To open up the pages of Automotive Declassified for June we thought we would review, perhaps one of the most hidden diamond in the rough of any of our prior reviews, the Kia Rondo. You have to hand it to Kia for having the guts to bring to market a quirky quasi minivan at a time when anything close to a minivan is viewed with disdain. The only other auto maker with that level of courage is Mazda. Mazda has had limited success with their terrific "5" that we reviewed recently. Unfortunately Kia will probably undergo a similar level of success if current morays continue. In Europe these mini-minivans are a common sighting. Makers from Fiat to Renault concoct these people movers in an effort to fulfill the space needs of their owners and the needed fuel efficiency necessary in a five dollar a gallon environment. In America we may begin to see the beauty of such vehicles as gas prices rise but for the present it simply goes over our heads. Now to be fair the Kia Rondo does not excel in the area of fuel efficiency in the way the European "movers" do. The reason for this is it's ancient 2.7L six cylinder engine which only makes 185 HP, (a rather anemic four is also available that manages a negligible MPG gain). This engine is a strong durable engine but far from sophisticated. This relative lack of sophistication costs it from being a true fuel sipper or a powerhouse. Think of a Toyota Six circa 1991 and you have the idea. I imagine Kia has chosen this engine in an effort to test the "waters" without investing in technology. Even with these frailties, the Ronda still manages 22MPG city and 28MPG highway, while achieving a 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds, not bad for old tech. ( the Mazda 5 came in with similar numbers)One can only imagine how uncomfortable this vehicle could make it's competitors if it had one of the newer Kia powerplants underhood! Inside the Kia is a ingenious use of space that would make an Airstream motorhome designer green with envy. The inside manages to pack three rows of seats without the interior getting that "living coffin" feel. Much of this is due to it's nearly Scion XB like squareness that creates wonderful interior airiness. A vehicle such as this reminds us of the reason for a vehicle in the first place in a true Henry Ford fashion , to provide a cost effective, reliable, safe,and comfortable manor of transport from one point to the other. This Rondo would make Mr. Ford proud, maybe Ford should have bought Hyundai/Kia?! Now on the track the Ronda will win no awards but it won't embarrass it's driver and in fact may draw a few smiles from it's driver on back road meanderings. In the event you get too ambitious with the Rondo the standard stability control will bring you back to reality long before you need the standard curtain airbags.So the bottom line comes down to your own level of self security. For those that don't need the latest auto fashion ,to show off at the club, (or the PTA meeting), will find the Ronda a perfect companion for their needs. Good go Rondo!
