feeling, flat-black exterior trim.
Cheap-feeling steering wheel.
Uncomfortable, protruding, front-seat head rests.
Gimmicky, overpriced dual rear spoilers.
2nd-row seat awkward to fold down.
No underhood insulation pad.
3rd-row seat takes up most of the cargo room.
(and non-3rd row seat models somewhat hard to find in my area).
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the Rondo, the first impression you get of it is that of Kia-related family styling, and sharing a number of styling features with other Kia products, The overall shape, with some minor variation, is strongly reminiscent of a shrunken Sedona Minivan, though the D-pillars, in back, are quite different, with a BMW-type forward-kink that, fortunately, is not enough to block outward vision. Though the styling would be considered frumpy and stodgy by some sport-oriented car people, I liked its somewhat conservative and tasteful looks. The basic two-box styling does a lot for interior room (more on this below), though the quite tall roofline, while adding tons of headroom, raises the center of gravity and degrades handling (also more on that below). I also liked the traditional 5-spoke, mag-type design of the alloy wheels, which looked like something from an American-nameplate muscle car like the Pontiac G8 or Mustang GT.
Exterior fit-and finish was first-rate for a vehicle of this class, except for the ugly, rough-feeling flat-black exterior window/roof-rack trim and wiper arms. All of the exterior sheet metal was well-done and solid, and panel gaps were quite thin. The two front doors and hatchback liftgate closed with a solid, tanklike "Thunk"; the two rear doors somewhat less so. The paint job is very well-done, about what we're seeing on other new Hyundais/Kias, and, though only seven colors are offered (and all are a little dull for my tastes), I rather liked the Volcanic Red, Black Cherry, and Velvet Blue. Both side mirrors were super-slick in their swivel motion, snapped easily in and out of their locking mode, and had a thick, high-quality plastic housing........this is something that American-nameplate vehicles sorely need to work on. The only real negative things I found outside, except for some the aforementioned rough, ugly black trim, are the two small, unneeded, and frivolous spoilers on the rear end....an upper and lower one (see the "Major Options" list above. Kia charges for each one separately, which, together, total $550...a complete waste of money, IMO, that impacts on its otherwise bargain price. As with non-third-seat models, it may be difficult to find Rondos in stock without them.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the solid hood (I couldn't tell if it was aluminum or steel, but it lacks an underhood insulation pad), and prop it up with a swing prop-rod, which, though gas struts are nicer, is acceptable in a vehicle of this class. The engine compartment's layout is superlative...one of the best I have seen in a contemporary vehicle (partly because of the vehicle's squared-off front styling). The transverse-mounted 2.4L four fits in with plenty of room to spare, with good open spaces all around it on all three sides. Even hardware and components on the rear side of the engine are easily reached with almost no effort, which is quite unusual. There are no plastic covers or panels anywhere to block things, and the battery, fluid reservoirs, dipsticks, and virtually every component is accessable right at your fingertips. Even the oil filter, in front on the lower-side of the engine block, is easily seen and reached by putting your arm and hand down between the upper radiator hose and the front of the engine block.
Ralph Nader: You want a model of how to design things underhood? Here's your car.
INTERIOR:
I was pleased and impressed by most of what I found inside, despite a lack of the wood-tone trim that I generally like. The seats have a nice feel to the fabric upholstery, and the cushions, while still firmer than I like, are not as firm as on many other vehicles today. There isn't much side bolstering or support, but then, this is a classic un-sporting vehicle that is simply not capable of hard cornering, so you don't need sports-car seats (more on that below). The gauges, while right out of the standard Hyundai/Kia parts bin, are, nevertheless, clear, well-marked, and easily legible. The *****/controls/buttons layout for the stereo, climate control, and other features is superlative......one of the best I've seen (Ralph Nader, here's another benchmark for you). It's simple, easy-to-use, intuitive, and can be deciphered in an instant (BMW/Audi/Mercedes, are you listening?). All of the interior hardware is solid, reasonably durable, and well-done. The interior trim is not lavish or flashy, but is still (in my tested vehicle) an attractive two-tone black/beige dash and door panels with beige seats. The stereo sound quality is not Lexus-grade, but still above average for this class of car. Legroom was adequate, but not lavish, front and rear, and of course, it was a tight climb back into the third-row seat, which is suitable mainly for children or small adults. Headroom, mostly because of the tall roof and boxy styling, is excellent front and rear....I'm 6' 2", and guys taller than me can easily sit with their heads clear. A headroom-robbing sunroof is not available except in the Premium-package EX versions....and even then, headroom is so that good one may not notice. Three ceiling dome/reading lamps come with the third-row seat option...one for each row of seats. There are numerous cubbyholes, built-in cupholders, and storage compartments everywhere. Even the left-foot-operated parking brake pedal, which is an awkward device to use in many vehicles, was a cinch in this car. The design of the lower dash and steering column allowed plenty of room for even a big, heavy leg/knee combination like mine to step up and down on it without banging it on something else.
