2008 Kia Rondo

Kia's 2008 Rondo crossover, in its second year in the United States, seems like a theme with variations. The theme is its presence as a player in the burgeoning midsize crossover vehicle field. The variations are a lot of cues meant to ensure that what one needs one gets at a most affordable price.

2008 Kia Rondo Interior

With some families now switching from minivans to crossover utilities, keeping the best of the minivan capability in newer dress could be an advantage. Kia taps into that need with its well-organized interior space. Despite a midsize configuration for five, it can seat as many as seven with its optional third row of seats, suitable for smaller passengers. This third row pops up out of the rear floor and is easily reachable by sliding second row seats forward.

A cue typical of minivans is a flat, unimpeded cargo space. Despite its standard-opening CUV-style rear doors, Rondo keeps that minivan trait in its CUV with easily accessible entry through the rear lift gate and a low, level floor for loading it up. Need more room? All of the seating except the driver's seat folds flat or disappears into the floor.

With seats lowered, larger or lengthy cargo items can be moved around to take advantage of the impressive space under a rather high roof. A dash-mounted shifter keeps interior space uncluttered.

Rondo, with a tall wagon-style shape with rounded edges, rides lower to the ground like the Optima sedan that shares the same platform rather than higher as an SUV spinoff would. Despite its Korean roots, it appeals to American tastes with choices between two trim levels and two engines.

There's a 162-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline four (19 city/26 hwy mpg) or available 182-horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6 (18 city/26 hwy mpg). Both are mated to automatic transmissions, four- and five-speed respectively. But anyone wanting all-wheel-drive will have to look to a competitor. It's not available on the Rondo.

Buyers in this category can be extremely price conscious, with a well-equipped upmodel EX starts at $20,195. But the driver who can forego air conditioning has an available bargain — an entry level LX starting at $16,395.