2013 Kia Rondo Reviews

Kia has now filled its lineup with excellent offerings following the recent introduction of the new Rondo compact seven seat people mover.

.star {width:135px;}#article-corpus {width:100%; padding-right: 0;}Kia Rondo SLi and Fiat Freemont Lounge go head-to-head in this comparative review. 

June 30 is D-Day. The end of the financial year is the best time to buy a new car because there are always special deals in showrooms. As carmakers and dealers aim to clear their outdated stock, Toyota uses a June push to cement its showroom leadership. Some of the special deals are on cars that have done demonstrator duty, or were built in 2012, or are just not selling as well as expected. So they're not the tastiest fruit in the bowl.But there is great buying across the board as demand for new cars fuels one of the longest growth periods in motoring. The bottom line is that you can save money -- and lots of it. So here's a look at the June sales, with Carsguide's assessment of the best deals on wheels.CITROENThe new importer is pushing hard so the Aircross SUV starts at $31,990 drive-away front-wheel drive or $33,990 with AWD, a saving of $3800. There's $5000 off the C4 Seduction turbo diesel auto hatch at $25,990. Carsguide says: The Aircross isn't great, but the C4 discount is tasty.FORDThe death notice for the Falcon and Territory has not helped buyer confidence but a 2.9 per cent finance push on Fiesta and Focus still looks good. The superseded Kuga SUV from $31,990 drive-away is a $10,000 saving. You can save about $3000 on a 2012 Escape SUV from $27,990 drive-away.The Territory gets a $6500 tickle, the TX seven-seater at $38,490 drive-away (third-row seat usually costs $2500). The impressive Mondeo liftback starts at $29,990. Good buying on Falcons, thanks to the arrival of the VF Commodore, from $33,990 and better if you haggle.HOLDENAs the VF Commodore creates queues, the outgoing Z-Series starts at $34,990 with five years' warranty and roadside assist. That also applies to the SV6 at $35,990 and the Cruze SRi and SRi-V at $23,490 and $26,990. Last year's Barina CD hatches are $15,990 drive-away with a sunroof. The Colorado is $39,990. Hard to see past the excellent Cruze SRi.HONDAClipped prices and free on-roads. The City VTi sedan is $17,990 and the (slightly) more lavish VTi-L automatic version starts at $21,990. The bigger Civic sedan is being cleared from $21,990. Free auto on the Jazz VTi at $19,990. The Civic is worth a look at $2500 off.KIAFree on-roads, discounts and $1000 gift vouchers on many models. A five-door Rio S is about $3K off at $15,990 drive-away with a $500 gift card; the three-door Rio is $14,990 and the five-door Si is $18,990. Runout Cerato TD sedans start at $17,990 for the S, saving about $5000, the Si sedan is $23,990 and hatch at $17,990. All get a $1000 gift card. Cerato SLi and SLS have drive-away pricing but miss the gift card. All Optimas have free on-roads. A 2012-build Optima Platinum is $37,990, saving about $4000 with a $1000 gift card. Most Sportage SUVs include on-roads and a $1000 gift card. Carnival and superseded Rondo pricing is drive-away. The Sportage diesel and Optima are top-notch.MITSUBISHIThe manual Lancer gets an old-school value pack on the Special Action Model for $19,990 drive-away. The Mirage is $12,990 drive-away for the ES manual, with a $500 cash-back that also applies to the auto.Driveaway prices also for the compact ASX at $24,990 for the 2WD manual, the Outlander LS 2WD auto at $29,990, Pajero GLX-R auto at $54,990 or $59,990 for VRX. Both come plus $3000 cash-back, saving about $6000.The Triton ute is now tackling Great Wall from China at $19,990 drive-away for a GL single-cab 2WD with alloy tray, or add luxury for a GLX dual-cab 4WD diesel at $31,990 drive-away with $2000 cash-back, saving about $14,000. The utes look good at those prices.NISSANA 2.9 per cent finance package, with agreed value after three years, makes the Pulsar ST sedan look good at $49 a week or $19,990 drive-away. The X-Trail ST 2WD petrol manual cops a $4000 reduction to $25,990 drive-away, while the Navara RX 4WD dual-cab manual is cheaper than ever with a $9500 cut to $30,990 drive-away. The Pulsar sedan deal is attractive.OPELThere are drive-away deals across the range. The basic Corsa is down by about $2500 to $16,990 drive-away, the Astra is from $22,990 drive-away for the 1.4-litre turbo petrol hatch with three years of free servicing, saving about $5500. The top-line Insignia sedan is from $39,990 drive-away with heated leather seats. The Astra is easily best of this breed.PEUGEOTFree on-roads at Peugeot on most models but not the cool new 208. The 4008 SUV cops a $1500 saving from $29,990 drive-away and there are deals on the outgoing 4007. Nothing to see here.RENAULTA Koleos from $26,990 drive-away looks even better with interest-free finance. The Megane hatch is from $22,990 drive-away with finance pegged at 1.9 per cent. The slow-selling Fluence and Latitude sedans are available with 2.9 per cent finance. The Megane CC convertible goes from $43,990 including on-roads. The sporty Clio RS is from $34,990 drive-away and the hotrod Megane RS has 2.9 per cent finance.Commercial deals start with the short-wheelbase Kangoo petrol manual with dual sliding doors from $20,990 drive-away, moving up to the Trafic short-wheelbase manual for $29,990 and the long-wheelbase manual for $32,990, while the Master large van starts from $46,990 drive-away. There's a five-year/200,000km warranty on all light commercials ordered in June. Hard to argue against a $3000 bonus on the Koleos but stocks are tight.SUBARUDrive-away pricing -- for savings of $3000 to $4000 -- is the bait, with Impreza pricing from $23,990 (excluding the WRX, of course). The Tribeca from $54,990 now includes on-roads but you need to visit a dealer to get the full story. Nothing outstanding.SUZUKIThe front-drive SX4 gets a Navigator pack with voice-controlled 6.6-inch satnav with Bluetooth for $19,990 drive-away for the manual and $21,990 auto. That also applies to the 2WD auto Grand Vitara at $29,990 drive-away, including reversing camera and satnav with Bluetooth. The Alto GL manual also gets satnav for $11,990 drive-away for the manual, with the Swift GL manual at $17,490 drive-away including cruise control and Bluetooth. The Grand Vitara is a polished piece.TOYOTAThere's 2.9 per cent finance on Aurion and Camry with the Camry Altise looking best at $29,990 drive-away. Other drive-away deals include $15,990 for the Yaris YR five-door, $21,490 for the Corolla Ascent automatic, $39,990 for the Kluger KX-R 2WD five-seater, $60,990 for the Prado GXL turbo diesel auto and $39,990 for the HiLux SR 4WD dual-cab ute. The right time for the cabbies' new favourite, the frugal hybrid Camry.VOLKSWAGENDrive-away pricing on passenger cars and zero finance on commercials. The Polo is $16,990 on-road, the Jetta is down to $25,990 and the Passat $36,690. The Polo is Carsguide's 2010 COTY.VOLVOFuel and servicing for three years or 60,000km plus roadside assistance. There are conditions -- with a pre-paid BP card based on 15,000km a year and $1.50 a-litre pricing -- and the latest V40 hatch is excluded. Clever twist on bargaining but a pity it doesn't apply to the V40.Paul Gover's 10 COMMANDMENTSYou must still do your homework. You must still check the fine print. You must still be prepared to haggle and compromise.But do it right, crunching the numbers and running right to the dealer's deadline, and you can drive away in something special at a special price.The starting point is all the deals, from sticker specials to cheap finance and steak knife-style free extras, being offered by most of the 60-plus brands in showrooms today.If something you want is on special, go for it. But check that the car was built in 2013, and is not a geriatric old-timer from 2012, and ensure your target is exactly what you want - not a stripped-out stocker, perhaps missing an automatic gearbox - that will cost thousands to get the way you want it.Once you lock down a target, don't think the advertised special is the end of the deal. You also need to negotiate for a better price on delivery and on-road costs, and avoid the trap of buying over-priced extras such as paint and upholstery protection, window tinting and extra-long warranties.No-one can expect to go into the ring with a showroom professional and expect to win, because buyers only get a new car occasionally and sales staff are dealing every day. But, by concentrating on the real bottom line - the changeover price - and being prepared to compromise, you can come out ahead.The best tips are the simplest. Run as close as you can to June 30 to sign the deal and get the car, because dealers are all aiming for targets that can mean tens of thousands in bonus money from headquarters. Also be prepared to take a car they have in stock, even if it's not your favourite colour, because dealers are aiming to clear everything they have on the lot.And have your finance in place before you arrive, especially if you're taking up a special deal, because that makes things quicker and you'll also be spared any hassle and potential extra costs.Watch out for 2012 cars because the warranty clock has already been running, don't forget that a big discount today will also mean less at changeover time, and remember that a demonstrator car could have had a hard life already. 