There were few things inside I didn't care for, but I will mention them (it wouldn't be a fair review, of course, if I didn't). The steering wheel has a cheap, uncomfortable feel to the padding material that covers the rim. The fold-flat mechanisms for the second-row seats are cumbersome and somewhat awkward to operate (more on that below, in the CARGO AREA/TRUNK section). And the active-safety headrests tend to stick forward somewhat uncomfortably and put a little pressure on the back of your head....I had to rake the seatback angle a little a little further down than I normally like it for my head and neck to be comfortable, even with the normal up/down headrest adjustment clicks.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
The optional third-row seat in my test car, of course, took up almost all of the cargo area with both of the split-seatbacks up. With them down, there is a good amount of cargo room, owing to the high, squared-off roofline, and with the second-seats folded, a cavernous amount of room, which one would expect with a vehicle of this type. A third (and unusual) dome/reading light in the back serves either the passengers in the third-row seat or as a cargo-compartment light (so you have to remember to make sure that all three of them are off when you leave so the battery doesn't run down). Dropping the individually-folding third-row seats is easy....just pull the strap on the back of each seat, push forward, and bingo, they're down and folded flat to the floor. Dropping the split 50/50 second-row seats is much more difficult. You have to use an awkward release to tilt the lower cushions up and forward, then take off the headrests, use another awkward set of levers that unlock the seatbacks, andpull them forward and down.....sometimes the latch doesn't work properly, and they jam halfway down, necessitating a repeat. One folded properly, they lie flat on the floor, and everything in back of the front seat becomes a big flat cargo area just like a small minivan, with cavernous room. The cargo area itself is finished pretty well with a nice grade of carpet for this class of vehicle and has cubbyholes and storage compartments,though the temporary spare tire (acceptable in this class of vehicle) is a little more difficult to reach when the third-row seats are up.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the Rondo's 2.4L four with a conventional ignition key and switch. It settles into a silky-smooth, quiet, Honda-like idle, but has a little noise and vibration as revs built up on the road.....it is difficult to get larger-displacement fours to run really smooth without balance shafts and other trick engineering features. Its maximum 164 ft-lbs. of torque is reasonable for a vehicle of this size and class, but comes at 4250 RPM, where most owners of this type of vehicle rarely exceed 3500 RPM or so in routine daily driving. Still, it will get out of its own way, though not by much, and you definitely won't be able to keep up with a Camaro SS or Mustang GT. The engine's rather meager performance is blunted a little more by the 4-speed automatic, which is geared for economy rather than acceleration, and the 4 gears, of course, mean rather wide gear spacing. Otherwise, however, the transmission is smooth and quiet, seamless in operation, and has a slick-feeling/slick-operating shifter. One feature of the auto-manual shift function (which probably won't get used very much by most Rondo owners), is the fact that, with no Sport-mode for the fully automatic feature, after you slide the shift lever right to the manual-shift ate, it displays the gear the transmission is current in on the dash BEFORE you start to shift manually...so there' no guesswork as to what gear you are in before you nudge the lever forward or back. Some units, in manual-shift mode, don't tell you what gear you are in until after you actually bump the lever forward or back.....sometimes resulting in jolts when you think you are downshifting to one gear and it is actually the one below that. While the 4-cylinder-automatic combination is OK for normal suburban commuting and shopping in flat areas, consider getting the V6 (which, as I indicated in the opening section, is available in both LX and EX versions), if you routinely carry several adults, a lot of cargo, or drive in hilly areas. The V6 is rather small, though, at 2.7 liters, and doesn't offer a whole lot more horsepower or torque....182 of each, to be exact.
This vehicle is strictly for sensible, sedate driving. Throw it around a sharp curve or hairpin like you would a Mazda Miata or Honda S2000, and you'll not only draw protests from the front tires, but plow ahead with gross understeer and possibly wind up in a ditch. This is not a car for showing off. There's significant body roll from the high center of gravity. The steering response, by modern standards, is well on the slow side, and the standard Electronic Stability Control, of course, can only help as much as the car's steering, tires, and suspension system will give it. While the power-steering effort has an almost pleasant, BMW-like firmness to it, the wheel's rim, where you hold it, itself feels cheap and unpleasant.......and response, as noted, is quite slow by modern standards. Stability System or not (and I didn't push it hard enough to try and test its limits), you will simply have to put up with classic understeer in this vehicle. If you want a autocross-capable machine, you'll have to look elsewhere.
