Kia Rondo, nice product launch guys!

[ColonelPanic]

Great article. Looks like Kia brought out a new model and uh, didn't tell anybody about it. No mention of it on their site or anything, only clue as to their existence came from a sales release.http://www.autoblog.com/2006/1...e-u-s/It's just another one of those things that Americans won't buy, a tall wagon type thing with 3rd row seating. Sold in other parts of the world where they will actually buy something of this sort if they need the extra seat. Here, I guess everyone wants to buy big, bloated gas guzzling SUV or a larger van where even our "minivans" are getting huge these days. See it elsewhere as the Carens:http://www.kia.co.uk/carenshome.asp?flash=trueThere are some pics of the sales brochure on that autoblog page...They've sold 3 here. Wow. If they would make people aware of it and bring enough over, it could be a good competitor to the Mazda 5. If not anything else, it will beat it in price.

[KNINE]

I kind of like it, though the name is kind of stupid. I would have considered one when I was car shopping. Wake up, KIA

[drunkenmaxx]

hell, if the mazda5 sells, that thing should move a few too! dumbasses, why even bother if you don't make it known to the public?

[ToolGuy]

(removed)! That is as bad as GM launching the GTO in November!

[high revin]

leave it to kia to copy everything everyone else makes notice how they always look like other cars there suvs vans etc what a bottom feeder company cars are the worst on the market in every category! i own a mazda 5 and these kia's are a joke trust me stay away from this garbage

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[savedbyzero]

oh boy...

[ColonelPanic]

Eh, for some reason that is totally escaping me at the moment, I saw this coming! Quote, originally posted by high revin »leave it to kia to copy everything everyone else makes notice how they always look like other cars there suvs vans etcFunny how both your Mazda 5 and the Kia Carens that is the basis for this new Kia product in question both date back to 1999. Who copied off who here? I dunno, it's a toss-up. But I'll bet they BOTH copied off someone else, wagons like these have been in Europe for ages. This is far from an original concept, it's just seems that way to a lot of people here in the states. But I'd like for you to show me an automaker in present day that DOESN'T copy. You can't do it... Metal only bends in so many different ways, everything that can be done has pretty much been done by now, IMHO. Plus, if they try to do something too far off the wall, people won't buy it. And from past history, I don't remember hearing anything about a Japanese brand putting the first car on the road ever.. Where'd they get their stuff from when they were first getting started? Oh, right, they copied! Gasp, the Honyotazdas of the world never did that!

[savedbyzero]

Chevy..ain't noone gonna put that much plastic on a vehicle! ...wait. there's always the ricers....

[drunkenmaxx]

i'm with you on this colonel. people treat cars like a highschool kid does shoes, it's all about the brand. i had nike shoes that fell apart and the air bubbles popped in less than a month, the same goes for cars.as a matter of fact, here is what edmonds.com had to say about the sorento:http://www.edmunds.com/new/res....htmlhardly seems they found it to be a piece of crap.

[high revin]

you can you guys are not around high end quality cars alot! Theres a reason you pay more for a Mercedes and a Bmw the "engineering" they have set the bar really high in developing the overall design and concets of cars from style to safety there not coping anybody as for the 5 it has been popular in europe same way with the Honda fit its been the best selling car over there for 3 years in a row but as for coping designs those company go with out saying who they are juts look at the quality through out as for mecedes lately if you noticed they have been at the bottom of the barrel in consumer reports for realiablty reason dew to there over doing there electric devises in these cars its like there over doing these cars and trying to hard but as for KIA no thanks theres not one of there cars made that i could not tell you what it REALLY resembles elsewhere on the market if anyone was in the market you would be really surprised in the quality and design of the 5 i bought mine with everything except nav for under 19 k with 17" wheels and 4 wheel disc ecs not saying its the best car in the class but for the money should be condsidered

[ColonelPanic]

Woah, Canadian Driver actually found one of these to review. It sounds really good... Looks good in the pics too. The back end is a bit weird though. But the inside looks really nice, and has plenty of room... More than that Mazda. Especially space to put stuff back there behind the third row.I didn't know that thing was built on the same platform as the Sonata, that's a good chassis to build upon. Too bad they didn't wedge the Sonata's 235 HP six under the hood. The four would be good enough for me though, the 2.4 is a good engine.Still no word of this on Kia's site un the US. What the?

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[ColonelPanic]

Woo hoo, finally! http://www.kia.com/rondo/index.phpStarting at $16,995. Throw on another 500 for the 3rd row seat option and you've got a pretty cheap 7-seater that still has stuff like ABS, stability control, 6 air bags, power stuff, tire pressure monitor, alloys, etc... Nice list of standard equipment. 21/29 MPG with the four cylinder (162 HP/164 lb/ft) and 20/27 with the V6 that has 182 hp/182 lb/ft. I likey!

[AKLGT]

actually, i saw a commercial the other day for it. i think Kia has really stepped up their line up, their vehicles are becoming nicer and more appealing... kudos to them and Hyundai for stepping up to the plate.

[WaveAction]

i see the commercial all the time..with people clapping and stuff..i personally think it's a really nice car

[18stars]

I just saw a full back page ad in Automobile magazine for the Rondo......also saw one at the Philly auto show.....it looked alright, very practical......I've owned two Kias in the past....a Sephia and then a Spectra....."for the money" they were absolutely wonderful cars...I do not regret purchasing them at all......

[Atomb]

looked at one of these on the weekend. it is definitely in the running for my wife's next vehicle.coupled with an interesting 'future value financing' which is like a lease but at the end of 60 months you have a preset value on the vehicle which you can either pay to own the car, or use toward another new kia. so ya, like a lease...but without the mileage penalties.in any case, the V6 option sounds affordable and milage rates seem decent...the 2.4L 4 is probably what we need for around town stuff.definitely will go test drive one ...

[ColonelPanic]

Kari, Nick, raging, and myself all piled into one at the NY Auto Show. I climbed in the third row and had enough room to sit comfortably back there. My knees were almost against the second row, but all in all I could ride back there for a while and not complain. I'm 5'8 though.I really like the Rondo - it has a lot going for it. Tons of room inside and a nice sized package outside. The interior was really nice, for the most part the materials were pretty good. I definitely liked the seats as well as the seating positions - and the rear center row slides back and forth, has quite a bit of travel. Good visibility out of it too. Feels a lot like a minivan without being a minivan. I've got a few pics of it (and a pimped/riced out Rondo that Kia had on display, ick!) at home. Eventually I'll get all the pics uploaded.The 2.4 should be sufficent... good engine too, it's the "World Engine" that Hyundai/Chrysler/Mitsu designed. Maybe some of that stuff that's on the SRT Caliber thing would bolt on.

[ColonelPanic]

As promised:It sits four GenVibers and still room for a crapload of boxes! HOME DEPOT GUTTER GUARD sport package!