Kia has released the latest version of its Rondo seven-seat compact people mover bringing it in line with the current company styling and adding the option of a diesel engine for the first time.Rondo is aimed not only at those with three or four pre-teen children who are delaying the move into a full-size people mover but also those who want the functionality of an SUV without the higher running costs.Kia Rondo’s profile is much sleeker than before with a swept-back roofline tapering to a small rear lip spoiler and squared off tail that gives it more of a hatchback look. The front features the current Kia ‘Tiger Nose’ corporate grille flanked by sweeping headlamps.Although its wheelbase is 50 mm longer than before new Rondo is marginally smaller in its exterior dimensions. A 40 mm drop in height has been achieved without any adverse affect on driving height, an important feature for most potential people mover and SUV buyers.There’s a reassuringly solid feel to the new Rondo. It’s easy to get into, especially so in the rear where the doors are wide to cater for third row access. There’s excellent headroom in the front two rows, even with the large sunroof in the top-specced Platinum variant. We didn’t even try to get into the third row seats but they’re designed for small fry so they shouldn’t have any problem.The interior is remarkably versatile with the centre-row able to slide backwards and forwards on runners to juggle the amount of legroom available in all three rows. Seats can be folded in various ways, having a 60/40 split in the second row, and a 50/50 one the rear.Interior stowage is very good, with large drawers under the second row foot wells and numerous spots throughout the cabin for drinks, wallets, phones, sunglasses and the various accoutrements of our modern lifestyles.Engine options are 2.0-litre petrol and 1.7-litre turbo-diesel with the petrol available in three grades; Si, SLi and Platinum. The diesel is sold as Si and SLi only.The petrol unit has maximum outputs of 122 kW and 213 Nm, up from the 106 kW and 189 Nm of the previous model while the first-time diesel peaks at 100 kW and a very handy 300 Nm.The previous manual gearbox option has gone, with all Rondo models now getting a six-speed automatic transmission, replacing the old four-speed, and with the choice of standard and sport modes. Paddle shifts are standard in the SLi and Platinum models.The Kia Rondo range opens with the Si 2.0-litre petrol seven-seat people mover at $29,990, followed by the SLi 2.0-litre petrol at $33,990, Platinum 2.0-litre petrol at $38,990, the Si 1.7-litre turbodiesel at $32,490 and the SLi 1.7-litre turbodiesel at $36,490.Standard equipment includes cruise control; Bluetooth phone and audio streaming; Auxiliary and USB sockets: colour LCD touch screen (4.3-inch in the Si and SLi and a 7-inch in the Platinum); MyMusic function that enables MP3 copying; and steering wheel mounted controls.SLi grade adds piano black grille mesh; chrome highlights; puddle lighting on the side mirrors; front parking sensors; LED daytime running lights; leather trimmed seats; powered driver’s seat; and fold-flat front passenger’s seat.The flagship petrol-only Platinum variant also gets LED rear combination lamps; full-length sunroof; refrigerated glovebox; push-button start; satellite navigation with SUNA traffic information; climate controlled front seats.The SLi also comes with what Kia calls a Conversation Mirror, a wide-angled convex mirror designed to let the driver keep an eye on the back seats without turning around. All very nice in theory, but we can guarantee some drivers will check the kids when they should be looking at the road. It can be used equally effectively by the front passenger, an option that we’d strongly recommend.Kia Rondo comes with an impressive list of standard safety features including ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist; ESP and Vehicle Stability Management; Hill-Start Assist; front, side and curtain airbags (the latter only for the front two rows of seats); reverse parking sensors; and reversing camera.The Rondo road test took us north out of Sydney to the Central Coast through a mixture of city, urban, freeway and semi-rural conditions. While Kia loaded the cars with a variety of pieces of equipment such as golf clubs, suitcases and shopping bags to demonstrate the various load space options, they weren’t able to supply the requisite number of five pre-teen children per car. Phew!So, although it didn’t have its maximum capacity on board both engines coped with its two-adult load without any issues during the test even in the few hilly sections. We were especially impressed with the performance of the diesel and that would be our model of choice. Both engines are quiet and refined. Fuel consumption is listed at 7.9 litres per 100 km from the petrol and 6.4 L/100 km with the diesel on the combined cycle. We’ll do our own comparison when we conduct our extended test in a few months time.  Handling is competent without being in any way exciting.The timing of the release of the all-new Kia Rondo could be just right with new arrivals from Toyota (Prius v), Fiat (Freemont) and Opel (Zafira) combining to draw fresh attention to an under-achieving segment of the Australian market. Rondo’s combination of style, functionality, sharp pricing and five-year warranty could well see it at the forefront.

