Five-Point Inspection: 2014 Kia Rondo

Plenty of great vehicles around the world skip American showrooms. For various reasons the business decision is made that selling vehicle “x” in the U.S. doesn’t make sense and it’s never offered.

However, every once in a while a vehicle does sneak its way into North America, but only as far as Canada. Over the years, vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz B-Class, Nissan X-Trail, original diesel powered smart fortwo and Chevrolet Orlando have been available to neighbors in the north.

And now there’s another: the 2014 Kia Rondo. Yes, it was sold in America before being yanked for poor sales. With frumpy styling and a mediocre-at-best value proposition, it made sense that the Rondo’s exit was as predictable as the plot of a low-budget horror movie. But forget everything you knew about that Rondo. There is an all-new second generation Rondo on sale up north and it is a quantum leap ahead of its predecessor. Here are five reasons that Kia should give the Rondo a second chance in the US market.

Yeah, the old Rondo is ugly. Its awkward proportions allow for seven seats but it’s devoid of any real style. This time, Kia did away with the dull looks completely. Still offered in either five or seven seat configurations, the new Rondo has a profile more akin to an overgrown hatchback rather than a minivan. It almost looks like a 12/10ths scale Volkswagen GTI from certain angles – especially in top-of-the-line EX trim.

The EX version also has a distinct premium feel to the exterior with upscale touches like LED taillights, LED accents in the headlights, HID headlights, 18-inch wheels and a dual pane sunroof.

The 2014 Rondo isn’t a particularly large vehicle. At only 178.1 inches long and 63.4 inches tall, it’s fairly small for a seven-seater. For reference, that means the roof is is 4.5 inches lower than a Dodge Grand Caravan and the body nearly 25 inches shorter.

Despite the diminutive exterior dimensions, cabin space is surprisingly generous for passengers in the two front rows. Legroom for front and middle row passengers is 40.7 inches and 37 inches respectively while the third row is a tiny 27.8 inches. Headroom is also ample for the first two rows. Reserve the aftmost seats for children.

As mentioned, the 2014 Rondo is available in either five-seat or seven-seat configurations, both of which offer 65 cubic feet of total cargo space with the middle and back rows folded flat. Five seat Rondos still offer convenient under floor storage areas in the 32.2 cubic-foot rear cargo area, while the pop-up third row in the seven-seat Rondo reduces rear cargo space to just over eight cubic feet. There are also dual cubby bins built into the floor between the front and second-row seats.

The new Rondo no longer has a V6 engine option, and in fact downsizes the four-cylinder unit as well. A 2.0-liter engine with 164 hp and 156 lb-ft of torque is the sole powerplant. That is a reduction of 11 hp and 13 lb-ft of torque compared to the old 2.4-liter four cylinder. Kia also replaced the old four-speed auto-box with a pair of six-speed transmission; either an automatic or a manual.

On the road power is a bit weak, especially when loaded up with passengers. Response is good though, and the extra gears help keep the engine in its power band. Merging and passing are not a problem with this drivetrain; just don’t expect to beat any Grand Caravans in a dash to leave soccer practice.

The advantage of the downsized engine is improved fuel economy. With the automatic transmission, fuel economy is officially improved 16 percent in the city and 12 percent on the highway. During our week with the Rondo, we averaged 23.8 mpg during city-biased driving.

One of the biggest complaints directed at the old Rondo had to do with its rough, harsh ride. Nowhere was this felt more than in the back seats. This, too is gone in the new generation. The ride is much smoother and sound insulation has been improved greatly. Hyundai and Kia products often suffer from a shimmying rear end over big bumps, but it seems the South Korean company tuned it here.

At 3,485 lbs. fully loaded, the Rondo is fairly light for a seven-passenger vehicle. This is evident on the road where its weight and a low center of gravity give it better handling than most three-row vehicles.

What really makes the Rondo a great value though, is the content that can be stuffed into the vehicle. Pricing starts at $21,695 CAD, but our fully-loaded Rondo topped out at $32,195 CAD and included features like push button start, panoramic glass roof, navigation, a heated and cooled driver’s seat, heated rear seats, HID headlights, rear camera, rain sensing wipers, heated steering wheel, window shades and much more. The materials used throughout the Rondo have a higher-quality feel than the previous generation.

Interested in buying a Rondo now? Well that’s too bad, but you can peruse other Kia products in the AutoGuide new cars section. There, you can read full specifications, read about pricing and compare vehicles side-by-side.

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