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2007 Kia Rondo Full Review
Date Published: 5/02/08
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2007 Kia Rondo Review
In size and price, this midsize front-wheel-drive wagon slots between Kia's compact Spectra5 hatchback and midsize Sorento SUV. Rondo offers LX and EX trim levels, both of which are available with a 4-cyl or V6 engine. Five-passenger seating is standard. An optional 60/40 split folding 3rd-row bench increases seating capacity to seven. Four-cyl models have 162 hp and a 4-speed automatic transmission. V6s have 182 hp and a 5-speed automatic. ABS and an antiskid system are standard. All Rondos have front side airbags and curtain side airbags that cover all seating rows. Power windows, locks, and mirrors are standard. Leather upholstery is available for EX models as part of a package that includes heated front seats.
Competition
Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Compact Cars comprise popularly priced sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons with wheelbases 100 inches or longer.

Our Best Buys include the Honda Civic and Mazda 3. Our Recommended picks are the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, and Mazda 5.

New or significantly redesigned models include the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa, and Pontiac G5.
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2007 Kia Rondo Road Test
Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings
Acceleration

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
4 5 5.9

With 4-cyl, Rondo has adequate power from a stop, but struggles to gather speed for passing and merging. V6 modestly more potent around town, but meaningfully stronger at highway speed.
Fuel Economy

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
5 5 5.1

Test Rondo with V6 averaged 20.5 mpg. Rondo uses regular-grade fuel.
Ride Quality

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
6 6 6.1

Composed and comfortable, even over larger road imperfections. Some float noted at highway speeds.
Steering/Handling/Braking

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
5 5 6.2

Handles like the midsize front-drive wagon it is. More than competent, with direct steering, though Rondo exhibits some body lean in fast corners.
Quietness

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
5 6 6.2

Well isolated from road and wind noise. Four-cylinder engine lacks refinement, sounds coarse at moderate to full throttle. More refined V6 less intrusive overall.
Controls

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
7 8 6.7

Large gauges easily read. Major controls logically placed. Interior materials and assembly quality impressive for the price, with leather seating appearing especially upscale.
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
7 7 6.8

Ample leg room. High roof, chair-height seats, and large glass area gives cabin a spacious, airy feel. Generally good visibility, though thick rear roof pillars obscure view over shoulders.
Room/Comfort (rear)

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
6 6 5.1

Good head and leg room. Large doors aid entry/exit, but are cumbersome in tight parking spots. Second-row seat splits 60/40, adjusts fore and aft on models with optional 3rd-row. Rear-most seats easy to access with 2nd-row fully forward, offers tolerable short-trip comfort for two adults.
Cargo Room

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
6 6 4.8

Large rear opening and low load floor make most of available space, though hatch doesn't rise far enough for six-footers to stand beneath without stooping. Third and 2nd-row seats fold flat, as does front passenger seat, forming 8 continuous feet of cargo space. Below-floor bins in models without 3rd-row seat provide handy small-item storage. Glove box has adequate space, but two-tiered center console too small for anything but a few CDs.
Value within Class

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
6 8 6.3

Kia calls Rondo a crossover, but its carlike design and lack of available all-wheel drive land it squarely in the wagon camp. As such, its roomy interior, flexible cargo accommodations, and attractive pricing make Rondo worth a look.
Total Score

EX 4-cylinder EX V6 Class Average
57 62 59.2
Scores for all Midsize Cars

Low Score
47
Average Score
59
High Score
69
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2007 Kia Rondo Prices & Equipment
Model Prices
Prices Updated: 01/30/2007
Trim Name Retail Price Dealer Invoice Destination Charge
LX 4-cylinder 4-door wagon $16,395 $15,625 $600
LX V6 4-door wagon $18,895 $17,795 $600
EX 4-cylinder 4-door wagon $19,195 $17,995 $600
EX V6 4-door wagon $20,195 $18,895 $600
Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.
NA = price note available, NC = no charge.
Rebates and Incentives
There are no rebates or incentives at this time.
Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.
Standard Equipment
LX
Powertrain
2.4-liter 4-cylinder or 2.7-liter V6 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission (4-cylinder), 5-speed automatic transmission (V6).
Safety
Dual front airbags, front side airbags, curtain side airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, antiskid system.
Comfort and Convenience Features
Air conditioning (V6), power steering, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, center console, cupholders, 2nd-row split folding seat, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, AM/FM/CD player, digital clock, tachometer, variable-intermittent wipers, map lights, visor mirrors, rear defogger, rear wiper/washer, automatic-off headlights.
Appearance and Miscellaneous
Roof rails (V6), front and rear tow hooks, 205/60HR16 tires, alloy wheels.
EX adds to LX:
Comfort and Convenience Features
Air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, heated power mirrors, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, illuminated visor mirrors, wiper deicer, floormats.
Appearance and Miscellaneous
Theft-deterrent system, fog lights, roof rails, 225/50R17 tires.
Optional Equipment
Major Packages
Retail Price
Invoice Price
Popular Equipment Pkg.
LX 4-cylinder
$1,500
$1,270
Air conditioning, body-colored mirrors, roof rails.
Convenience Pkg.
LX
$300
$250
Cruise control, remote keyless entry, alarm. LX 4-cylinder requires Popular Equipment Pkg.
Premium Pkg.
EX
$1,200
$1,050
Power sunroof, Infinity AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD/MP3 changer.
Leather Pkg.
EX
$1,000
$850
Leather upholstery, heated front seats.
Body Kit
EX, LX
$995
$865
Body cladding, lower rear spoiler.
Comfort and Convenience Features
3rd-row split folding seat
LX, EX V6
$500
$425
LX 4-cylinder requires Popular Equipment Pkg.
Cargo tray
EX, LX
$75
$60
Appearance and Miscellaneous
Rear bumper protector
EX, LX
$65
$55
Upper rear spoiler
EX, LX
$350
$300
Lower rear spoiler
EX, LX
$200
$175
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2007 Kia Rondo Specs & Safety
Vehicle Dimensions
Specification Kia Rondo 4-door wagon
Wheelbase, in. 106.3
Overall Length, in. 179.0
Overall Width, in. 71.7
Overall Height, in. 65.0
Curb Weight, lbs. 3333
Cargo Volume, cu. ft. 31.7
Standard Payload, lbs. --
Fuel Capacity, gals. 15.8
Seating Capacity 7
Front Head Room, in. 41.6
Max. Front Leg Room, in. 41.3
Rear Head Room, in. 40.2
Max. Rear Leg Room, in. 38.2
Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.
Engines
  dohc I4 dohc V6
Size, liters/cu. in. 2.4 /144 2.7 /163
Horsepower @ rpm. 162 @ 5800 182 @ 6000
Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm. 164 @ 4250 182 @ 4000
Availability Standard Standard
EPA City / highway mpg
   
4-speed automatic 21/29 --/--
5-speed automatic --/-- 20/27
Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.
Safety Features
Antilock Brakes
Traction Control
Antiskid System
Front Side Airbags
Curtain Side Airbags
Rear Side Airbags
NHTSA Crash-Test Results
Test Kia Rondo 4-door wagon
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.
Manufacturer's Warranty
Class Years/Miles Comments
Powertrain 10/100,000 --
Bumper-to-bumper 5/60,000 --
Corrosion 5/100,000 --
Free roadside assistance 5/60,000 --
Free scheduled maintenance None/-- --
Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.
Built in: South Korea
Drivewheels: front-wheel drive
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Also in the 2007 Kia Rondo Review:
5. 
Kia Rondo Photos

6. 
Kia Rondo Full Review

7. 
All Kia Rondos

8. 
All Kias


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