Not so comfortable ride
In my opinion, several little things need to be revised in order to make the Rondo a solid vehicle. For instance, the leather in my tester proved too slippery. The front buckets also lack a bit of lumbar support. In the back, the seat cushions are pretty firm and they become uncomfortable after a two-hour drive (improved padding is an easy solution here). It's a shame because, as mentioned, the reclining seatbacks are a huge plus.

Another weakness of the Rondo is the poor soundproofing; wind noise is a constant disturbance and it prevents everyone inside from enjoying the above-average stereo. In addition, the rear tires keep making a loud hissing sound on concrete roads.

Total cargo capacity jumps from 185 to a whopping 2,083 liters once you fold all the seats down.

Finally, while the driving position is decent, large-size folks could really use a telescopic steering wheel.

On the road
The basic shape and size of the Kia Rondo do not make for inspiring driving dynamics. The steering feels a bit vague, although performance in the city is reasonable. This vehicle also proves stable on highways.

The 182-horsepower V6 and 5-speed automatic transmission allow decent passing maneuvers: less than 8 seconds from 80 to 120 km/h. On the other hand, takeoffs are pretty disappointing; I sprinted from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.5 seconds. The average fuel economy is 12.6 liters per 100 kilometers. The main benefit of this engine is the ability to tow a small trailer.

Braking distances are surprisingly short (36 meters from 100 to 0 km/h), yet they could have been even shorter if it were not for the fact that the front discs had to be remachined after 12,000 kilometers.

Sensible versatility
Aimed at today's young families, the 2008 Kia Rondo proudly delivers. Backed by a solid warranty and good reliability, this compact minivan only needs a few tweaks to match and overtake its main rival.


Photo Credit : Matthieu Lambert