Kia Rondo Prices Paid and Buying Experience

Kirstie_H

Share your deals here!

dakota29803

I bought my Rondo on November 27, 2006. It is an EX with the I4 engine. The sticker price is $19195 plus $600 for Freight. The dealer added on a "Finish Protection Package" for $1495. Additional add-ons such as tax, title transfer, administrative fees, etc. brought the total up to $21,919.50. I paid $8919.5 plus my 2004 Jeep Liberty trade in. I spent about four hours completing the deal and the final deal was about $2000 lower than originally offered. If I had not been comfortable with the personnel involved, I would not have stayed, because the original trip was to check it out, not to buy it. I am very satisfied with all aspects of buying it and the car itself.

bobw3

was this the 3 row version?

mark19

Would someone who knows, tell me if the Rondo is offered for a lease. Dealer was trying to say that no Kia's are offered for leases, yet they are right on the Kia website!

So let me know if the dealer is just lying. Is the Rondo being offered on a lease?

kyfdx

Most dealers don't offer KIA leases, because the residuals are so low... They can usually give you a lower payment by offering an 80 month loan for purchase...

So, while technically available, almost no one leases KIAs.. The pricing just isn't competitive with other makes.

regards,
kyfdx

dakota29803

No It is the I-4, EX, @ row version

dakota29803

Oops. The 2 row version.

w9cw

An 80 month loan on a Kia, or for any brand of car for that matter, makes absolutely no business sense. IMO, the only way to buy a Kia, Hyundai, or even a Ford, Chevy, etc., is to pay cash. If you can't do that, save your money until you have a decent down payment, and finance for no more than 24 to 36 months.

A 4, 5, 6, or 7 year loan is a sure fire way to become "upside down" almost immediately, and you will become a debtor for most of your life. If you "need" a very long term loan, the only cars to consider is a Honda or Toyota.

mark19

yes you're absolutely correct! an 80 month loan would be INSANE! and i agree absolutely as well about paying cash.

My original question was a lease though, didn't want to buy the kia, only lease it for 2 or maybe 3 years. was doing research for a friend of mine. He and his wife don't want to own a car, just want to lease. It's their thing. So that's why I had to ask about lease with the Kia Rondo, since they liked it and wanted a vehicle for only a little while.

odman

Anyone "needing" an 80-loan should be buying used (a Caravan, PT Cruiser, older Sienna/Odyssey).

Maybe the new Rondo and other better models will help Kia earn higher residual values (as Hyundia slowly has) to the point where Kia can offer the full range of financing people expect. Until then, unfortunately Kias only make financial sense as used cars.

dakota29803

Kias make excellent financial sense as new cars if you want to buy and keep. If you want a new car every one or two years then Kia is not for you.

w9cw

I agree, as one who bought a 2006 Hyundai Elantra last December, and am considering a Kia Rondo as addition. I typically keep cars at least 12 to 15 years, in fact, I still have two Classic 900 SAABs - one 22 years old and the other 20 years old. And, a Volvo 144S that celebrated its 36th birthday last week . . .! I know, I'm in the severe minority, in addition to being a gear head.

Residual value and depreciation rate is a moot point when you keep cars for a long period of time. If you trade every two to three years, Honda or Toyota (or Scion) should be first on your list.

bobw3

Plus you have to look at if the car will meet your needs for the long term. If you think that after a few years you'll need something larger than the Rondo, then you do have to think about depreciation. When I was single I was "planning" on keeping my '99 Cougar for a long time, but I sold it after 8 years because I got married and had a child and the Cougar no longer worked as our second car.

odman

I could see Rondo being a better long-term car than most other Kias. Being a compact van means that it has the flexibility to evolve with changing family needs (unlike bobw3's Cougar!), so families who are on a tight budget or who are just practical-minded will see little need to trade it in.

The lengthy warranty coverage will give peace of mind, and if the Rondo benefits from improving quality of the Optima/Sonata platform, then I could see many wanting to keep these for a long period of time.

