Perhaps I misspoke about that pic of six in the roofless and sideless Mazda5 as being "photoshopped." Take a look at this behind-the-scenes pic of a promotional shoot of the Carens/Rondo. Yeah, they actually removed the roof:
And now for something completely different:
Have a gothy Christmas everyone. If you want to see more pics of the Carens with Magyars dressed as Szent Mikulás and as Slipknot roadies, see here (yeah, I know Slipknot isn't really goth, but that's besides the point).
Lookee what I found during my Internet travels, a poll entitled, Which is uglier, the Kia Rondo or the Mazda 5? Unfortunately, the poll is now closed, so all of us forum members can't flood the poll with our fair and balanced picks.
Here are the results:
Which is uglier? 34% (14) Kia Rondo 24% (10) Mazda 5 9% (4) Both are ugly 26% (11) Neither is ugly 4% (2) Looks are secondary/irrelevant when I evaluate a vehicle Total: 41 votes
One article discussed earlier here the "smaller car" suspension issues with a full load of adults (focused on Rondo, but it may be the same case for the Mazda5, except one less adult) so I believe this pic below a good example. Now imagine driving through potholes and speed bumps :sick:
Considering there's still a gap between the top of the rear tire the fender, I'd say the suspension is really good if this car is full of 7 adults. I've seen a lot of bigger vehicles looking really low in the back when fully loaded. Plus the ground clearance on the Mazda 5 or Rondo isn't much different than a full size minivan.
A gap? I see a fender shadow over the tire, not a gap (unless the rear tires are a very low profile, irregular ones).
Let me repost the MotorTrend review extract I was referring to earlier: Although it's adept at hauling a variety of gear, the Kia is less proficient at transporting a full load of adults: "We drove over to a restaurant with seven passengers, and the engine and suspension felt tapped out-it's clearly not made for adult passengers all of the time."
But I've seen fully loaded bigger cars where part of the rim was covered by the fender, and that's no where near the case for the Rondo. I've been to Europe many times and have seen fully loaded cars zipping down the road at 100mph, so I think it just that most Americans have an incorrect perception of the amount of power required. American may like big cars, engines, etc., but they're not necessary.
Plus I don't know anyone carrying 7 big adults all the time looking at buying a Rondo, so let's be realistic. With the average family consisting of 4 people, 2 adults and 2 kids, the Rondo or Mazda5 are plenty big.
And for those obese families with obese kids, maybe if they drove around in a Rondo or Mazda5 they might have more incentive to lose some weight
a) These pics are from Hungary and, contrary to some other European countries, there is a highway speed limit there, so 100mph is not allowed in all of "Europe"
b) My wife is from Germany, and there you see no speed limit in some autobahns (not all of them). Regardless you don't see Mazda5s, Citroen Picassos, Opel Zafiras and VW Tourans at 100+mph when fully loaded
c) If you look at the pic showing the 3rd row passengers, regardless of what Country the guy to the right hails from, he's big. The rest don't seem though, but regardless, the point is: it is a 7 seater on a compact car designed suspension (with mods like the Mazda5, but still)
d) Yes, I don't recommend a Mazda5 or a Rondo for a family of 5 either. For 5+ a big minivan is the car to go, but that is besides the point discussed here, I still believe the MotorTrend review is accurate
Ok, I have issue with this, and I have to say something,,
A gap? I see a fender shadow over the tire, not a gap (unless the rear tires are a very low profile, irregular ones).
I'm not aware of many vehicles that can handle 7 adults. Heck, most of the vehicles today can barley handle 4 adults. Case and point, my 2002 Cavalier 4dr, 4 adults (none of us over 150lbs) and the car is bottoming out. I know, this is a car, not a CUV, or SUV or whatever the heck you want to call it. The wife and I were very interested in the Sportage, but then happened upon the Rondo in the lot. We will be taking it out for a rip today. If any of you are old enough to remember, there once was a wagon (as in Station wagon) that had a back seat that folded up out of the floor. With 4 adults, one child in a car seat and 3 of us kids (5, 7 and 8) in the back, that old wagon was bottoming out ever chance it got. If your planing on hauling 7 adults around all the time, get a tractor trailer. It's almost as bad as the reviews I read about how this is an inadequate vehicle, because it doesn't accelerate like a sports car, or it doesn't handle like a sports car. If you want that, then buy it, otherwise,,,,,,,,,,, :mad:
Is your rant over?? If you read all the posts I'm replying to the whole story, not just one post. With regards to cargo and seating this is already a very long thread, so I would suggest you to read the overall discussion before ranting . Nobody is contradicting your comments, as a matter of fact that what we are trying to get to, live a little
Oh, and I don't want to buy a Rondo, I already have 2 Mazda5s, that is good enough for me :shades:
I'm 6'4 , and i found the mazda 5 unusable. I tried to sit in all of the seats, and found them all to be next to impossible. This was not the case with the Rondo. Guess this limits my choice :P
Well, the Mazda5 is still usable, but you are too tall for it :P
I doubt the Rondo 3rd row fits you well but I also doubt you will ever ride in that row anyway
But, in all seriousness, I feel your pain, I'm close to 6' and a couple of extra inches of legroom for the driver's seat would have helped, but I'm used to it now. I've also known of a 6'3" owner who is just fine with it. It depends on how people are used to drive or maybe, how long their legs are (i.e. tall people, but short legs?) LOL
Funny you mention that. I'm 6', but all legs, so comfortable seating in a car is next to impossible... Telescoping steering wheels are a huge benefit. Honestly, I don't have a problem in the 5, but I like being crammed in there pretty well as opposed to legs out. SO I imagine it all comes down to taste. It also doesn't help that my daily driver is a Toyota Echo that has some limits on legroom as well!
