Skip to main content

Used 2009 Kia Rondo Wagon Consumer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars
23 reviews

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

Price history graph example

Trending topics in reviews

Pros
Cons
3.25 out of 5 stars

solid family vehicle with lots of plastic

bayoubilly74, 05/27/2014
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
50 of 52 people found this review helpful

Tired of having small sedans so looked for something economical but roomy. Found the Rondo, EX trim. Overall a good family car. Plenty of headroom and the kids have quit a bit of space in the 2nd row. Visibility is near-perfect in this car. Easy to see. Have the 3rd row which is a bit of a joke unless the person back there is about 8 years or younger. 3rd row easily flips down flat for a good sized load space. 2nd row folds flat too but it takes more effort. Great hauler for either people or stuff--just NOT AT THE SAME TIME. Tech is pretty sweet for an 09 vehicle. Touch screen display, navigation (solid), 8 speakers, heated seats, Ipod jack and interface.

Report Abuse

4 out of 5 stars

Great car for the money

Alex, 02/06/2019
2009 Kia Rondo LX Base 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
29 of 30 people found this review helpful

Paid 2200 bucks for a one owner Kia rondo with 100k.I really didn’t do much maintenance in the beginning except a driver side shock. Few things to watch out for as time goes by. First thing oil consumption On a 2.4L engine. If you drive normal it’s not a problem but for me I beat on this car and travel far. Another issue is the front calipers fails then you have to replace them along with your disc and brakes. Camshaft sensor goes bad but parts are pretty cheap. All the work I did myself. Car rust easily so get a undercoating. Stock radio really sucks get yourself a double din radio with Bluetooth and it fixes the problem. I fit full sized arcade machine in the car. I used this car to set up at the flea markets on the weekend. Probably one of the best cars I ever owned. Currently it has 120k I had it for a little over a year now

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
Report Abuse
2009 Kia Rondo for sale near you
Showing 3 of 27 listings
See all 27 listings

4.75 out of 5 stars

I don't think you can do better f

Sloppy, 05/29/2009
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful

Bought it new,now has 20k km. this is an 09 EX 5 seater 2.4l. No other car offers ABS, ESC,traction control and 4 wheel discs, heated seats, mirrors and a WIPER de-icer! in this class or for the money. The four cylinder engine is smooth and you can barely hear it at idle. I don't understand people complaining about a lack of power. Top of second gear is over 60 mph, how much freeway merging power do you need? Build quality is second to none in my opinion. Quiet inside, very roomy, standard 6 speaker stereo is excellent, with Bluetooth and a USB port as well. Steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls. Nicely weighted steering. Very smooth to drive. There is very little not too like

Report Abuse

4.5 out of 5 stars

Pretty Nice for the Price

LB, 02/18/2010
2009 Kia Rondo LX Base 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
15 of 17 people found this review helpful

I purchased as a 1 yr old used car from a rental sales place. This vehicle was used but in like/new condition. I really like it. It handles well and seems very soundly built. I was very surprised because Kia was the worst on my list last time I purchased a car.

Report Abuse

4.13 out of 5 stars

good car

godesshay, 12/19/2010
2009 Kia Rondo LX Base 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
18 of 24 people found this review helpful

I bought this car with 41,000 on it.i love how it handles it has lots of room its comfortable on long trips it fits 7 people with no problem with the 3rd row its a very quiet ride.i like the car it is built well to be a kia i was unsure about it before i bought it,but now it has impressed me :) it fits my family its good on long trips

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Love this Car!

Sara, 05/20/2009
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
9 of 12 people found this review helpful

I LOVE this car. I've had it for three months. I've taken many highway trips and have had no problems. I even folded down the backseats and fit perfectly in the back for a nap while on the road! It is roomy and comfortable. It is slightly 'soccer mom-ish' for someone young and single like me. Everyone else I see driving a Rondo is a bit older or has kids. But regardless - I love it. Great price, great car.

Report Abuse
4.75 out of 5 stars

Great for families

brondie, 03/23/2010
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
10 of 14 people found this review helpful

We were looking for something to replace my Taurus Wagon, but wanted to be sure to get better gas mileage and better room. This covers all the basis. I love the features it has and the handling is great. My husband is comfortable in this unlike he was in the HHR we almost bought. So far I have no complaints.

Report Abuse
4.5 out of 5 stars

What a bargan!

