Aug 23rd, 2010 by Ross Edwards
The Kia Rondo has been discontinued, and in its place, Kia would like to sell you a 2011 Sportage small crossover. Most buyers were probably shopping for the more attractive Sportage instead of the Rondo anyway. Kia’s website for the Rondo has the following message: “Thank you for inquiring about the Rondo. As the saying goes, ‘all good things must come to an end.’ But with endings, come new beginnings…Introducing the all new 2011 Kia Sportage.”
The 2011 Kia Sportage
An official at Kia told Autoblog that the company has not yet decided whether there will be a 2011 Kia Rondo, but that the 2010 model is still on sale. Kia’s decision to drop the Rondo is probably due to the minivan’s slow sales. Only 14,206 Rondos were sold last year, compared to 28,645 in 2008. Minivans have been losing out to better-looking SUVs for a long time now, so it’s not really surprising that a new mom or dad looking for a family hauler less than $20,000 would pick the Sportage over the frumpy Rondo.
The Sportage isn’t a minivan and doesn’t have a third row of seats, so seating is limited to five. If you need more than that, the Mazda5 is your best choice. With three rows but seating for six, it is less useful than the recently departed Rondo, but it still gives you the functionality of a minivan with its sliding rear doors and a lower ride height than an SUV.
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