I discovered the following info at a website called LemonLaw.com:
--------- 2008 Car Complaint Index
Thanks to consumer advocate Jack Gillis, author of the 2008 Car Book, and the efforts of the Center for Auto Safety, we are able to provide you with the vehicle complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Each year, thousands of Americans call their government to register complaints about their vehicles. The complaint index is based on a ratio of the number of complaints for each vehicle to the sales of that vehicle. The numbers represent relative index scores, not the number of complaints received. The complaint index score considers sales volume and years on the road. Lower index numbers are better....
The 2008 Projected Car Complaint Ratings MODEL COMPLAINT INDEX RATIO
Toyota FJ Cruiser 28,955
Dodge Nitro 24,624
Lexus ES 14,567
Hyundai Entourage 13,643
Toyota Camry 13,381
Jeep Commander 11,877
Mitsubishi Outlander 10,899
Jeep Wrangler 8,082
Volkswagen Rabbit 7,555
Volkswagen Passat 7,503
Mazda 5 6,964
Mercedes Benz R Class 6,911
Dodge Caliber 6,459
Jeep Compass 5,857
Nissan Quest 5,805
Audi Q7 5,707
Buick Lucerne 5,706
Chrysler Aspen 5,435
Honda Fit 5,201
Lincoln Navigator 5,166 ---------
Since I'm a Rondo owner and for the sake of fairness, I'm not implying here that the Rondo is flawless in comparison. The Rondo, like any vehicle, has its own chinks in the armour. One can easily find out for oneself just by checking the Rondo forum here.
Dh and I were almost enticed to buy the Rondo over the Mazda5... We have two kids under two and with both in carseats, our car was just too crowded. We test drove both vehicles and liked the drive on both. Dh's dad is a fan of Kia. My dad says there's no comparison between the two and Mazda will hands down be a better vehicle. We liked the sliding doors and 2nd row captains chairs in the Mazda5- we felt it gave the vehicle more space than the Rondo, but the Kia had a much better warranty and a lower price and dh was really leaning that way. UNTIL... we tried putting our double stroller in the back with the third row seats up. It is a very tight fit in the Mazda5 BUT it would NOT fit in the Rondo. So we put one of the back seats down in the Kia and tried it that way. Still did NOT fit- the second row seat was pushed all the way forward and still our stroller was too long to close the back door! When all was said and done, the "deal" Kia was going to give us on the Rondo EX V6 was only $1100 less than what we ended up getting on the Mazda5 sport automatic with the popular equipment package. We should be getting our new brillian black Mazda5 this week and I'm excited! We ended up financing through Mazda at 3.9% for 60 months and getting the 7 year/75,000 mile warranty. We are pleased with our decision and can't wait to get it home!
Good luck! Hope it works out for you. You had to make a decision based upon family room concerns, so it was the best decision for you, I'm sure.
But as for your dad's view that there's "no comparison", that is really funny. YOU, is fact, were making comparisons, and found that, with re: to warranty, safety and price, the Kia more than measured up to the Mazda. But, as you noted, you needed to go with space/functionality considerations
I've owned cars from both companies, and I'd tell your dad that Kias and Mazdas offer very comparable automobiles when it comes to quality, function, performance and market nitches, and they will be slugging it out for sales for years to come!
I've been lurking around the edmunds site and the forums here for about a week looking at people's real experiences with these two vehicles. I do prefer the two captain's chairs and the sliding doors of the Mazda but otherwise I would've been happy to have the Rondo if it meant more space and better visability in driving than my old Pontiac Sunfire. I wasn't against getting the Kia, just liked the options of the Mazda5 better. I'm certain we'll be pleased with our purchase once it arrives!
