1 Jun 2013
Kia’s shift from a budget-focussed brand to a mainstream player offering stylish, well-specified passenger cars continued in 2013 with the launch of the all-new Rondo.
The Korean car-maker’s seven-seat compact people-mover was available with either a 122kW/189Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine or a frugal 100kW/320Nm 1.7-litre diesel that sipped 6.4 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. Kia dropped the manual gearbox from the line-up, keeping the Rondo an auto-only option.
Despite having smaller dimensions than the model it replaced, the 2013 Rondo had a larger cabin, thanks to a longer wheelbase, and was available in base Si, mid-spec SLi and range topping Platinum guise.
The Rondo Si came standard with 16-inch alloys, cruise control, luggage screen, six-speaker audio system with MP3 compatible CD player, 4.3-inch touch screen, Bluetooth with media streaming and steering wheel-mounted controls, heated electric folding mirrors and electric windows.
Top-spec Platinum added 18-inch alloy wheels, satellite navigation with seven-inch full touch screen, heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof and a cooled glovebox.