We still see lots of Axxesses on the road in Toronto, and the last one was sold new almost 12 years ago.

baltimore_jeff

Still giddy from purchasing my new Kia just last night. I have been following the Rondo for months and after calling every dealership in a 200 mile radius, I chanced upon the Cherry Hill Triplex in Cherry Hill, NJ and they had the EXACT model I wanted. Color, interior, options, everything!

Here's the specs: 2007 Kia Rondo EX V6
Volcanic Red/Beige Leather Interior
Premium Package
Leather Package
Third Row 50/50 Split Folding Seat
Carpeted Floormats (4 Pieces)
$22,800 +ttl

Split pretty close between Invoice and MSRP based on info from Edmunds.com. Really can't complain considering the newness of the vehicle and this particular model had almost every option, when NO other dealer even had a V6! I may be the first owner of a v6 model on the east coast! (<--- wishful thinking :-) )

All in all a very smooth deal. Dealer was very nice, held the car for me for a day. I brought my own financing and even did OK on the trade ('97 Volvo V90). I'd recommend the dealer without reserve.

dakota29803

Keep us up to date on your driving experiences.

odman

Way to go! Please let us know over the next few weeks/months what you like/dislike, any neat features or annoying features. If you can, track your real world fuel economy (miles driven, gallons pumped) so we can see whether the V6 is close to its EPA ratingss. Tell us how you are going to be using it - is this your main car or a second one? Why did you want the 3rd row (kids?).

csandste

I'm kind of surprised that Kia stuck with the 3.7 v-6 rather than going to the larger Hyundai unit. I thought one of the reasons that the Optima stuck with a 3.7 was lack of room in the engine compartment. I assume the Rondo's Elantra based platform brings the same restrictions in space.

I test drove a 4 cylinder Rondo and both Optima engines before buying a 4 cylinder Optima. I couldn't feel that much difference in the two engines. Did you notice a considerable difference with the Rondo?

arumage

I wouldn't think you would see a big difference unless you have a full compliment of passengers. The V6 would probably handle it better with less downshifting. I know that when I have a full load in my 4-cyl Camry, it has to downshift even more than when it is just me.

w9cw

I think you meant to say the 2.7L engine. The Sonata has the 3.3L Lambda engine.

As one who works on engines, I would much rather work on any Inline 4, than any V-design. In the long term, especially if you ever need any "out of warranty" work done, you will be happy you chose the 4-cylinder, even if you do give up some HP, torque, and smoothness.

cdot

Went last night to 'shop' for a new Optima, and left owning a new Rondo LX - the 4 cylinder version, with seating for 5. The dealer was wonderful, but the sales guy was not real 'up' on the features of the car - found out a lot more looking at the Internet after I got home. The sticker was $18880, and I traded in 2 vehicles: 03 Optima manual 5-speed with about 45000 miles, and a 92 Lexus LS400 with 140,000 (yes, that's an old car with a lot of miles, but it's such a beautiful car!). Walked out the door paying $12,850 which includes tax, title, everything! Oh.. and I haven't picked it up, yet because they're also going to add a little gold pinstripe for **free**.

w9cw

They didn't give you much for your 2003 Optima did they?

arumage

Trade-in for both vehicles in good condition together is rated by KBB at $8k. That would make it $10,800 or so off of MSRP. Add tax and title, and it would probably be in the 12k range. As long as cdot is happy, that's all that matters!

baltimore_jeff

Merry Christmas to all! I can now give you my 1000 mile update on my new '07 Rondo EX V6...

Having to leave the day after I bought it to travel from Philadelphia to Cape Cod for the holidays, I was a little apprehensive. Not for any reason about the car, I guess I just felt bad buying a car with 4.7 miles on it (a first for me) and immediately sinking a 1000 mile trip on her!.