I've driven both Kia Rondo and M5 and after that I decided to go with M5 and bought GT version. The Rondo seemed OK to me (it appears to be slightly bigger than M5 )when I drove it but I was not amazed by it. The suspension of the Rondo is to soft to me, steering not precise and the exterior design is boring (but this is a personal preference). I tried I4 and V6 and have to say the latter was much better. I didn't like the leather - the texture was similar to vinyl, same with leather on steering wheel. What I didn't like as well was fact that there are many things you can't even get as an option - Bluetooth, Xenon lights, automatic climate control, Homelink, NAV, etc. The MPG of 2008 M5 is much better than both versions of the Rondo while the new 5-speed transmission of M5 significantly improved both MPG and performance. The European crash test results (more strict then US) for Mazda (5 stars) are much better then for the Rondo (4 stars). The warranty for the Rondo is much better, though.
My previous car was 06 Sonata V6 and it was much faster then M5 but M5 drives much better.
I've ben comparing these two also. However, the deciding factor for me is that the Mazda doesn't even come close to the Kia when it comes to safety. The Mazda doesn't offer vehicle stability/taction control. To me, I won't buy a vehicle without that basic safety feature. Does anyone know if the 09 M5 will offer that?
When I was an owner of the Sonata I've driven a few Hyundai and Kia cars (mostly loaners) and their stop&go (heavy traffic) MPG was always 1-3 miles lower than EPA estimated (15-16MPG). Mazda so far is giving me 2 miles more to the gallon than estimated (23MPG) in exactly same driving conditions. The difference between 16 and 23 is quite big. This observation has been confirmed by other users opinions I've read on Mazda and Kia forums.
But you can't get a fully loaded 7-seat Rondo with I4. And V-6 is not great on gas. I drive to work every day (10 miles one way), in really heavy traffic (90% bumper to bumper, Boston) and still getting 23MPG. I was expecting something around 19 MPG. I paid 22500$ for my M5 but the dealer also paid 1000$ more than KBB excellent value for my Sonata.
...I suspect you got a great automobile in the Mazda5, and based the decision on all the factors, including MPG and options available. 23 mpg in that kind of driving is very good; I'd get 20 mpg in the Rondo.
I got a 7-seater LX I-4 Rondo with all the options I wanted. As I noted, I'm happy with the overall mpg. I paid $9,700 plus my trade--a 2001 Canry with 80,000 miles. Dealer gave me $800 over KBB at the time, i.e. $7000, for it. Total cost for the Rondo was $16,700.
The Rondo is NO match for the 5! There's just no comparison. I have been holding off writing in this section of the forum until I spent enough time in a Rondo to fairly compare it to my 5. But, I can safely say that you definitely get what you pay for with the Kia, and that it just can't hold a candle to the 5. It has its merits, to be honest, but, all in all, I really disliked the Rondo.
We just recently returned from a trip to Puerto Rico where we rented a Rondo. I, willfully, picked it since I wanted to compare it to my 5 and since I wanted a car with an Auxiliary port for our iPods. First disappointment: The LX didn't have an Aux port! We had to contend with a few CD's we had for the trip. Second disappointment: none of us found the seats truly comfortable and their material seemed cheap. Third immediately apparent disappointment: the steering. It was HORRIBLE! It felt like a rubber band. And, I had to contend with many "broken K" turns that my 5 wouldn't handled as proper "U Turns" since the Rondo's turning circle was significantly larger than that of the 5's.
Some positives: the AC worked well! The engine has good pick up - felt powerful. And the build quality of the interior was good, too! See? I can be objective. I also liked the various nooks and compartments in the front and in the rear-most sections where one can hold stuff. Also, I like the styling of the REAR of the car, only. The rest is WAY too dorky - an opinion shared by all seven of us who went on the trip.
Another positive was the fact that all seven of us could fit in the Rondo. We wanted to travel together and that helped out. BUT, we were regretful of that decision. The suspension, which at first seemed just ALRIGHT (actually, TOO soft, yet contradictory, since it would still let in harsh impacts way too...well, harshly) completely bottomed out and practically fell apart when we were all in. It's definitely NOT meant to carry seven passengers! The ones riding in the back were very uncomfortable and their butts literally HURT when they got out of the car due to all the unfiltered bumps we experienced. To be fair in my assessment, I no longer carried that many people in the car, but even with just four adults riding inside all bumps came through harshly. We were all in agreement in saying that the suspension outright SUCKED, and all agreed that my 5 rode WAY better. Again, the suspension gave the impression that it was soft and provided a comfortable ride, until a bump/pothole presented itself. Then, the truth of the cheapness of it came through loud and clear. NONE of us 7 liked the suspension, much less the car, overall.
The handling also left MUCH to be desired. Whereas I revel in turns and curves and roundabouts in my 5 (singing "zoom zoom zoom" in my head all the while), I proceeded with caution in the Rondo. The car's steering, as previously mentioned, felt like a rubberband and just felt CHEAP; the Rondo rolled heavily and just couldn't keep up with any speed through any curve or corner or turn. NO fun driving this thing at ALL!
