Kia's Rondo Sx Concept Revealed at 2007 Chicago Auto Show

The ongoing Chicago Auto Show has seen great cars being unveiled one after the other. Most of the cars being shown at the said event are concept vehicles that will in the near future be available for the public. One such concept car that will have a long line of people waiting for its release is the Kia Rondo SX concept vehicle.

The concept car is based on the Kia Rondo unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November last year. The new concept vehicle is the realization of Kia of their “Exciting and Enabling” brand direction.



“We have positioned the all-new 2007 Rondo as a vehicle of function and versatility,” Len Hunt said. Hunt is the executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors America. “The Rondo SX Concept is proof that smart, spacious vehicles don’t need to be boring, and that consumers can still be passionate about a daily driver,” Hunt added further.

The concept car uses design elements that are employed by the current Kia SX models. The aggressive looking front and rear fascias are just some of the design characteristics that are being used by Kia models like the Rio and the Spectra. Aside from that, the concept crossover vehicle also employs sportier grill inserts. The addition of such design increases the aesthetic value of the vehicle.

To make the SX concept of the Rondo more aerodynamic, the roof rails present on other trim package of the Rondo were nowhere to be seen on the concept vehicle. The absence of the roof rails decreased dramatically the coefficient of drag of the vehicle. The door handles and side moldings are finished in contrasting colors which gives the car a soft and fashionable overall finish. The Kia Rondo SX Concept also comes with an accessory body kit which is also available on the other trim packages of the Rondo.



The interior of the concept vehicle exudes a sports car luxurious feel, thanks to the materials used and the finishes utilized. The black leather that wraps the steering wheel which is common on SX trim packages of other Kia models is also present in the Kia Rondo SX Concept. The seats, meanwhile, are upholstered in grey leather with red leather trimmings around the grey Alcantara inserts. Stainless steel sports pedals are employed by the SX concept and this departs from the black theme that the current Rondo models use on their brake pedals. The center stack, shifter surround, and the door switch trims are characterized by an accented platinum look.

The concept car is equipped with a 2.7 liter double overhead cam V6 engine. The powerplant is optimized via a cold-air intake and a cat-back exhaust system which reduces back pressure from the exiting exhaust gas. The use of the cat-back system allows a boost of 10 horsepower to the 192 horsepower output of the engine. The exhaust system allows the powerplant to perform at its optimum level, akin to what a Volvo muffler does for the exhaust system that employs it. The height of the Kia Rondo SX Concept is lower than that of the current models by three inches. The lowered ride height of the car increases the cornering capability of the car. The power from the engine is transferred to the vehicle’s five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels. And to effectively stop the vehicle, cross-drilled and slotted brake rotors are employed at the front and the rear brake system.

Aside from being a platform for the unveiling of the Kia Rondo SX Concept, the Chicago Auto Show also saw the Sedona, another Kia vehicle, receiving the distinction of being the best minivan according to MotorWeek.