So here are the particulars: average economy 25.1 mpg 90% highway travel at left lane speeds (except Connecticut which was construction delayed). Family of four and luggage and Christmas presents made for a packed vehicle, but it did very well.

PROS:
Torque in the V6 is definitely better than the four getting off the line and seemed a good deal quieter at highway speeds.
The 5-speed transmission also makes a definite difference. Shifting was very smooth and rarely dropped into 3rd even on a couple tough bridges.
The overall seating position is great and there is a tremendous amount of room in te second row (one of the key reasons we bought it).
Lots of glass made for easy visibility and no real blind spots. Something easily noticeable against most midsize SUVs we tested.
All in all, I am thrilled with the purchase and consider it the perfect choice for my needs. Great price, good mileage, great warranty, good power, great space, good choice.
17" tires provide great grip and car is VERY solid in the turns. Does not tip or lean anywhere near as much as I was expecting from a "Microvan".

CONS: There were several things that I would have liked to have gotten on the car that it does not have and were noticeable.
A review that I read from Canada showed the automatic climate control with outside temp and a digital readout in the center stack where the center dial is on mine. This does not appear to be an option in the US, but shows up in the manual.
There is no trip computer, just 2 trip odometers. I'd hoped for a "miles to empty" option but no luck.
The 2 overhead lights for the front row do not come on when you open the doors. The other two rows do however. (Lighting is great otherwise.)
No RDS on the 6-disc radio, and I have had 50/50 luck on getting it to read an mp3 disk, though it says it has that capability.
Keyless entry but no alarm system.
Rear window wiper is NOT intermittant (but shows up in manual.)
Rear windows are NOT tinted. This is going to be a problem in the summer and I will surely remedy this myself before then.

Again, these are small points to concede and there are certainly lots of features I do like that come in handy:
The grocery bag flipout holder in the passengers seat.
HEATED Front seats!! (Toasty buns on leather)
The second row slides almost a foot to allow for more room in the third row, and back again when you dont need it for MAJOR legroom.
Interior materials are VERY touch friendly! I can't say this enough. Much higher quality than I was expecting.
Incredible amount of headroom even with the moonroof. I am 6'3" and must have at least 6" of headroom in every seat (except third row, but still can fit back there.)
Comfortable seating position and much higher and more commanding view of the road. Easy height to access seats as well. Easy height to get at 2nd row car seat too.
Very quiet ride on highway at speed. Better than Mazda5, Rav4, Outlander, and Sante Fe. (others that we shopped)

Also, I am enjoying the exclusivity of ownership at the moment, as Kia has reported selling only about 170 of these through November 2006. I am sure that with what this car has to offer, that number will get bigger and bigger.

I hope this helps answer some of the questions. If you have others, let me know and I'll try to get to them.

cdot

Still happy. However, went to grocery store this morning and ended up with a flat tire. Took car back into dealer, and they're going to replace the tire for me (defective)... but... they don't have it in stock. should be ready sometime tomorrow. On the plus side, they gave me a free rental (I gotta cover gas), and I don't think that's really suppose to be covered. They were just trying to please me I think.

Can't wait to get it back and take a little trip this weekend!

bookhud

I'm very disappointed to hear that the rear wiper is not intermittent. The website shows it as intermittent, just not variable intermittent. Don't think it will be a deal breaker, but still a downer.

arumage

Don't forget about the roadside assistence and trip interuption policy if you should get a flat on your trip!

Trip interruption expense benefits are provided in the event that a warranty-related disablement occurs more than 150 miles from the customer's home, and the repairs require more than 24 hours to complete. Reasonable reimbursement is included for meals, lodging, or rental car expenses. Trip interruption coverage is limited to $100 per day subject to a three-day maximum limit per incident, and the customer is required to contact the Kia Consumer Assistance Center to explain the circumstances. A representative at the Kia Consumer Assistance Center will determine whether the circumstances meet the criteria for trip interruption benefits and, if so, will advise the customer that they will be reimbursed for trip interruption expenses. The representative will assist the customer in making the necessary arrangements. Insurance deductibles, expenses, and claims paid by the customer's insurance company or other providers are not eligible for reimbursement.