Another disappointment, even though I had the LX 4 cylinder, the fuel economy was disappointing. The 5 definitely gets better gas mileage AND it is SIGNIFICANTLY noticeable! We drove a mix of city and highway and the Rondo, with a full tank of gas, couldn't reach 300 miles of travel, whereas with my 5 that is a regular occurrence. It wasn't even great on highway alone. Another thing we definitely missed: cruise control. The Kia didn't have it. I thought this would have been standard in such a supposedly "well-equipped" car at a low price. Whatever!
To sum it up, when five of our friends left back to NY and my wife and I stayed in PR, we disliked the Rondo so much that we ended up going back to the rental agency and going through the hassle of exchanging it for the remainder of our trip. I ended up taking a new Scion XD and was very impressed with the car. We both liked it very much and enjoyed its comfort, its good handling, and its great sound system where we heard our songs from our iPod through its auxiliary port.
The 5's looks are so much better than that of the Rondo's, and it looks infinitely cooler and sportier. The 5 drives WAY better, rides WAY nicer, handles a MILLION times better, has a way better tranny and feels WAY more refined than the Rondo. The interior is better, too. The seats, in and of themselves, are more comfortable than the Rondo (my 6'4" friend agreed) including the third row. The 5 gets better fuel economy, has a better sound system and MANY more conveniences are offered over the Rondo. Besides the fact that the Rondo can TECHNICALLY hold 7 people vs. the 6 people the 5 can hold, I can't think of ANY advantage the Rondo has over the 5. Even its cheaper price isn't really an advantage since you get a CHEAPER car that definitely FEELS cheaper, too. Sorry, just had to add my two cents for all those deluded Rondo owners out there who try to convince themselves that their car is better than the 5. :P
You are a Mazda 5 owner. I'd urge you to go find a Mazda 5 forum site and wax til your heart's content.
I am a Rondo owner. I am loving it. I note that in several reviews I've seen, Rondo bests the 5, so I know there are those out there who feel the same as I do, and differently than you do.
I don't think that nissmazlover actually drove a Rondo. I think he is an armchair philosopher and nothing more, blowing off steam against a vehicle that is quite a bit better than an M5 for a lot of people, myself included. If he does drive one in the future, he'll have to eat his words and change his name to formermazlover... I have an 07 EX V6 Luxury, and disagree with all his negative comments energetically. Nissmazlover,I think you should ACTUALLY drive a Rondo, or maybe you are afraid you will like it? Yes, the M5 is a nice vehicle, really nice for that matter. See, I can be objective too.
I think it is in the nature of forums that people tend to be polarized quite a bit. I believe that the Rondo is a nice car, but when I was looking, I noticed a difference between the LX and EX models. The EXs were just that much nicer. Unfortunately, the EX tends to cost more.
I have a 5 and love it, but see how the Rondo appeals to others. The 5 is very much biased towards sport and the driving dynamics and ride show it to a certain extent. This is not saying that the Rondo is terrible. I imagine it handles decently (most everything made in the last 10 years handles fairly well!), but that small difference between nice handling and the sporty edge is a big deal to some people.
My sticking point will always be the sliding doors. There are just too important to me as a new-ish parent. I have read some other comments about the Rondo having a hard time with 7 on board. I have done 6 in the 5, but it was only 4 adults and 2 kids. I have also done 5 adults in the 5 and it handled it well , but the suspension has bottomed out with 5 on board over a large speed bump (well unusually large that is).
"If he does drive one in the future, he'll have to eat his words and change his name to formermazlover... "
The real question is, will you eat your words and take the rainbow sticker off your car when he posts his vacation pics showing that he did, in-fact, drive it?
I am pretty surprised by the two empty responses to his post.
There's no use in sending a reasoned, point-by-point response to such an e-mail. It basically is an emotional diatribe that says Rondo owners don't know what they are talking about, and that we made a "HORRIBLE" (his emphasis) choice.
From the driver perspective I can agree with this review. The handling/steering of M5 is far superior. This car is built on European Ford Focus MK2 platform Focus MK2 is the best handling compact car (and has been praised by many experts for that - some expert claim that it offers better handling and ride than BMW 3 series). Also. please note that M5 has 5star rollover resistance - better than most midsize sedans on US market which is very impressive. The Rondo is based on Optima/Sonata platform (the handling at most adequate) . I've been driven 06 Sonata for two years and to me handling of M5 is far superior. What is strange and was one of the reasons I chose M5, the Rondo doesn't have a cargo cover with 7 seat configuration.
I still believe the Rondo is an excellent choice. It offers a lot for its price.