Ride comfort, on the other hand, from the 16", 60-series tires and fairly soft suspension, while not Town Car or limo-like, is not bad at all....the trade-off to the less-than-Formula-1 handling. Bumps are absorbed and isolated pretty well, though some road and tire noise comes in on coarse road surfaces. Wind noise is sealed off fairly effectively from well-designed, solid doors and weatherstripping, and engine noise (as described above) is acceptable despite the lack of an underhood insulation pad. Brakes have an initial slight bit of sponginess, but then take hold pretty well, with effective response. Pedal placement is good.......there are no brake/gas pedal hangups for big feet/shoes going from one pedal to the other.
THE VERDICT:
This is a great all-around suburban commuter/shopping machine that can also carry a fair number of people or cargo as well, though, for heavy loads and steep terrain, it is best suited with the V6. It is generally well-built (the wheel alignment/balance defects on my test car notwithstanding), bargain-priced, comes with an excellent warranty, is superlatively designed underhood and inside except for the irritating headrests and second-seat folders, and would be reasonably comfortable on a long trip. It has a few minor negatives, and one major one (the sloppy handling) but, other than that, I could find little to complain about, except for the awkward second-seat releases. Unless you want sports-car handling (which most buyers of this type of vehicle don't), I recommend it for its overall pleasantness, long warranty, and bargain price. The price, of course, has gone up significantly for 2009, but a new lower-price base-model has been added to compensate.
However, if a little less people of cargo room is needed inside than the Rondo, then consider Kia's own slightly smaller Spectra5, which more or less replaces the old Rio Cinco 5-door, though the Spectra is slightly larger than the current Rio. It sells for slightly less than the Rondo, has FWD, 4 doors and a hatchback/liftgate like the Rondo, has significantly better handling, and, of course, has the same good Kia workmanship and warranty. And, of course, if the Rondo's cargo space is desired in a more porting/better-handling package, consider the Mazda5, which is much the same type of vehicle with sleeker styling and a more responsive chassis. The Mazda5, however, IMO, doesn't quite equal the Rondo's overall fit/finish and interior quality.
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-17-08 at 12:29 PM.
10-17-08, 02:36 PM
#3
MMarshall,
Thanks for sharing your review.
Straight up, this is not a vehicle I've ever given a lot of thought about so I especially appreciated the various references and comparisons to other vehicles I could relate to.
I'm sure your Brother and neighbor will also be appreciative
PS Looking forward to your upcoming reviews... Perhaps you could add the new Camaro once available please?
TripleL
Thanks for sharing your review.
Straight up, this is not a vehicle I've ever given a lot of thought about so I especially appreciated the various references and comparisons to other vehicles I could relate to.
I'm sure your Brother and neighbor will also be appreciative
PS Looking forward to your upcoming reviews... Perhaps you could add the new Camaro once available please?
TripleL
10-17-08, 06:20 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Sure....anytime.
My brother is on my regular E-mailing list.........he gets a copy of all of my reviews.
No need to ask........the new Camaro is already on my list, but it won't be available to the public for awhile yet. That's why I didn't put it on the short-term list above. I will review it (probably the SS model) as soon as it is available.
I just did the new Challenger R/T a few weeks ago. Here it is, if you haven't seen it:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...iew+challenger
Straight up, this is not a vehicle I've ever given a lot of thought about so I especially appreciated the various references and comparisons to other vehicles I could relate to.
I'm sure your Brother and neighbor will also be appreciative
I'm sure your Brother and neighbor will also be appreciative
PS Looking forward to your upcoming reviews... Perhaps you could add the new Camaro once available please?
I just did the new Challenger R/T a few weeks ago. Here it is, if you haven't seen it:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...iew+challenger
10-18-08, 11:50 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I forgot to mention in the review (I will here) that I noticed two small quality-control goofs on my test car. The first one is quite common on new cars...there were either out-of-round or out-of-balance front tires, with a small shimmy in the steering wheel at cruise speeds that came and went. The second one is somewhat less common...the steering wheel was slightly off-center on level, straight roads, indicating either a slight alignment problem or it wasn't properly centered on the assembly line.
10-19-08, 10:56 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Sure. Anytime.
Yes, my brother asked me about it, after seeing one one on the road, and even I was confused at first. I thought at first it was a little smaller than it actually is, and that it was going to replace the old Rio Cinco 5-door Wagon as one of Kia's entry-level products. That, of course, is not the case....it is actually like a mini-minivan (with minivan handling); something along the lines of the current Mazda5 or the old early 90's Plymouth Colt Vista/Mitsubishi Expo (I'm sure you remember those). A more accurate replacement for the old Rio Cinco is the newer Kia Spectra5, which is also a 5-door hatchback, smaller and more car-like in its handling than the Rondo.
I wasn't even aware this was sold!!! Bigger and more powerful than a loaded Fit or Yaris and a lot of the competition.
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