STYLING | 5 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
Less glamorous than a minivan...ugh
Car and Driver
Friendly face has few edges
Cars.com
Lack of pizzazz
Edmunds
Clean lines
Kelley Blue Book
Tall, reasonably stylish
New York Newsday
Reviewers from across the Web had lukewarm feelings toward the 2008 Kia Rondo’s styling, inside and out.
A five-door wagon with a tall shape and a thick side view, the Rondo is built for room, not for sex appeal. Car and Driver's review was perhaps the least complimentary, comparing the 2008 Kia Rondo unfavorably to the quintessential, dowdy, frumpy "soccer mom" vehicle, the minivan: "the Rondo ain't no Corvette in terms of sex appeal." Acknowledging the existence of body accessory kits, this source's final judgment: "even with all the tack-ons, no Rondo seems capable of setting our loins ablaze."
Damning with faint praise, Cars.com acknowledges this vehicle's "friendly face"; whether the "few edges" comment is complimentary or not can’t be ascertained. This source also goes on to state that the Kia Rondo's only "sign of aggression" is a "sharp air dam that's probably bigger than it needs to be."
There are differing opinions, of course. The New York Times describes the Rondo Kia's appearance as "an attractive design" with a qualifier: "the boxy shape shouts minivan." The nearby Long Island paper New York Newsday calls it "reasonably stylish," and Kelley Blue Book calls it "an attractive choice...a very inviting daily driver"--although TheCarConnection.com notes that these comments go beyond the vehicle's appearance.
Most sources were more enthusiastic about the interior design; while Edmunds states that the vehicle lacked "pizzazz," it praises the appearance of the interior, as does the New York Times, which calls it "an attractive and functional interior."
More than one source praised visibility from behind the wheel, including Edmunds, judging this to be "good."
Conclusion
You probably won't be thrilled by the 2008 Kia Rondo's looks.