Got to rent a car this week and I saw a Rondo parked next to it with what I thought it was vinyl seats but to later find out it was leather. I know the Mazda5 leather seats are not Rolls Royce quality but the leather of the Rondo looked like vinyl, is it true for all the leather colors? :surprise:
For those of us who need a smaller-than-a-minivan vehicle that seats 6 or 7 and also need to be able to tow, the M5 (nice as it is to drive) is NOT an option. The M5's owner's manual states that it is not to be used for towing, whereas the 4 cyl Rondo can tow 1,500 lbs and the V6 can tow 2,000 lbs. Regardless, both are great vehicles for differing needs - and both are stylish, fuel-efficient and space-efficient. One can can find faults with both, and advantages with both.
I tested Rondo EX with leather seats and indeed, they looked and felt like made of vinyl. Same with the steering wheel. The M5 leather is pretty decent. If you decide to go with the Rondo, go with the cloth seats (although I read they stain easily).
Per staining issue, I wonder what that stain source was (at the suvs.about.com URL)? My curiousity stems from the fact that I have had no problems removing a couple of stains (unknown source) from the shotgun seat in my Rondo.
I never said that the Rondo was a horrible car. If you go back and read my post properly, you will clearly see that I identified the steering quality as "horrible". Also, I never said that Rondo owners made a "wrong choice". Again, if you learn how to read things objectively without getting so worked up about it, you will see that I stated that Rondo owners who think that the Rondo is better than the 5 are deluded. The delusion does not apply to someone merely choosing/buying the Rondo, but in such individual thinking that it's a better car than the 5, which is not the case.
Mind you, I really wanted to like the Rondo. I had never driven a Kia before, and am a Hyundai fan. I was, actually, very excited about it. But, from the moment I stepped in until the moment I returned the car, I was disappointed with it. Nevertheless, I still wrote quite a few positive things about it, which, again, you will see if you read back on the post (no need to repost them).
So, the only response you can give to my review of the Rondo is a childish accusation claiming I never even drove it? Interesting. Plus, you agree with the statement that my review was nothing more than an emotional diatribe regardless of the number of facts and details I included in it, detrails that only an actual driver of a vehicle would know? Fascinating. And, to top it all off, you're stating that the Rondo is "quite a bit better than an M5"? Hmmm...
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you with Subject A: "bgw" - An unfortunate sufferer of the aforementioned delusion.
I only take pictures of cars that I like. So, I do not have any pictures of the Rondo itself. That being said, my friends took pictures from inside the car and I will be posting them later today (gotta get the pics from them). Rest assured, I DID drive the Rondo extensively from Thursday, May 22nd until Monday, May 26th, which is the day I became fed up with it and exchanged it for the Scion XD, which I kept until the end of my vacation. Please prepare yourself for our special of the day: A delicious entree, which we call "Your", along with a succulent side of "Words". Ready to eat up?
I don't know...call me crazy...but last I checked this was the Mazda 5 section of Edmunds' Car Space forum. More specifically, the Mazda 5 vs Kia Rondo sub-section. Am I wrong?
I, honestly, am interested in reading the reviews you say you have seen stating that the Rondo bests the 5. Can you please post these links for our reading enjoyment? Thanks.
The Mazda5 vs Rondo discussion reminds me of my decision to buy the Honda Fit over the Nissan Versa. While the Versa had a slightly roomier back seat, it was the versatility, handling characteristics, MPG and interior quality that won me to the Fit.
I'm looking at replacing our larger car with a small 3-row vehicle and I've been researching/testing the Mazda5 and Rondo a lot and I've come to a simliar conclusion as when I was researching/testing the Fit & Versa.
While the Rondo has a slighly larger 2nd row, the driving dynamics, interior quality, MPG and versatility (i.e. sliding doors, underseat storage, etc) of the Mazda5 make it the winner to me over the Rondo.
Plus it's hard for the AC in Rondo to reach the 3rd row because of the 2nd row bench vs the captain chairs of the Mazda5.
That being said, if I had a towing requirement or a need for 7 pass seating, then I wouldn't buy a Mazda5.
Comments
And now for something completely different:
Have a gothy Christmas everyone. If you want to see more pics of the Carens with Magyars dressed as Szent Mikulás and as Slipknot roadies, see here (yeah, I know Slipknot isn't really goth, but that's besides the point).
Here are the results:
Which is uglier?
34% (14) Kia Rondo
24% (10) Mazda 5
9% (4) Both are ugly
26% (11) Neither is ugly
4% (2) Looks are secondary/irrelevant when I evaluate a vehicle
Total: 41 votes
One article discussed earlier here the "smaller car" suspension issues with a full load of adults (focused on Rondo, but it may be the same case for the Mazda5, except one less adult) so I believe this pic below a good example. Now imagine driving through potholes and speed bumps :sick:
Mazda 5: 2,011 vs 1,214 for 2007 a 65.7%
as I said before this segment of the market is really doing well
Let me repost the MotorTrend review extract I was referring to earlier:
Although it's adept at hauling a variety of gear, the Kia is less proficient at transporting a full load of adults: "We drove over to a restaurant with seven passengers, and the engine and suspension felt tapped out-it's clearly not made for adult passengers all of the time."
