Kia Introduces Rondo Compact Minivan at Madrid

For a vehicle that's wedged in between the Spectra5 and the

The Rondo can swallow seven whole people. That's pretty impressive for something that, when it comes to dino-juice, is not carnivorous. (Photo: Kia Canada)

new Magentis (Optima) the Rondo is certainly cleverly engineered. Like a true minivan, the Rondo can take on a grand total of seven passengers, though, cargo volume is essentially eliminated. If you need to bring along any cargo, the third row folds flat into the floor to create more than 400 litres (14.1 cu-ft) of space. If the second and third row are folded, this figure blossoms to 2,106 litres (74.4 cu-ft), which is a humongous cargo bay any way you look at it.

Up front, the Rondo has a very chic and modern interior, with backlit buttons and a high-mounted shift gate, which sprouts from the bottom of the centre console. It's an impressive looking cabin, with soft-look materials and available leather.

Though

It won't take a lot for the Rondo to succeed, especially if it's going to be priced similarly to its competitors. (Photo: Kia Canada)

the Rondo is just another vehicle in Kia's plan for automotive global domination, it will be a fair bit of time before we see any on our roads. The Rondo will be on sale in Europe starting this Fall, but North Americans will have to wait until the beginning of 2007 before any arrive on our shores. Our Rondos will come in one of several configurations: with five- and seven-seat capabilities further divided into two separate trim levels, LX an EX.

Pricing has yet to be announced for the Rondo, but it should be around the high $15K mark, although fully decked out cars are expected to be priced closer to $25,000.