Introduction

The Kia Rondo takes up little space yet it seats up to seven adults. It's shorter than the six-passenger Mazda5, but it offers more third-row legroom than a Toyota RAV4. We found the ride, handling and brakes of the Kia Rondo excellent. It's a good vehicle for running around town or for taking the whole family on a long trip. A four-cylinder engine comes standard with an EPA-rated City/Highway 20/27 miles per gallon. We found it to be strong, offering good acceleration performance for passing on two-lane roads, and it's smooth and quiet when cruising down the highway. This 2.4-liter four-cylinder comes mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode. A smooth 2.7-liter V6 with a five-speed automatic is optional. It's rated 18/26 mpg and delivers more thrust more smoothly and adds just $1,000 to the retail price, making it a bargain. The seats are comfortable whether in cloth or leather. The driver sits relatively high and the Rondo feels like neither a car nor a sport utility. In addition to people, it can haul lots of stuff; just flip down the back two rows of seats. For 2009, both engines are upgraded in power. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder was rated at 162 horsepower last year, but is now at 175 horsepower in ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) form, and 167 horsepower in SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) form; the SULEV version is sold in the states of California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Oregon. The 2.7-liter V6 was 182 horsepower, and is now 192 in all states. There is a new Plus Package for the LX trim level; it includes alloy wheels, carpeted floormats and heated front seats ($590). For the upper-grade EX trim level there is a Premium Package, which includes a power sunroof, Infinity AM/FM/MP3/Sirius 315-watt digital audio system with a six-CD changer, and navigation ($2400).

Walkaround

The Kia Rondo looks like a cross between a minivan and a five-door hatchback, and not like a small SUV. It has a clean design, with a nicely sloped hood, trapezoidal headlamps with four smooth corners, and a tidy grille that's sort of Acura-shaped. The chin fascia holds projector-beam foglamps on the EX and a dark horizontal air opening below the grille. The Rondo EX has chrome slats in the grille, chrome door handles and a chrome strip on the side, but the less-expensive LX, with a black grille and no chrome on the side, looks cleaner. The pillars are black, creating an unbroken glass effect with tinted windows. The C-pillar slopes down and back, with the lower rim rising to meet it and shape an upswept three-quarter rear window that offers a decent view for the third-row passengers, although it could be bigger. The rear glass is a simple large rectangle, a bit wider on the bottom and smoothly sloped. It doesn't open separately. The wheelbase is long when compared to the total length, resulting in short front and rear overhangs (the part of the car that extends ahead of or behind the wheels). That helps maximize interior space. The five-spoke alloy wheels are simple, silver, and individual, with each of the five spokes having a stylish twist.

Interior Features

The Kia Rondo has a versatile interior. Counting all the ways the three rows divide, recline and fold, Kia cites some 32 different seating configurations with the optional third-row seat. Since roomy seating is what makes the Rondo special, let's start with a tale of the tape: Leg room in the front, middle and third rows is 41.3, 38.2 and 31.3 inches, compared to 40.7, 35.2 and 30.7 in the Mazda5, and 41.8, 38.3 and 30.0 in the RAV4. But inches expressed as numbers on a page aren't necessarily conclusive. Indeed, the Rondo feels considerably more roomy than the RAV4. In the second row, with the sliding seat all the way back, you can extend your legs. In the third-row seat, we found reasonable knee and head room for our 5-foot, 10-inches, although we had to put our feet together and splay our knees. It's cozy back there, not the best place for adults. On each side of the third row, there's a good-sized storage bin with a flip-up top like a console, and one cupholder. Kids can put their stuff in those spots. The second row is split 60/40, and both sides slide forward to increase legroom in the third row; moving the second-row seats forward is also how you gain access to the third row. The second-row seats recline, as well. For cargo carrying, both the second and third rows fold flat easily; the second-row seat cushion folds forward and the seatback flops down, with the headrest flipping back. Each side of each row folds separately, so a long space can be created on one side of the car, suitable for, say, a short kayak. The front passenger seat doesn't fold flat, so you can't fit a long kayak inside. For that, you'd need to purchase the crossbars for the roofrails. There's good storage space with the third-row folded flat or with no optional third row at all. With all the rear seats down, there's a lot of cargo space. With the third row in use, there's only room behind the seat for a couple of briefcases. You can easily reach in and raise or lower the third-row seats through the liftgate. We drove both the Rondo LX and EX models, with cloth and leather interiors. The cloth looks better in gray than beige: Less old-fashioned. The perforated gray leather seats added a real touch of class. After a full day of driving, the cloth bucket seats in the LX, our test model, were still comfortable. In the front seats, the passenger has tons of leg and elbow room, and the comfortable seat reclines if he or she wants to take a nap. The driver's seat is high and affords good visibility; from behind the wheel, the Rondo feels like neither an SUV nor a car, which is what a crossover is about. There's excellent visibility front and rear, with lots of glass so there are no blind spots when looking over your shoulder. The doors open wide and are easy to open and close, and each has a grab handle nearby. Other cabin touches are well planned, including good lighting, a comfortable armrest for the driver, door pockets with a fixed bulge for a big water bottle, a purse hanger on the right side of the center stack, climate vents for the second row, and other touches. The dashboard and instrument panel layout and design are sharp and efficient, finished in graphite with orange mood lighting for the gauges. The climate ducts are round and balanced, and the knobs are easy to understand and operate. The leather-wrapped steering wheel on the EX feels great, and there are steering wheel controls, as well. Cubby storage includes a compartment on top of the dashboard, more convenient for the driver than the glovebox because it's easily reachable. For its part, the glovebox is a good size. The automatic shift lever is located up on the center stack, giving more room for the console between the seats, which is deep and square. Forward of the console compartment there are two fixed cupholders and a slot for a cell phone. The interior is nice and quiet; most noise comes from the tires over freeway expansion strips. Even with a window rolled down at 80 miles per hour, it was easy to carry on a conversation.