2008 Kia Rondo Review

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

roomier inside
Autotropolis

a smooth ride and an eerie absence of tire noise
Car and Driver

Composed and comfortable
ConsumerGuide

high-quality interior design
Edmunds

better than average interior materials
Jalopnik

The Rondo Kia for 2008 gets superior marks for comfort and interior quality.

Most of the reviews consulted by TheCarConnection.com have nothing but accolades for the comfort and quality of the Rondo. Kia’s new wagon, Canadian Driver says, "conveys a lot of qualities of much more expensive vehicles." While the reviewer reported that his car had a tendency to "clank over bumps," he attributed this to "ice stuck in the cracks" (no surprise during a Canadian winter).

ConsumerGuide's assessment is that "interior materials and assembly quality [are] impressive for the price, with leather seating appearing especially upscale...good head and leg room."

Storage is not a problem with the Kia Rondo according to Jalopnik, reporting that the interior has "more mystery compartments and fuzzy cubby holes than the Winchester Mystery House"; as for comfort, the car suspension is "geared towards multiple human comfort over taut steering response."

New York Newsday praised the adjustable seats. They "emerged remarkably ache-free after a couple of two-hour stints behind the wheel," but suggested that lateral support leaves something to be desired.

TheCarConnection.com’s take is that the Rondo's forte is people-moving--though it has enviable cargo capacity, too. The Rondo's third row is by no means a place for adults to sit, but there's space for two adults and five kids, or two adults, three kids, and a lot of cargo. Both the second and third rows fold forward for a flat loading floor, and the second row slides fore and aft for improved legroom, a little more cargo space, or more balanced legroom between the second and third rows. And there are plenty of cubbies for stuff, including a huge recessed tray below the cargo floor in back.

Conclusion

For the price, the 2008 Kia Rondo provides great space and good comfort.


Read More of this Review:

  1. Styling
  2. Performance
  3. Quality
  4. Safety
  5. Features

Other Choices:

    The Mazda5, which is the closest match to the Rondo in the U.S. market, has sliding doors, which many may prefer; it's also peppier and more fun to drive--with a standard manual transmission--and looks the part, with sportier, more appealing styling. But the Mazda5 is noisier, doesn't ride as smoothly as the Rondo, and lacks the surprisingly vast interior space. The Chevrolet HHR and Chrysler PT Cruiser are other alternatives; both offer hip (or not-so-hip) retro styling and flexible cargo arrangements, but neither has a third-row seat. Neither does the new Scion xB, which is also quite fuel-efficient, but beneath its boxy body, it doesn't feel exceptionally roomy.

Read More About the 2008 Kia Rondo:

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See the Kia Rondo in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007

Comments (3 total)

  1. Mr.

    By tony spears | Posted: Jul 13th 2008, 05:07:54 PM

    I bought a 2007 rondo last april and I have put 35000 miles on it already and I find the vehicle is superb with its v6. I had a sedona before and it is a big change to the smaller rondo but it maneuvers much better.

  2. cars

    By  Hadi Moradi | Posted: Jun 28th 2008, 04:23:32 AM

    http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/kia_rondo_2008

  3. http://www.thecarconnection.com/selecttrim/kia_rondo_2008

    By Hadi Moradi | Posted: Jun 28th 2008, 04:21:49 AM

    http://www.thecarconnection.com/selecttrim/kia_rondo_2008

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