Overview & Reviews

What is the Kia Rondo? Kia likes to call the Rondo a crossover utility vehicle, which is certainly a trendy catchphrase. The only problem is that the Rondo looks more like a small minivan. In Europe and Asia, this type of vehicle -- known as "space wagon MPV" -- is quite popular. In fact, the Rondo has been sold in those markets (as the Kia Carens) for years.

Though it never really caught on with consumers, the Kia Rondo provides a surprising amount of functionality and flexibility for its size and price. As a cross between a minivan and a hatchback, the four-door Rondo can carry up to seven passengers. It's relatively nimble and filled with clever storage space. If you're in the market for a used compact crossover or something smaller than a minivan, the Rondo is a solid, if often overlooked, choice.

Most Recent Kia Rondo
The Kia Rondo was produced from 2007-'09. Originally, its base 2.4-liter four-cylinder produced 162 horsepower, while the 2.7-liter V6 produced 182 hp. For 2009, these were bumped up to 175 for the four-cylinder (167 in California emissions states due to SULEV emissions rating) and 192 for the V6. A four-speed automatic transmission was standard with the four-cylinder, and the V6 came with a five-speed automatic.

Although there is nothing fancy about the Kia Rondo, it still manages to overachieve in many areas. Available in two trims, LX and EX, the Rondo is nicely equipped from the base model on up. Even the lowest LX trim comes with important safety features, such as stability control and antilock brakes. Other satisfying standard features include 16-inch wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories and an audio system with CD player and auxiliary audio jack. A third row of seats is optional on the LX and standard on the EX, which boosts total capacity to seven people.

Moving up to the EX trim level adds 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, heated seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Other options include a sunroof, a navigation system, an iPod adapter and an upgraded stereo. For '09, leather, heated seats, a navigation system and an iPod interface became available.

In spite of its small size, the Kia Rondo is very functional. With the third-row seating option, the Rondo seats up to seven passengers, though the third row is certainly best suited for children. The second-row seats slide fore and aft, and fold flat in a 60/40 split. The optional third-row seats also fold flat, but in a 50/50 split. And there is no shortage of storage, including 10 cupholders.

In road tests, our editors found the Kia Rondo performed surprisingly well. Both the four-cylinder and V6 engines delivered smooth acceleration. The V6 was particularly responsive, offering punchy acceleration and commendable passing power. Its steering was decent, especially for a tallish family vehicle. Although we'd prefer less body roll, the Rondo never felt tippy. In many everyday situations, such as parking and negotiating traffic, the Rondo could fool you into thinking you were actually in a small car, which was exactly the point.

User Reviews:

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  Poor gas mileage - 2009 Kia Rondo
  By jerry - December 13 - 10:00 am

  it only gets about 20 miles to the gallon on the highway. And in one year it has a trade in value of $9400.00 I paid $19,000

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  Never Again - 2007 Kia Rondo
  By Al Gator - December 3 - 1:43 pm

  Bought this car because I was told gas mileage was great. Not true. After the first week, return to dealer to have brakes fixed. Next, back to the dealer to fix banging noise. Front pass. strut was falling off. Next, back to the dealer to have BOTH front wheel bearings replaced. Car still howls like a demon because of bad bearing or u-joint, dealer cant/wont find and fix. Window deicers quit and the lights flicker at night when braking. Low profile tires make turnpike driving miserable. At 13k need to replace brake pads AND rotors. Seats stain when you look at them. Door locks have mind of their own. Car is a loser in the winter. Antiskid computer fights you.

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  I wish I could Take it BACK - 2008 Kia Rondo
  By bmterre - December 3 - 8:53 am

  I bought this vehicle because I needed a bigger vehicle. At the dealership I did a test drive around the block. Everything was ok. The external look for this car was verrrry ugly. But I needed a bigger car for my family. I later noticed that when I drove it o the freeway I have to steer more to the left to keep from FLOATING into the other lane. I just figured it was all of a sudden very windy outside. But of course it wasnt. The storage in the back Im not too fond of. I can hear everything sliding back n forth. Did I mention I hate the way the outside looks. Im use to a car that when u start to drive the doors lock, but this car doesnt. Think hard before u buy, i dont c to many around!

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  Good for around town - 2007 Kia Rondo
  By Dave - June 15 - 12:26 am

  I bought the Kia Rondo to replace an Eagle summit wagon I had had for years. The Rondo has been a good Car. Now has 27,000 miles on it. No repair needed. I have grown to dislike the car however because it handles so poorly. The steering wheel has some uncomfortable vibration at around 65 mph, and the cabin is noisy at highway speeds. I have to crank up the volume on the radio to hear anything. I could have bought a much nicer car for a little more money. The worst part is the resale value. If you want a small van that will hold its value better, the Mazda 5 is much better.

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  unhappy car owner - 2007 Kia Rondo
  By unhappycarowner - February 22 - 1:33 pm

  I purchased this car a year ago and have been extremely unhappy with the performance in the winter. If it snows less or more than an inch of snow the car will not move it does nothing but spin. It also was parked on a lawn and had to be towed out for it would only spin up mud and not move. I have brand new all season radial on this car and still it cant get out of its own way. The rack that is provided by the factory is terrible I am scared to put my kayaks on them for fear that the rack is to weak & it will break under the pressure. It also does not go wide enough to accomodate the length of the kayaks. Over all this vehicle is to light for the maine winters and I have been very unhappy.

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  SO Disappointed - 2008 Kia Rondo
  By drivingmom2 - February 1 - 2:21 am

  We bought our Rondo new in 2008. At the time it was exactly the car we were looking for, as it had the third row stow-and-go seats. We had reasonable performance from it for the first five years, although it did have a few factory recalls in that time. HOWEVER, two months after the five-year warranty expired, the engine failed. Despite the fact that I had followed the warranty maintenance schedule, KIA Canada would do nothing to assist us with this matter and we ended up having to have a second-hand motor installed. Apparently KIA create disposable cars and are not prepared to back their products. Like a previous poster, I too am a bit embarrassed about having recommended KIA to friends.

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  Afraid I made a mistake - 2008 Kia Rondo
  By Nanlan - February 22 - 6:13 am

  I just purchased a 2008 Rondo today. I think I made a mistake. The test drive took place in city traffic where I didnt see some of the flaws. On the long drive home there was a very annoying sound at the drivers window (air coming in). The car is very "floaty" & seems too wishy washy on the road. I dont feel in command of my vehicle. The 4 cylinder engine whines so loud, like it may explode before we really get rolling. I am thinking of taking it back in the morning & getting my money back. This is a cheap car & I dont feel safe in it.

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  Never Again - 2009 Kia Rondo
  By JustADriver - February 9 - 5:30 am

  Bought the KIA looking for a 3rd row. It has lots of room, but too many problems. Headlights have horizon line and are not good on hills. Bad vibration, which according to KIA was caused because the rims bent when car sat to long. The fix was to overinflate the tires. Airbag lights took several tries to fix, stereo was broken from day one, but dealer thought it was fine. KIA eventually replaced it, but the replacement was also broken. Trade in offers after about 7 months ranged from $7,000 to $10,800 for a car with about a $23,000 MSRP when purchased