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2008 Kia Rondo EX V6 Road Test

I'm a big fan of practical vehicles, like minivans and roomy five-door economy cars.

Smaller than a minivan, but still roomy inside. It's right at home in the city. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

I suppose this is why I chose Kia's Rondo for my ride on a recent business trip. I knew it would give me plenty of room for luggage, plus space for the clients I was visiting in case we decided to drive somewhere for lunch. What I didn't expect was just how much room it would allow.

At first glance the Rondo appears almost compact, which is probably because of its tall proportions. The reality of its size becomes apparent as soon as you get inside, where its substantial width and surprising cabin length land it straight into the midsize category. This makes sense, after all, being that it's based on the midsize Optima sedan. It's actually a bit wider than the four-door model, by 0.6 inches, and of course taller by 6.7 inches, while it's wheelbase is 0.8 inches shorter and overall length is down 7.5 inches. The extra length of the sedan is because of its trunk, where the Rondo enjoys a more practical liftgate that opens up into a minivan-like cargo hold measuring 74.4 cu-ft when all the rear seats are folded down, 14.7 cu-ft when the third row is folded flat and 2.6 cu-ft behind the final row. I only used the third row to see how accommodating it was, and suffice to say that I can

It's an easy step in; once inside, the Rondo's seating position is quite similar to that of a minivan. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

fit inside but wouldn't want to spend all day back there. For kids or even smaller teens it's ideal, though, making the seven-seat Rondo a true minivan alternative.

Another benefit that comes from its size is a solid, planted feel while on the road. This comes from its wide stance, long 106.3-inch wheelbase, and substantial 3,511-lb curb weight in top-line trim (the base LX weighs in at 3,333 lbs), further enhanced by its fully independent suspension system with MacPherson struts up front and a multilink setup in the rear, and nicely weighted power rack-and-pinion steering. My tester also featured Kia's well-proven 2.7-liter, 24-valve, DOHC, V6, an engine that makes 182 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque, and thanks to a five-speed automatic combines surprisingly quick acceleration with pretty decent fuel economy at 18 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, not to mention a more upscale feel than the four-cylinder base model (the four-cylinder doesn't offer much better fuel economy at 19 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, so you might

Optional third-row seats are best for smaller people. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

as well opt for the V6). I spent my days running around town, going from meeting to meeting within the city itself and then covering the city's network of highways and byways at varying levels of speed, sometimes at full sprint and other times landlocked at almost no speed at all. The Rondo's high driving position and multitude of windows made for superb visibility, which was really helpful when tooling around in an area that I don't know as well as my home town.

Something else that surprised me about the Rondo is how refined it is. Driving down the highway at 60+ mph, the engine and transmission are virtually silent, there's not much tire or road noise to talk about and no squeaks or rattles are audible either. No, only the sound of wind around the pillars and battling against its sizable mirrors can be heard, and that noise is hardly overbearing, but merely made more noticeable because everything else is so quiet. Together with its smooth comfortable ride and supportive seats, it's really a nice vehicle to travel in. It isn't particularly sporty, mind you, so if you're looking for something to light up the asphalt at takeoff or excite all the senses when attacking the curves it'll probably leave you

Cargo space is limited with the third row up, but it's ample when set up as a five-seater. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

feeling a bit flat. No, while it's energetic off the line and holds its own in the corners the Rondo is a mature vehicle for mature adults, a car purposed for pragmatic concerns first and foremost.

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