Kia Introduces Rondo Compact Minivan at Madrid
The latest vehicle in the mini-minivan (or compact multi-purpose vehicle) segment, a relatively new niche in North America, is going to be a heavy hitter. The Rondo is Kia’s answer to the problem of fitting seven people inside of a vehicle with the footprint of the average C-Segment (Golf, Focus) sized car, without resorting to too many minivan flaws, such as cumbersome dimensions, lackluster performance and poor fuel consumption. The ripple that started this tsunami started out in Europe, with the Renault Megane-based Scenic, but soon after, nearly every automaker, from Volkswagen and Opel to Ford and Toyota had its own versions. One brand that you might not have suspected, Kia, is getting in on the action with its all-new seven-seat Rondo.
For whatever reason, be it that the automakers didn’t think that North Americans would take to car-based mini-minivans or that they were too caught up in the SUV craze, such practical vehicle never made it across the Atlantic, or Pacific; or at least most didn’t. Some have now found their way here and awareness of these mini-minivans is growing. While Mazda might have been one of the latecomers on the international scene, it managed to break the cover first in North America with its 5, and it’s a car that’s helped the Japanese brand carve an important niche segment. And, like any good idea, others will soon follow, but the players on this battlefield will be different than before - it’ll be a full-frontal assault from the Japanese on one side and the Koreans on the other, the latter by way of the world’s fastest growing automaker.
As was depicted by the preliminary sketches, the Rondo (known elsewhere in the world as the third-generation Carens) will look more like a hatchback than Mazda’s more minivan-like profile, with a fast, swooping roofline. It uses four conventional doors, as opposed to a complicated rear-hinged, or heavy side rolling doors. It’s a handsome looking machine with large, chunky headlamps and Kia’s new six-point grille, but things get wacky at the back. The upper flanks of the tail lamps jut outwards at the window-line, giving the tailgate a concave-like look. To attract buyers, the car will be accented with jewel-like detailing on the head and taillights, and flush-mounted exhaust pipes. Nevertheless, with a low ground clearance and standard 16-inch alloy wheels, the Rondo is both attractive and sporty.
The big news about the Rondo in North America is that it will be powered by a pair of engines, a four-cylinder with 2.4 litres of displacement, and a larger 2.7-litre V6. The 158-horsepower inline-four is a global powerplant, available in all markets, while the V6 is an exclusive motor for North America. This torquey engine can be found in a variety of Hyundai and Kia products including the Tiburon, as well as the Tucson/Sportage twins, the previous generation Santa Fe and all-new Magentis. In place of the V6 outside of North America, Kia will be offering a 2.0-litre turbodiesel with variable geometry that makes 140 horsepower. All motors are available with a four-speed automatic with manual mode functionality for extra driving enjoyment.
For a vehicle that’s wedged in between the Spectra5 and the new Magentis (Optima) the Rondo is certainly cleverly engineered. Like a true minivan, the Rondo can take on a grand total of seven passengers, though, cargo volume is essentially eliminated. If you need to bring along any cargo, the third row folds flat into the floor to create more than 400 litres (14.1 cu-ft) of space. If the second and third row are folded, this figure blossoms to 2,106 litres (74.4 cu-ft), which is a humongous cargo bay any way you look at it.
Up front, the Rondo has a very chic and modern interior, with backlit buttons and a high-mounted shift gate, which sprouts from the bottom of the centre console. It’s an impressive looking cabin, with soft-look materials and available leather.
Though the Rondo is just another vehicle in Kia’s plan for automotive global domination, it will be a fair bit of time before we see any on our roads. The Rondo will be on sale in Europe starting this Fall, but North Americans will have to wait until the beginning of 2007 before any arrive on our shores. Our Rondos will come in one of several configurations: with five- and seven-seat capabilities further divided into two separate trim levels, LX an EX.
Pricing has yet to be announced for the Rondo, but it should be around the high $15K mark, although fully decked out cars are expected to be priced closer to $25,000.