Kia has had a couple of cracks at the compact people mover concept. The first, Carens, which nobody probably remembers was cheap and nasty. The second, the Rondo 7, launched in 2007, was moderately successful based primarily on price. This latest one however might have what it takes to go all the way, a premium product with looks to match  at least it seems so.Priced from $29,990, it comes with seven seats and a choice of petrol or diesel engines, both of them with a six speed auto. There's three models  Si, SLi and Platinum (but at this stage you can't get a Platinum with a diesel engine).Standard kit includes airconditioning, Bluetooth, rear spoiler, burglar alarm, automatic headlights, flex steer adjustable steering, reverse parking sensors, a reversing camera, multi-function computer and six speaker audio with USB/AUX inputs.Cruise control, also standard, also comes with a speed limiter that permits the driver to set a maximum speed that the car will not exceed (handy in some situations).The SLi with leather, climate air and larger wheels is $33,990 and the Platinum with all the fruit including sunroof, sat nav and cooled/heated seats and a heated steering wheel and larger wheels again is $38,990. Diesel powered Si and SLi are $32,490 and $36,490 respectively.The 2.0-litre GDI direct injection petrol engine delivers 122kW of power and 213Nm of torque, with fuel consumption that is rated at 7.9 litres/100km. The 1.7-litre turbodiesel is good for 100kW and 320Nm at a rate of 6.4 litres/100km.Both engines are a lift from parent company Hyundai's i40 sedan, but in a slightly different state of tune. They're a far cry from the previous model's 2.0-litre four cylinder engine that produced 106kW/189Nm and was paired with a four speed auto.Kia says the new engines have been calibrated to deliver more torque for their new role. Entry level Si models can be distinguished by 16 inch alloys, mid-level SLi by 17s and top of the range Platinum 18s.Rondo has a 58 litre tank, takes ordinary unleaded and can tow 1400kg (or 1500kg in the case of the diesel). A space saver spare is standard across the range.It's better looking, even attractive from some angles, appearing more like a large hatch than a people mover and as such should avoid any of the stigma attached to driving a people mover. But the third row of seats are strictly for small children only, with insufficient legroom for adults.Rondo is purpose built to accommodate 30 something couples with kids that are less than 13 years of age. If you've got teenagers in the tribe, think Carnival.At 4525mm in length, the new Rondo is actually slightly smaller in every dimension than the car it replaces, but clever packaging creates a more useable interior. The car sits on an extended version of the Cerato platform, although not part of the Cerato family.Boot space increases by 17 percent and the cargo area is 24mm longer and 48mm deeper, with a bumper that sits 15mm lower for easier loading, with seats that pack flat including the front passenger seat for longer loads.But we can't help wonder why a car designed to carry seven people, with three rows of seats  does not have airconditioning outlets for the third row? That's just silly. Direct competitor Toyota's Prius V suffers from exactly the same problem.That's an interesting question. It's designed to get five stars, with a full suite of safety systems, but how do you give five stars to a vehicle with airbags that don't provide coverage for passengers in the third row of seats?Six airbags including curtain airbags are fitted, but extend only as far as the second row passengers. It's not just about passing the test.The driving experience is very car-like. It sits lower and a has a lower centre of gravity than an SUV, but still offers a higher driving position than a sedan with excellent all round vision.The diesel is the pick with its extra torque and better economy, but commands a $2500 premium over the petrol engine. The thing is though that because you can't get a Platinum diesel, you can't get a diesel with satellite navigation either of any of the other extras that go with it  something of an oversight.But GPS units are relatively cheap these days so it's not a deal breaker. If there's demand, Kia might add one later  but that would take the price of the car over $40,000 and into Carnival territory.Not bad. Looks the goods and should appeal to a wider cross section of the community, especially those who need the extra seats but don't want to be seen driving a people mover.