A five speed manual transmission is standard with the 4 cylinder, although you can upgrade to an automatic as an option. The V6 will be coupled with the five-speed automatic. Depending on which trim level you choose, fuel mileage should be between 21 and 30 mpg.

Kia didn’t mess with the interior design as much as they did the outside. The only upgrades were added connectivity options for ease of MP3 players and such, and a slightly redesigned instrument panel. However, Kia now also offers a navigation system on the Optima as an option. Unfortunately, if you want more than just the most basic safety features, you’ll have to upgrade to an option package that includes an electronic stability system and traction control. Several of the Optima’s leading competitors already offer these things as standard equipment.

The Optima is a mid-size sedan whose main competition includes the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The redesign was in an effort to keep up with these two wildly popular cars and only time will tell if Kia will be successful in that endeavor. Once again, the 2009 Optima is available in three different trim levels, the LX, EX, and SX, which is the sport model.

The biggest changes on the 2009 Optima are in the exterior design, especially the front end. If the tail was reworked, it was not enough to merit a mention. The grille and headlights have been the focus of the upgrade. However, for some reason, the face of this car is now slightly reminiscent of each of its chief competitors. The reshaped face also adds a few inches to the overall length. 16″ wheels are standard on each of the first two trim levels. They jump up to 17″ on the sporty SX model.

Portland, Oregon. Since then, Kia’s expansion has been a methodical one, building region by region, eventually adding the Sportage to their American line. Their entry strategy proved to be extremely successful, setting a new standard for entering the US market. Kia’s success was curtailed in 1997 by the Asian Financial Crisis, and the company filed bankruptcy, which resulted in its 1998 acquisition by rival South Korean company Hyundai, which outbid Ford, despite the fact that Ford had owned an interest in Kia since 1986.

Kia’s success began anew at the beginning of the 21st century, and expansion into Europe has ensured that it will continued to grow.

Asia, which means that their name can be loosely translated as Rising out of Asia. Kia, which is South Korea’s oldest car company, did indeed rise up.
It was founded in 1944 as a bicycle and steel tubing manufacturer. After changing its name from Kyungsung Precision Industry in 1952, Kia built motorcycles, trucks and cars, eventually partnering with Ford in 1986, to produce cars derived from Mazda platforms, both for domestic sales in Korea, and imports into other countries. These models include the Pride and Avella, which are better known in North America as the Ford Festiva and Ford Aspire.

The Rondo can seat from five to seven passengers and is offered in four models, the LX, LX V6, EX, and EX V6. Engine choices are a 2.4-liter generating 162 horsepower (automatic with four speeds) or a 2.7-liter V6 with 182 horsepower (automatic with five speeds.) Towing capacity is 1,000 lbs. The 2.4-liter engine returns a fuel economy of 21 city, 29 highway while the 2.7-liter getting 20/27.

Occupants are protected by double airbags in the front with an additional two mounted in the seats to deploy against impact from the side. (Bags in the curtain position are also present.) Systems to manage the stability of the vehicle and the pressure of the tires are augmented by all-wheel disc brakes with anti-locking technology. The doors have beams for further reinforcement and the vehicle has a crumple zone in both the front and rear. Car seats are held in place by the LATCH anchoring sytem and locks on the rear doors are rated as child safe.

The standard audio unit in the 2007 Kia Rondo LX models is a regular combo with the EX adding the ability for MP3 playback and cassettes (all across six speakers.) Drivers may opt for an Infinity system with 315-watts of power including a changer in the dash to hold six discs, a subwoofer measuring 7.5 inches, and ten overall speakers.

Powered by either a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine that produces 162hp or a 2.7L 185hp V6 engine, the Rondo is well-equipped to take care of business on the highway and the city street. Speaking of city and highway, the fuel efficiency of the new Rondo will bring a smile at 19mpg city, 26mpg highway for the 4-cylinder and 18mpg city, 26mpg highway for the V6.