dakota29803

I now have over a thousand miles on it and I am still thrilled with it. The average mileage is about 23.5, including a 450 trip. The mileage lately is about 21.5, mostly around town. My previous vehicle was a Jeep Liberty with lots of extras, including leather seats. The Rondo has cloth seats and I find them much more comfortable. There is more center console storage in the Rondo which is good (there is more storage everywhere). There are a few things that I occasionaly miss (auto dimming rear view mirror), but all in all, I like the Rondo much better. I hope the mileage will improve as the car gets broken, but it is still better than the Jeep.

w9cw

I agree - if the OP is happy, that's the bottom line. But, again, a 2003 Optima which was probably purchased for what - $15K to $17K?? It's only three to four years old! I know Kia's have poor residual and depreciation, but this is almost ridiculous.

The only thing holding me back from buying a Rondo is Kia's abysmal resale value. I generally keep cars at least 10 years, so that point is somewhat moot, but I don't like throwing my hard-earned money down the drain either.

cdot

I didn't buy the Optima new. Got it about 6 months ago for under 6K. I think it's hard to resell any car that's a 5-speed and isn't a 'sports car'. People just don't seem to want them.

I'm a bit unhappy to hear that Kias resale value isn't the best. But usually I keep cars quite a while, and I suspect my younger son will end up with it in 2 to 3 years.

Re the Rondo: Drove it to pickup several teenage boys (16, 17, 18 year olds) and their camping gear. Their 'stuff' fit with no problem, and the car ran great both with and without the extra weight.

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isellkias

kia is actully going to start lease's on all their cars sometime around spring 2007. they are working out all the details with americredit now if im not mistaken. they do have leases in some districts currently becuase they were piloting the program in some states.

csandste

Kia depreciation: (and I DID buy a new Optima).

I remember checking an Enterprise used car lot during the winter that the Mazda 626 was being replaced by the Mazda 6.

Enterprise had three almost identical cars, each with about twenty-five thousand miles.

1. The Sonata was listed for $12,900
2. The 626 was listed for $11,900
3. The Optima was listed for $10,900

Enterprise (far as I know) never dickers on list price. They move cars very fast and at a price that I find almost comical for a rental car-- but if they can get those prices more power to 'em. At least the oil is changed regularly, something you probably can't say for a bunch of lease cars (these were rentals--E. does lease).

Anyway two thousand dollars difference after a model year on two cars that were identical except for front and rear clips (and very minor dash trim). Interesting that the Hyundai had clawed ahead of a discontinued Mazda-- shows things are improving, but also shows that Kia's perception has lagged.

I notice that Sonatas are now depreciating at about the same rate as American mid-sized cars, so they're definitely getting there. I'm happy that Kia (at least with the Optima) is now differentiating themselves from the Sonata.

I've seen some pictures interesting Hyundai test cars that look like they might be Ce'ed based or Rondoish-- kind of hard to tell with all the camo. Hope they don't simply rebrand as they did in the vans. Kia needs to take their line in a more sporty direction as they stated they would do.

BTW-- I chose the Optima over a Sonata because of the local dealer and the Optima competitive rebate. I did drive the Rondo and liked it a lot. Would be on my short list if something happened to my Malibu Maxx.

bluedevils

GREAT review. How refreshing and unusual to see an owner take the time not only to be so detailed, but to show both the positives AND the negatives. Too often, owners ignore the negatives because they are trying to justify their purchase.

The Rondo came on our radar screen this week. My wife is driving one today courtesy of a local dealer while they do some scheduled maintenance on our 2002 Sedona. She is loving the vehicle after a short drive and a walk-around. We'll see what happens.

The reviews I've seen, all from Canadian press, are extremely positive. Overall, it is hard to ignore the value proposition that this vehicle offers. Great safety equipment and interior room for the price.

dakota29803

"Keyless entry but no alarm system."

