Thinking about buying a KIA Rondo(?) or Sedona

[Alfred]

Hi Gang!

My sweet Wife wants to trade-in our aging 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan.

(And let me go n record that I will NEVER buy another Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge product for as long as I live). Transmission failed right at 102,000 miles, got it rebuilt last year for $1800, now it is slipping again. Just replaced the Alternator for the 2nd time in two years. It was big and roomy for the family, but not reliable.

Regardless, she wants to trade it in on a newer (2008?) KIA Rondo. She test-drove one today and really liked it. We are looking at the 6-cylinder version. They come with a good warranty. Anybody familiar with these?

AL in Asheville

[conbrio]

my parents just bought one. They seem to like it and it has plenty of room. That is all I know about a rondo

[Norm]

2008 2.4l 4cyl Rondo. Had it for 6 mo. now and we really like it. Had the dealer install a hitch and wiring as part of deal. I see no problems towing with it, it's rated @1500 lbs towing with brakes. The 6 cyl Rondo is rated @2000 lbs with brakes. My other tow vehicle is a 2001 Sportage 2.0l 4cyl. and it is rated @2000 lbs with brakes. I have towed quite a bit with the Sportage. You just have to tow like on Teardrop time...nice and slow. The older Sportage has a frame under it unlike the new ones. The Rondo has better torque and much better brakes (4 wheel disks).

Norm

[starleen2]

Ditto on the dealer installing the wiring and tow Bars BEFORE you leave with the Vehicle - they sometimes like to forget about those kind of requests

[b.bodemer]

I recently rented one for a week for a drive from Ohio to NY. Cheap on gas and rode nice.

Barb

[S. Heisley]

Hi, Alfred:

I notice that the ratings given here are with brakes. I don't know/think you have brakes on your trailer, do you? If you don't, I'd suggest you check to see how much you can tow if your trailer doesn't have brakes. Usually, on the smaller cars/vans etc. its 1,000 lbs, which may be okay for you, if your trailer is somewhere around that.... But, I'm no expert....

There are two sections in the vehicle's owner's manual that usually give information on towing. One is, of course, the towing section. That section will tell you how much you can tow before you need a stabilizer bar and the limit that you can tow if you have a stabilizer bar. The other section is the brakes section. That section will tell you how much weight you can tow without adding brakes to your trailer. (If you don't have brakes on your trailer and you have the smaller size wheels and axle, it's a big deal ($) to add brakes to it. Check those sections and see if any alarms go off in your head as you read them.

I think there is a tow package that you can add to the vehicle that helps but I don't know much about it. Maybe someone else will chime in on that?

PS. I'm enjoying your build thread very much.

[Alfred]

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for the feedback! The V6 version I think has a little more towing ability than the V4 version. I believe on the V6 it is 1500 without trailer brakes and 2000 with trailer brakes. I am hoping to have the camper come in under 1000lbs regardless. I recently bought an old Chevy S-10 which could pull it, but I can't fit the whole family in the S-10.

Thanks for your kind comment about the build thread! I've never built anything in my life, but I'm having fun (I think)!

AL in Asheville

[Linda Johnson]

We went to look at a used Rondo and wound up buying a new one due to all of the rebates. My brother-in-law was so impressed with it that he went to the dealer and bought the used one we were looking at to begin with. We've had it since January and highly recommend it to anyone. We have the 4cyl and pull a 4X8 Lil Traveler. No problem. My brother-in-law is pulling his 12 ft Scotty with a 4cyl. He says it pulls better with the Rondo than it did with his 6cyl Saturn. It's definitely worth a test drive.

[Alfred]

Wife is also still considering the Sedona, which is Kia's rather generic but practical minivan. Not as exciting in some ways as the Rondo, but more room. We will see...

AL.

[conbrio]

Well I rode in the Rondo for the first time this past weekend. It rides really well and the mpg was around 27-30 highway. My dad tells me that the city gets 23-35mpg.