Viewing the Rondo from the outside one gets the impression that it’s all there, headlights, mirrors, doors, grille, yet the whole package fails to inspire. This seems to be the trick of understanding the Rondo. It offers all the practical features of other midsize transporters, like the Matrix or the Mazda5, but without the style that is, unfortunately for Rondo, a great part of the attraction in this segment.

On the road, the Rondo displays stirring performance with its crisp steering and able acceleration. Roads melt away on encountering Rondo’s 4-wheel independent suspension while both of Rondo’s engine options handle highway onramps with aplomb. Next to consider is Rondo’s safety rating, which is very good. Rondo has acquired five-star frontal impact ratings for driver and front passenger, five-stars for side impact for the driver and four-stars for the passenger.

The 2008 Kia Rondo has fashioned a comfortable and roomy interior for five to seven passengers. The driver is treated to easy to read instrumentation, comfortable seating, plenty of leg and head room, and easy to reach controls. Passengers will be surprised by the abundance of room as well. There are no wood accents or leather to add to the cost of Rondo, which may contribute to the unappealing predominance of molded plastic in the cabin. For those who are looking for an affordable, well-built family vehicle, the Kia Rondo is worth a test drive.

It’s small. With overall dimensions of 179 x 71.7 x 65 inches (l x w x h) and a wheelbase of 106.3 inches, it is smaller than the Mazda5, yet it still has more legroom for the 3rd row of seating than the Toyota RAV4. And with MSRPs beginning at $16,395, even compared with the Hyundai Veracruz, it is the least expensive ride in its class. It delivers 19/26 mpg city/highway and also comes with the class-best standard warranty that’s good for 60,000 miles or 60 months.

The NHTSA awarded a perfect 5-star rating to the Kia Rondo for frontal crash tests. The base engine is a 2.4L 4-cylinder that joins forces with a 4-speed automatic transmission to produce 162hp and 169 lb-ft of torque. Redline rpm readings stand at 5800. The transmission also has a manual mode that can be utilized at will. Additionally, for an extra $1000, there is an available 2.7L V6/5-speed auto combo that yields considerably more power, yet still delivers 18/26 mpg.

Whether you opt for cloth or leather seating, the seats are comfortable - able to be sunk into a bit, but still firm and supportive. The rear 2 rows of seats fold down to expose an impressive 74.4 cubic feet of cargo space. There are 5 trims available: the LX Base, the LX, the LX V6, the EX and the EX V6. All models are station wagons. Loaded models top out in MSRP at $20,195.

Safety equipment standards are front, side and full-curtain airbags; antilock braking and electronic stability control in addition to tire pressure monitors. Appearing like a mix between a minivan and a hatchback, the 2009 Rondo doesn’t remind one of the small-sized SUV that it is. It has sexy slopes and nice curves all over it. The headlamps are trapezoidal. All four corners are, not surprisingly, rounded. The tinted window glass seems seamless when fitted on the black pillars. The glass in the rear is a single, non-opening rectangle that allows for great visibility.

Wide-opening doors accommodate simplistic entries and exits to and from the spacious interior. There is plenty of knee, elbow, shoulder and head room for all. Easy-grab handles also are a convenient door-based feature. The cabin features excellent lighting placement. The driver’s armrest is surprisingly comfortable and there is even an oversized spot for larger water bottles. On the right of the center stack, there is a purse hanger that women adore. There are also separate climate vents for the second seating row.

The 2009 Kia Rondo is an excellent-driving, safe, quick and comfortable vehicle that costs less than every vehicle in its class - and offers the best warranty. Sales numbers are very strong. Fuel economy is solid. It is definitely a vehicle that deserves your serious consideration.

Dodge Colt Vista or the Nissan Axxess, here comes another family hauler with some innovative features - the Kia Rondo. You may call Rondo a small minivan. But, Kia prefers to call Rondo a perfect crossover utility vehicle. For North American buyers, Kia Rondo could prove to be a surprise addition. However, the vehicle is not new to the consumers in Europe and Asia. In fact, the car has been slotted into the European and Asian car market as space wagon MPV. Rondo is known there as Kia Carens.

