Kia's compact people hauler seats up to sevenStory and photos by Jim Robinsonbadged as a 2007 model. Kia calls it a CUV but, to me, its really aMetroland Newspapersstation wagon.Carguide MagazineWhat continues to stand out was how Kia got three rows of seats ina car with a wheelbase of 2,700 mm (106.3 in) and a length of 4,545Along with the previous generation Sportage, the Rondo CUV was mm (178.9 in), but they did. Like the Mazda5, the third row isone of the first signs that Kia was starting to emerge with its own (very) occasional but it still can be used literally in a pinch.identity from under the wing of big brother, Hyundai.Nonetheless cargo volume is a whole lot more than youd believeMy first encounter was in 2006 when I drove the Rondo that was from standing on the outside. Debuting in 2006, the Kia Rondo (2011 EX-V6 model shown)continues to offer seating for up to seven with a startingprice of $19,995.With the second and third row folded flat there is 2,083liters (73.4 cu ft). With second row up and the third rowflat, which is how the Rondo would be most of the time,there is 898 litres (31.7 cu ft). And if youve got seven pas-sengers, there is still 185 litres (6.5 cu ft) available.Conceived before the arrival of Kias new chief designer,Peter Schreyer, the Ronda echoed the styling trend of theday towards blandness. Funny thing though, even if theydont really stand out, you dont realize how many are onthe road until youre driving one.One of the reasons why there is so much interior room isbecause the Rondo is tall for a compact CUV but that trans-lates into welcome headroom. And because of the slighterhigher stance th an sedans, the driver gets a better viewahead. Except for the Premium models that have full leather, Kiauses cloth for the seats with available heating as on theEX-V6 as tested here. Seven seats are standard on all butthe base LX model which has no third row.There are two engines and transmissions available. TheLX, EX and EX Premium are equipped with a 2.4-litreDOHC inline four-cylinder producing 175 hp and 169 lb/ftof torque sending power to the front wheels through afour-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. The EX-V6(as tested) and EX-V6 Premium come with a 2.7-litreDOHC V6 making 192 hp and 184 lb/ft of torque. Thetransmission here is a five-speed Steptronic automaticdriving the front wheels.Fuel consumption ratings on the 2.4-litre are 10.6/7.5L/100km (27/38 mpg) city/highway and 11.5/7.7L/100 km(25/37 mpg) city/highway for the V6. If you have a smallboat or trailer, the four-cylinder can haul 680 kg (1,500 lb)while the V6 is rated at 907 kg (2,000 lb).By trim, the Rondo prices are: LX, $19,995; EX, $22,795; EX Premium, $25,095; EX-V6, $23,895; EX-V6 Luxury, $27,195.The EX-V6 as tested here had no options. With the $1,650shipping fee and air tax, the grand total was $25,795.Like all Kias, even the base model is equipped with powerlocks/windows/mirror, Bluetooth connectivity and rearwindow washer/wiper.In terms of safety, the Rondo is fully equipped with six airbags, front active headrests, four-wheel discs (no drums)with ABS and traction control plus electronic stabilitycontrol. Suspension was pretty standard fare withMacStruts at the front and an independent multi-link atthe rear with stabilizer bars at both ends.On my near weekly trips to pick up my son from college, theRondo felt light on steering inputs when I was expecting it tobe heavier. Also, the high profile was susceptible to gusts of wind from the side. Im talking about bursts of up to 50 km/hthat day according to the weather office. The Rondo trackedtrue thanks to the stability control, which, you typically neverknow is there until you need it.While it may not have standout styling, the Kia Rondo isnonetheless a very capable vehicle for a big family on asmall budget.And with Kias famed five-year full warranty it is certainlyworth a test drive. www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, April 6, 2011 16