Source:
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/112_0804_2007_kia_rondo_update/
Plus I don't know anyone carrying 7 big adults all the time looking at buying a Rondo, so let's be realistic. With the average family consisting of 4 people, 2 adults and 2 kids, the Rondo or Mazda5 are plenty big.
And for those obese families with obese kids, maybe if they drove around in a Rondo or Mazda5 they might have more incentive to lose some weight
a)
These pics are from Hungary and, contrary to some other European countries, there is a highway speed limit there, so 100mph is not allowed in all of "Europe"
b)
My wife is from Germany, and there you see no speed limit in some autobahns (not all of them). Regardless you don't see Mazda5s, Citroen Picassos, Opel Zafiras and VW Tourans at 100+mph when fully loaded
c)
If you look at the pic showing the 3rd row passengers, regardless of what Country the guy to the right hails from, he's big. The rest don't seem though, but regardless, the point is: it is a 7 seater on a compact car designed suspension (with mods like the Mazda5, but still)
d)
Yes, I don't recommend a Mazda5 or a Rondo for a family of 5 either. For 5+ a big minivan is the car to go, but that is besides the point discussed here, I still believe the MotorTrend review is accurate
Rondo - 1039 (a all time monthly record) vs 595 for April 2007
A gap? I see a fender shadow over the tire, not a gap (unless the rear tires are a very low profile, irregular ones).
I'm not aware of many vehicles that can handle 7 adults. Heck, most of the vehicles today can barley handle 4 adults. Case and point, my 2002 Cavalier 4dr, 4 adults (none of us over 150lbs) and the car is bottoming out. I know, this is a car, not a CUV, or SUV or whatever the heck you want to call it. The wife and I were very interested in the Sportage, but then happened upon the Rondo in the lot. We will be taking it out for a rip today. If any of you are old enough to remember, there once was a wagon (as in Station wagon) that had a back seat that folded up out of the floor. With 4 adults, one child in a car seat and 3 of us kids (5, 7 and 8) in the back, that old wagon was bottoming out ever chance it got. If your planing on hauling 7 adults around all the time, get a tractor trailer. It's almost as bad as the reviews I read about how this is an inadequate vehicle, because it doesn't accelerate like a sports car, or it doesn't handle like a sports car. If you want that, then buy it, otherwise,,,,,,,,,,, :mad:
Oh, and I don't want to buy a Rondo, I already have 2 Mazda5s, that is good enough for me :shades:
Guess this limits my choice :P
I doubt the Rondo 3rd row fits you well but I also doubt you will ever ride in that row anyway
But, in all seriousness, I feel your pain, I'm close to 6' and a couple of extra inches of legroom for the driver's seat would have helped, but I'm used to it now. I've also known of a 6'3" owner who is just fine with it. It depends on how people are used to drive or maybe, how long their legs are (i.e. tall people, but short legs?) LOL
Heavy rain but no trouble, Cross-winds were more noticeable with the box though
Photo links in case the site gives trouble:
http://www.carspace.com/coolmazda5/Albums/2008_mz5_stormy_blue/mazda5_may_11_200- 8%20002.jpg/photo/v./photo.jpg
http://www.carspace.com/coolmazda5/Albums/2008_mz5_stormy_blue/mazda5_may_11_200- 8%20003.jpg/photo/v./photo.jpg
---------
2008 Car Complaint Index
Thanks to consumer advocate Jack Gillis, author of the 2008 Car Book, and the efforts of the Center for Auto Safety, we are able to provide you with the vehicle complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Each year, thousands of Americans call their government to register complaints about their vehicles. The complaint index is based on a ratio of the number of complaints for each vehicle to the sales of that vehicle. The numbers represent relative index scores, not the number of complaints received. The complaint index score considers sales volume and years on the road. Lower index numbers are better....
The 2008 Projected Car Complaint Ratings
MODEL
COMPLAINT INDEX RATIO
Toyota FJ Cruiser
28,955
Dodge Nitro
24,624
Lexus ES
14,567
Hyundai Entourage
13,643
Toyota Camry
13,381
Jeep Commander
11,877
Mitsubishi Outlander
10,899
Jeep Wrangler
8,082
Volkswagen Rabbit
7,555
Volkswagen Passat
7,503
Mazda 5
6,964
Mercedes Benz R Class
6,911
Dodge Caliber
6,459
Jeep Compass
5,857
Nissan Quest
5,805
Audi Q7
5,707
Buick Lucerne
5,706
Chrysler Aspen
5,435
Honda Fit
5,201
Lincoln Navigator
5,166
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Since I'm a Rondo owner and for the sake of fairness, I'm not implying here that the Rondo is flawless in comparison. The Rondo, like any vehicle, has its own chinks in the armour. One can easily find out for oneself just by checking the Rondo forum here.