My I-4 EX does have an alarm system. I tested it by lowering the passenger window, locking the doors with the keyless remote and then opening the hood. It takes a while to set the alarm system after locking the doors for it to alarm.

baltimore_jeff

Thanks for the test procedure. I'll have to give it a try when I get home.

The issue I have is the first question the insurance company asks me is "Is there an alarm system?" and what type is it. I thought not, but i REALLY have no idea what type it is.

dakota29803

On my window sticker, under "INTERIOR", it says "Keyless Entry with Alarm". That is why I ran the test. So, if your window sticker says that, tell your insurance company "Yes."

raderator

Just saw this on Edmunds. There is a new rebate, $750, but it seems that it MUST be combined with 2.9% financing. Does this make any sense?

http://www.edmunds.com/incentives/RebateController?styleid=100834547&popuppage=o- n

Kia site:

http://www.kia.com/incentives/apr_cashback_map.php

I don't need a lone but this could be interesting. I'm already getting over 5% on my money market account. Interest rates are dropping but they shouldn't go anywhere near 2.9%.

So basically, I'd be making 2% profit on $20K over 5 years (assuming an average 4.9% money market). That's $2,000 plus the $750 rebate!!!

mrswiss

Hey Raderator; I,m thinking about the purchase of a Rondo soon & I too saw the financing incentives at Kia.com. Your math looks correct if the $750.00 is a rebate along with 2.9% financing this offer looks pretty tempting for a newly released vehicle! Maybe somebody that works with Kia's financing end can clarify this? I also noticed this offer runs until the end of February so who knows what's in store for March or April which was my timeline for purchasing.

raderator

I just talked to my salesman and he said that the $500 off he already offered me was not affected by the rebate. The loan can be prepaid (if interest rates collapse). I'd still have to pay income tax on the full 5% my MMA pays and not just on the 2% profit.

I think you'd need some kind of fancy algorithm to figure out what I'd really save, but it should be something near $1,000 plus the $750 rebate.

I'd have to make payments for 5 years but I could set that up automatically. I'd like to get them to just charge my CC every month because I'd get 1% cash back. That would come to an extra $200.

raderator

OK, I think I have this figured out. I used an auto loan calculator for both the car interest and MMA interest.

5 yr loan for $20,000, $750 rebate used as down payment, sales tax financed.

Total Car interest @ 2.9% $1,509.40
Total MMA interest @ 4.9% $2,590.60

Profit $1,081.20
15% income tax on $2,590.60 $388.59

Total Profit $692.61

CC 1% rebate $215.10

Kia rebate $750.00

TOTAL GAINED $1,657.71 (plus the $500 dealer discount)

This would probably only be worth doing if Kia allows payment by CC. I pay my Chase rebate card automatically each month directly from my MMA.

This all depends on MMA interest rates staying high enough to pay the income tax. Othewise, I'd pay the loan off and at least have gotten the $750 rebate.

kyfdx

KIA VP of Marketing

Transcript from last month's chat

arumage

Link is broken.

kyfdx

Sorry... we'll try it again

Kia Chat

rondonium

Wow - I had a great shopping and buying experience. Better than I'd ever expect to have, given many of the dealers I've shopped/bought with in the past. :mad:

Saw the Rondo last weekend at the auto show here in Philly. Loved the feature set, flexibility, and price. Stopped into Gateway Kia in Warrington. Took a test drive with a great salesperson who knew the vehicle well, and was up front with me when she didn't know an answer to a question.

I really liked the car and the ride. Sat down with the sales manager, who walked me thru an offer that was $550 off of sticker. Earnest, persuasive, but not pushy. I felt very comfortable saying I was still shopping.

Went back a few nights later for a highway test, and brought pricing research. Worked a deal for $820 off of sticker. Note that the dealer sticker did include $420 for pinstripes and mudflaps, though they did throw in a rear bumper guard to seal the deal.