The Kia Rondo is ideal for those looking for ample space. This four-door vehicle can accommodate up to seven passengers. The storage space is also quite spacious. Rondo is available in two trims - LX and EX.

Let’s take a look at the power train specifications of the vehicle. The Kia Rondo comes with two different engine designs. The vehicle is equipped with 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine capable of delivering 162 horsepower. The power plant has got the support of four-speed automatic transmission system. The car also features 2.7-liter V6 phenomenal in delivering 182 horsepower. Here the engine performance has been enhanced with the five-speed automatic transmission mechanism. Both the transmission systems have played a key role in offering fabulous acceleration.

Rondo has debuted in the 2007 model year with some advanced features and facilities. The vehicle will find rivals in Dodge Caliber and Toyota Matrix. However, with some excellent safety features such as stability control, antilock brakes and other useful equipments 16-inch wheels, full power accessories, Rondo is set to give its rivals a run for their money. With Rondo, Kia is nearing its aim of consolidating its position in mini-minivan market.

V6 producing 185 horsepower. The 2.4-liter can be configured as a manual transmission with five speeds (and overdrive) or as an automatic with five speeds. The V6 is available as an automatic with five speeds (no other option.) Fuel economy is rated at 24 city, 34 highway with both transmissions on the 2.4-liter and at 22/30 on the V6.

The Optima offers passengers 104.2 cubic feet of interior space, more than enough to seat five comfortably. The trunk measures a total of 14.8 cubic feet. Air conditioning is a standard feature in all models with the EXs including a system for the automatic monitoring of temperature. The remote provides access to the vehicle as well as an alarm button. The console in the center allows for the pass through of a cell phone. The steering wheel tilts and is telescopic. Seats are upholstered in cloth with an option for leather on the EX models. The seat in back splits and folds according to the 60/40 configuration.

The audio unit on the LXs is a standard combo with the EXs using an Infinity system that adds both the ability to play cassettes and MP3s as well as a changer capable of holding six CDs.

All models of the 2007 Kia Optima have double airbags in the front as well as those mounted in the seats to shield against lateral impact. (There are also bags in the curtain position.) A system is in place to monitor the pressure in the tires and beams in the doors further protect against impact to the side. Child seats are held in place with the LATCH anchoring system and the locks on the rear doors are rated as child safe. The vehicle has crumple zones to the front and rear and the disc brakes are all wheel standard.

Most of their vehicles are priced below the competition and are typically representative of a good value for your hard earned dollar. The 2008 Kia Optima sedan somewhat breaks the mold of typical economically equipped vehicles with increased feature content and sophisticated style, yet the base price remains under $17,000 and includes a 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

The 2008 Kia Optima is available in two levels. The LX midsize sedan comes standard with 16 inch steel wheels and the other basic amenities. The LX adds keyless, cruise, and a raft of steering wheel upgrades. The LX esthetics option package gives bigger alloy wheels, leather trim, and enhanced exterior packaging.

The Optima EX adds the HomeLink technology system, leather seats, and temperature-sensing climate control. The EX option packages can offer a sunroof and premium audio system.

The standard 2008 Kia Optima engine is a viable 162 horsepower, 2.4 liter 4 cylinder mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox. A 5 speed automatic transmission is optional for both the LX and EX. Also optional for both trims is an optional 2.7 liter V6 that delivers an uninspiring 185 horsepower paired with a 5 speed automatic transmission. Although neither engine is especially speedy, the V6 will go from 0 to 60 in just over 9 seconds. EPA estimates are average for a 5 passenger economy sedan equipped with a 4 cylinder engine at 21 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway, while the V6 gets 20 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway.

The 2008 Kia Optima is a good overall value with many standard safety features, however ABS and traction control are optional- but well worth the investment.

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