Behold! The Kia Rondo:


http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...THISWEEKSISSUE

Called the Kia Carens elsewhere in the world, Rondo is a compact multipurpose vehicle that offers seating for five or seven. Rondo’s U.S. powerplants include a 2.4-liter 158-hp four-cylinder or a 2.7-liter 185-hp six-cylinder gasoline engine. Rondo goes on sale in the United States in early 2007.

I say it's double-dog drab!

Far more interesting but probably not really coming is the Mitsu "i"




"The i’s 660-cc, 64-hp turbocharged three-cylinder engine might not sound like anything too exciting—and to be honest, it isn’t—but there is sufficient power to allow you to zip past traffic and propel you to more than adequate speed on the occasional express- way drive.

The exterior dimensions (134 inches long, 58 inches wide, on a 100-inch wheelbase) are what make the car a real joy...

Mitsubishi says the 4wd i is good for 42.3 mpg, but the best we managed was a rather disappointing 29.4 mpg, proving how hard the tiny engine has to work despite the car’s 2116-pound curb weight.

The big question is whether the i will be considered for sale in the United States. We hear Mitsubishi has shipped two stateside for evaluation, and considering the ever-increasing gas prices, we can’t rule out the possibility of cars like the i on our roads—at least the urban ones—in the future."
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...THISWEEKSISSUE

 

I like the Rondo, but the other is not worth remembering. I keep telling my car pool buddy that the station wagon, regardless of what they call it, is coming back and the SUVs are headed for the junk heap.

 

Is it just me or does the Rhondo look an awful lot like a narrower version of the 90's ford taurus station wagon?

I've got a Kia Sedona as a beater car and when it was new the quality of the finish wasn't anywhere near the standard of what Honda has with the Fit. It's been good with it being free of defects and low maintenance, but I wouldn't buy another.

 

The Rondo seems to be competing against the Mazda 5, which is quite a bit larger

 

The Rondo looks nice. Wish they would bring the 4 door hatch Yaris. That's another one that looks good.

 

fugly man the mitsu looks like the benz smart lol

 

hey don't diss the smart! It's pretty fun to punt around in and cheap to fill up!

And yes, I agree, the Mitsu does look like an extended version of the Fortwo...

As for the Kia...it's already wrong at the name...Rondo...sounds...cheap...

 

well what about the mitsu colt?
http://car-reviews.automobile.com/Mi...t-preview/767/

doesn't look that bad

 

I would have seriously considered a Yaris 5-door but the more I read the more I'm glad I've got the Fit.

"Rondo", for me is an old school name for a very large braising pan.

The Colt looks good but only two doors scratches it off the list for most of us. Seems like lots of cars are bigger, heavier, and more powerful but don't have the MPG of the Fit (or the cargo capacity). Out there in the rest of the world there are cool sub compacts that don't make enough power for N. America consumers.

The SUV may indeed be fading away.

 

the colt actualy has 2 door and 4 door...the turbocharged version is only 2dr

 

However, the Rondo is in a bigger class than the Honda Fit. Think of it as a "tall wagon" version of the new Kia Optima.

Expect most Rondos sold in the USA to use the 2.4-liter DOHC I-4 (rated at 158 bhp for the Rondo application) along with the five-speed automatic--essentially the same drivetrain as the Optima.

 

Latest Fit articles and a new Suzuki out soon:

6/21/06 Google Alert:

Reprint from Wash Post (Honda Fit sensible, comfortable):

http://www.belleville.com/mld/bellev...g/14848579.htm

Suzuki SX4 crossover:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06172/699809-97.stm

6/20/06 Google Alert:

Car & Driver’s test of Fit AT Sport (with links to other test drives, incl Fit MT):

http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroa...tic-page2.html

 

not competition, but a step up the ladder...







I'd hit it :D

 

Saw a recent article about fewer people doing searches on Cars.com on econo cars, including the Fit, despite high gas prices. Thought it was kind of stupid, considering that people have stopped searching because the cars aren't there to buy! (or they're marked up at or above MSRP while dealers are offering huge incentives to buy bigger vehicles)

 

I read also that sales of Scion's have picked up. I agree, I stopped searching for Fits, Versas and Yaris' on cars.com and carsdirect.com because they never had any.