Also,the factory sticker had floormats priced as a $95 option, whereas the brochure notes them as standard on EX, and the KIA.com site price was exactly $95 less. Dealer dropped the price by $95 right away when I noted this.

This was all before the $750 rebate, and the 2.9% rate was readily offered after I was found credit worthy. Felt taken seriously and respected as a buyer. Good solid negotiating in a business like manner. Even F&I was very low pressure.

Contrast this to the Kia dealer by the airport, where they are tacking on $995 for "Appearance Package," and then adding a $2500 (!!) Market Adjustment. But if you are on this site and live around Philly, that's probably not a surprise.

Thanks for this forum, Edmunds!

crutnacker

I'd love to take a drive over to the Kia Store and test drive a few of their vehicles, the Rondo included. However, the nagging questions in my head is:

How will it compare to the Hondas and Nissan I've owned in the past.

I hear lots of stories about how great the cars are, but then I see several posts in different forums about how the cars act up, have huge warranty issues, do odd things, etc.

I would like to pursue KIA, but don't want to wind up kicking myself for 5 or more years as little things keep happening to my car that haven't happened to me on my Nissan/Hondas. (and as a caveat, my Nissan has had a few little things go wrong).

viamede

Kia is still not near Honda in quality IMO. I think they are pretty comparable to Nissan.

It will be a while before they stop depreciating as fast as the domestics. I wouldn't buy a Kia if your going to sell every few years. If your keeping for a while then the warranty and lower price will make up for any quality difference in my view.

bluedevils

In my opinion, Honda quality/reliability has dropped in the past few years. They rested on their laurels a bit. Kia is making better and better vehicles. Even sources that previously trashed Kia, such as Consumer Reports, now commend them on well-made interiors etc.

Resale value is still a weak point for Kia. I think it is improving, but Kia products definitely have some of the worst resale value of any vehicles on the market.

csandste

Bought a four cylinder Optima for my wife in January. Looked at the Rondo but already had a Malibu Maxx so didn't need the space or hatch and the Optima had larger discounts.

I would say that the Optima compares very well with the Altima or Accord with the four cylinder engine. They didn't get the larger six cylinder of the Sonata and so I'd think it would lag the Nissan (especially at the six cylinder level).

I had very good luck with a 2001 Hyundai Elantra and so am not afraid at all of Korean cars (at least if they're not made by Daewoo).

In the recent Car and Driver comparo the Optima finished behind the Accord and new Altima but ahead of the Camry. I think the finish of the car is at least in the same range as the Honda and Nissan (lots better than the last gen. Altima), and definitely better finished than the Camry.

Do agree on resale, but that hasn't been a major problem. Starting prices on Kias are a lot lower to begin with.

Thought the original interior pictures of the Rondo in Canadian Driver looked really cheap but the car itself was very pleasant and well finished. If something happened to my Maxx and I needed the space it would definitely be on my short list (along with buying another Maxx). Honda and Nissan have nothing comparable.

dakota29803

About a year and a half ago, we rented a car in Las Vegas. they gave us a Kia Optima, and that worried me because I had heard all of the bad stuff about Kia. However, over the next two weeks, including a trip to Phoenix and back, I was impressed with the Kia. A few months later, I rented a car in Pittsburgh and they gave me a Nissan Sentra. I did not think that the Sentra was near the quality of the Kia. That is why, when Kia introduced the Rondo, which was nearly exactly what I was looking for, I had no qualms about buying KIA.

csandste

That 2000-06 Sentra was a horribly outdated car that continued to sell quite well. Could never figure that one out. Nissan quality continued to go south during those years as well-- could never figure the popularity out on that one.

I bought a new 2001 Elantra which had slight hail damage, and they gave me a rental 1999 (two gen's ago, now) Sentra to drive for a week. Really a remarkably unlikeable car. I've sat in the 07 Sentra and I'm sure it's much better-- more and more Renault influences.