But as for your dad's view that there's "no comparison", that is really funny. YOU, is fact, were making comparisons, and found that, with re: to warranty, safety and price, the Kia more than measured up to the Mazda. But, as you noted, you needed to go with space/functionality considerations
I've owned cars from both companies, and I'd tell your dad that Kias and Mazdas offer very comparable automobiles when it comes to quality, function, performance and market nitches, and they will be slugging it out for sales for years to come!
Congrats
My previous car was 06 Sonata V6 and it was much faster then M5 but M5 drives much better.
Rondo I-4 = 19/26, V6 = 18/26
Mazda 5 = 21/28
"Much better"? Given that EPA says mileage will vary by type o driving, driving habits and even the individual automobile you own?
USA:
Rondo - 1566
Mazda 5 - 2076
(this is the first time in the US that the Mazda 5 has passed the Rondo in sales since April 2007)
Canada:
Rondo - 1001
Mazda 5 - 1509
(in Canada the Mazda 5 has always outsold the Rondo)
For comparison the US population is 9.5 times larger than Canada
2008 Rondo EX
PEC, Ontario, Canada
My I-4 Rondo mpg in pure city driving is 20 and my pure hwy mpg is 30. I average 25 mpg.
Can I ask what you paid for your Mazda5?
I paid 22500$ for my M5 but the dealer also paid 1000$ more than KBB excellent value for my Sonata.
I got a 7-seater LX I-4 Rondo with all the options I wanted. As I noted, I'm happy with the overall mpg. I paid $9,700 plus my trade--a 2001 Canry with 80,000 miles. Dealer gave me $800 over KBB at the time, i.e. $7000, for it. Total cost for the Rondo was $16,700.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=222b561d-9bb3-463b-8b35- -6317f0f87ddc
We just recently returned from a trip to Puerto Rico where we rented a Rondo. I, willfully, picked it since I wanted to compare it to my 5 and since I wanted a car with an Auxiliary port for our iPods. First disappointment: The LX didn't have an Aux port! We had to contend with a few CD's we had for the trip. Second disappointment: none of us found the seats truly comfortable and their material seemed cheap. Third immediately apparent disappointment: the steering. It was HORRIBLE! It felt like a rubber band. And, I had to contend with many "broken K" turns that my 5 wouldn't handled as proper "U Turns" since the Rondo's turning circle was significantly larger than that of the 5's.
Some positives: the AC worked well! The engine has good pick up - felt powerful. And the build quality of the interior was good, too! See? I can be objective. I also liked the various nooks and compartments in the front and in the rear-most sections where one can hold stuff. Also, I like the styling of the REAR of the car, only. The rest is WAY too dorky - an opinion shared by all seven of us who went on the trip.
Another positive was the fact that all seven of us could fit in the Rondo. We wanted to travel together and that helped out. BUT, we were regretful of that decision. The suspension, which at first seemed just ALRIGHT (actually, TOO soft, yet contradictory, since it would still let in harsh impacts way too...well, harshly) completely bottomed out and practically fell apart when we were all in. It's definitely NOT meant to carry seven passengers! The ones riding in the back were very uncomfortable and their butts literally HURT when they got out of the car due to all the unfiltered bumps we experienced. To be fair in my assessment, I no longer carried that many people in the car, but even with just four adults riding inside all bumps came through harshly. We were all in agreement in saying that the suspension outright SUCKED, and all agreed that my 5 rode WAY better. Again, the suspension gave the impression that it was soft and provided a comfortable ride, until a bump/pothole presented itself. Then, the truth of the cheapness of it came through loud and clear. NONE of us 7 liked the suspension, much less the car, overall.
The handling also left MUCH to be desired. Whereas I revel in turns and curves and roundabouts in my 5 (singing "zoom zoom zoom" in my head all the while), I proceeded with caution in the Rondo. The car's steering, as previously mentioned, felt like a rubberband and just felt CHEAP; the Rondo rolled heavily and just couldn't keep up with any speed through any curve or corner or turn. NO fun driving this thing at ALL!
Another disappointment, even though I had the LX 4 cylinder, the fuel economy was disappointing. The 5 definitely gets better gas mileage AND it is SIGNIFICANTLY noticeable! We drove a mix of city and highway and the Rondo, with a full tank of gas, couldn't reach 300 miles of travel, whereas with my 5 that is a regular occurrence. It wasn't even great on highway alone. Another thing we definitely missed: cruise control. The Kia didn't have it. I thought this would have been standard in such a supposedly "well-equipped" car at a low price. Whatever!
To sum it up, when five of our friends left back to NY and my wife and I stayed in PR, we disliked the Rondo so much that we ended up going back to the rental agency and going through the hassle of exchanging it for the remainder of our trip. I ended up taking a new Scion XD and was very impressed with the car. We both liked it very much and enjoyed its comfort, its good handling, and its great sound system where we heard our songs from our iPod through its auxiliary port.
