The smart money

Risk or no risk? How does a car manufacturer evaluate the potential risks when introducing a new model or worse, creating a new segment? Is it going to work? Will people buy it? How much money can I make or lose? I recently finished reading Lee Iacocca's latest book and his legacy is that of taking risks. Two of his undertakings proved to be immense success stories: the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler Minivan.

The Rondo has the perfect blend of modern lines and interior volume.

I will use another more recent example to better demonstrate what I am trying to say. Take another Chrysler; the Pacifica. It was introduced in 2003 as a 2004 to Chrysler-generated fanfare. The Pacifica failed to capture the interest of buyers mainly because of its higher price and smaller interior dimensions than a minivan. Although the Pacifica did not work, it is widely recognized as one of or the first mass-produced crossovers vehicles. Another example is the Mazda Miata. The Japanese manufacturer took a huge leap of faith in the late 80s by reintroducing the Roadster genre. The rest is, as they say, history.

Catch my drift?
So, in late 2005, Mazda took another leap and launched the Mazda5; the first compact mini-minivan for the small family on a restricted budget since the Nissan Axxess of the mid-nineties. So far it has worked for Mazda. The proof is that now, Kia has jumped on the opportunity to create its own shrunken minivan, the 2007 Rondo.

And boy-oh-boy, what a fantastic job they have done. The first obvious difference between the 5 and the Rondo is that the Kia forfeits the Mazda's sliding doors for conventional front-hinged ones. To make up for the more restrictive access afforded by the regular doors, Kia installed some of the largest rear doors I have ever seen on a compact or midsize vehicle. The Rondo's design statement is that of a young almost funky over-tall wagon with a particularly distinctive hatch and a cute front end sporting oversized headlamps. I think it really works and the Rondo has one of the most interesting designs for 2007.

The Rondo is a perfect compact family hauler.