The 5's looks are so much better than that of the Rondo's, and it looks infinitely cooler and sportier. The 5 drives WAY better, rides WAY nicer, handles a MILLION times better, has a way better tranny and feels WAY more refined than the Rondo. The interior is better, too. The seats, in and of themselves, are more comfortable than the Rondo (my 6'4" friend agreed) including the third row. The 5 gets better fuel economy, has a better sound system and MANY more conveniences are offered over the Rondo. Besides the fact that the Rondo can TECHNICALLY hold 7 people vs. the 6 people the 5 can hold, I can't think of ANY advantage the Rondo has over the 5. Even its cheaper price isn't really an advantage since you get a CHEAPER car that definitely FEELS cheaper, too. Sorry, just had to add my two cents for all those deluded Rondo owners out there who try to convince themselves that their car is better than the 5. :P
I am a Rondo owner. I am loving it. I note that in several reviews I've seen, Rondo bests the 5, so I know there are those out there who feel the same as I do, and differently than you do.
To each his own.
If he does drive one in the future, he'll have to eat his words and change his name to formermazlover...
I have an 07 EX V6 Luxury, and disagree with all his negative comments energetically.
Nissmazlover,I think you should ACTUALLY drive a Rondo, or maybe you are afraid you will like it?
Yes, the M5 is a nice vehicle, really nice for that matter. See, I can be objective too.
I have a 5 and love it, but see how the Rondo appeals to others. The 5 is very much biased towards sport and the driving dynamics and ride show it to a certain extent. This is not saying that the Rondo is terrible. I imagine it handles decently (most everything made in the last 10 years handles fairly well!), but that small difference between nice handling and the sporty edge is a big deal to some people.
My sticking point will always be the sliding doors. There are just too important to me as a new-ish parent. I have read some other comments about the Rondo having a hard time with 7 on board. I have done 6 in the 5, but it was only 4 adults and 2 kids. I have also done 5 adults in the 5 and it handled it well
, but the suspension has bottomed out with 5 on board over a large speed bump (well unusually large that is).
The real question is, will you eat your words and take the rainbow sticker off your car when he posts his vacation pics showing that he did, in-fact, drive it?
I am pretty surprised by the two empty responses to his post.
Look, from a pretty good website review
(http://carfamily.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/buyers-guide-to-station-wagons-gas-mi- leage-and-safety/)
the 2 cars are lauded. No need to imply that people's judgment and choices are wrong.
What is strange and was one of the reasons I chose M5, the Rondo doesn't have a cargo cover with 7 seat configuration.
I still believe the Rondo is an excellent choice. It offers a lot for its price.
Regardless, both are great vehicles for differing needs - and both are stylish, fuel-efficient and space-efficient. One can can find faults with both, and advantages with both.
http://suvs.about.com/od/kia/ig/2007-Kia-Rondo/Rondo-Stains.htm
Per staining issue, I wonder what that stain source was (at the suvs.about.com URL)? My curiousity stems from the fact that I have had no problems removing a couple of stains (unknown source) from the shotgun seat in my Rondo.
Mind you, I really wanted to like the Rondo. I had never driven a Kia before, and am a Hyundai fan. I was, actually, very excited about it. But, from the moment I stepped in until the moment I returned the car, I was disappointed with it. Nevertheless, I still wrote quite a few positive things about it, which, again, you will see if you read back on the post (no need to repost them).
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you with Subject A: "bgw" - An unfortunate sufferer of the aforementioned delusion.
I only take pictures of cars that I like. So, I do not have any pictures of the Rondo itself. That being said, my friends took pictures from inside the car and I will be posting them later today (gotta get the pics from them). Rest assured, I DID drive the Rondo extensively from Thursday, May 22nd until Monday, May 26th, which is the day I became fed up with it and exchanged it for the Scion XD, which I kept until the end of my vacation. Please prepare yourself for our special of the day: A delicious entree, which we call "Your", along with a succulent side of "Words". Ready to eat up?
I, honestly, am interested in reading the reviews you say you have seen stating that the Rondo bests the 5. Can you please post these links for our reading enjoyment? Thanks.
I'm looking at replacing our larger car with a small 3-row vehicle and I've been researching/testing the Mazda5 and Rondo a lot and I've come to a simliar conclusion as when I was researching/testing the Fit & Versa.
While the Rondo has a slighly larger 2nd row, the driving dynamics, interior quality, MPG and versatility (i.e. sliding doors, underseat storage, etc) of the Mazda5 make it the winner to me over the Rondo.
Plus it's hard for the AC in Rondo to reach the 3rd row because of the 2nd row bench vs the captain chairs of the Mazda5.
That being said, if I had a towing requirement or a need for 7 pass seating, then I wouldn't buy a Mazda5.