BSmith, 04/16/2009
2009 Kia Rondo LX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Overall, this is one of the best cars you can get for the money. Pros: Has more than enough interior space. Excellent visibility for driver. Safety features. Has all the features of a more expensive car. Long warranty. Build quality. Low price. Cons: Suspension and steering are very soft. Fuel economy is poor. Interior is mostly hard plastic. Seats are covered in low quality cloth. Radio sounds cheap. Tires are cheap. Has plastic wheel covers. Wind noise is excessive. However, the cons are easy to live with and are mitigated by the Rondo's low price. If you can, get the 6 cyl. The 4 cyl is low on power, especially when passing on the highway

Report Abuse
4.5 out of 5 stars

Great Vehicle, Great Value

Dave, 12/01/2009
2009 Kia Rondo LX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Purchased used with 12,400 miles. I was looking for a more comfortable vehicle for trips that could haul larger items when necessary - but it needed to also be economical. The Rondo delivers on all counts, and it's even fun to drive! Comfortable, smooth ride, good brakes, interior looks good, lots of room and yet it is a fairly compact vehicle. 24-27 mpg on the first few tanks, nearly all highway miles (hoping for better than this.) Lots of storage cubbyholes. I'm impressed with the features for the money (ABS, stability control, traction control, etc.) and surprised that more people haven't discovered the Rondo. It's not a sports car but it does what it does very well.

Report Abuse
2 out of 5 stars

Poor gas mileage

jerry, 09/20/2010
2009 Kia Rondo LX Base 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
13 of 21 people found this review helpful

it only gets about 20 miles to the gallon on the highway. And in one year it has a trade in value of $9400.00 I paid $19,000

Report Abuse
2.13 out of 5 stars

Never Again

JustADriver, 01/30/2010
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.7L 6cyl 5A)
7 of 11 people found this review helpful

Bought the KIA looking for a 3rd row. It has lots of room, but too many problems. Headlights have horizon line and are not good on hills. Bad vibration, which according to KIA was caused because the rims bent when car sat to long. The fix was to overinflate the tires. Airbag lights took several tries to fix, stereo was broken from day one, but dealer thought it was fine. KIA eventually replaced it, but the replacement was also broken. Trade in offers after about 7 months ranged from $7,000 to $10,800 for a car with about a $23,000 MSRP when purchased

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Good compact SUV

Sergei, 05/16/2018
2009 Kia Rondo LX Base 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful

This is a basic compact SUV. I have owned it (2009 model) for over 5 years and do not recall having major problems. The 3rd row is fine for occasional younger folk. You you are planning to ferry people in the 3rd row all the time, getting in and out is not a snap. The only wish I have is that they would continue making Rondos, for I do not think there is another car like this on the market.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
Report Abuse
2.63 out of 5 stars

rental

majajh, 07/19/2009
2009 Kia Rondo LX Base 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
5 of 8 people found this review helpful

Good little car I rented. Only problem is wind noise, and struggles in mountainous areas.

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Great Car/Crossover

Thelma, 09/02/2009
2009 Kia Rondo LX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful

I wanted a bigger car than what I had, but not to big, as I need to lift my Kayaks on the roof, I tried a few different cars, and found the Rondo to be just what I wanted, it looks good and its fun to drive, all the dials and such are easy to reach/use. Its just a cute great car....

Report Abuse
4.75 out of 5 stars

Most bang for the buck

Marc, 02/13/2009
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
10 of 21 people found this review helpful

I was impressed when I drove the car. Ride was excellent, quite and stable. Seats are comfortable. Visibility is outstanding. Incredibly roomy even for all my 6'4" and taller friends. I elected for the EX with premium package. The leather is good quality. The navigation system is sharp and the Infinity sound system is awesome. It doesn't feel like an inexpensive car at all. I have the third row for the kids, but adults 6' and shorter can fit comfortably with no compromises. The 175hp 4cyl engine is surprisingly peppy even full of adults and cargo. Fuel economy so far has been 24city/30hwy. This car is perfect in my opinion. It has everything I need and nothing I don't for a great price

Report Abuse
3 out of 5 stars

Okay, but not built to last

Duke, 06/20/2023
2009 Kia Rondo LX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Owned this vehicle for almost 7 years. Bought used in 2016 with almost 40,000 km. Seats 5. Pros: Nice sized crossover type SUV, paint is fairly good quality. Cloth seats are quite comfortable and supportive. Seat material wears well. Great visibility for driver, sitting higher than a car. LX model, 2.4 litre 4cylinder engine is adequate. Has a good list of standard features such as decent A/C, heated seats, decent stereo, power mirrors, power windows, power locks, cruise control. All controls easy to reach for driver. Good steering, decent brakes. No problems with transmission, changed transmission fluid at 120,000. No problems with coolant system. Always started in cold weather. No fuel pump, water pump, or timing belt, or brake fluid master cylinder issues. Cons: Feels a bit too heavy for the size of the 2.4 litre 4 cylinder engine. The 6 cylinder is probably much better. While acceleration is okay, gas mileage is only fair, around 19 imperial mpg combined. A 55 litre gas tank, wish it had a 60 litre size instead. Initially, only had a couple of major problems, an electronic computer circuit board in the dash failed, which controlled a lot of the power functions and stereo including the power windows and locks. The new part was $900 to replace, plus labour. Local Kia dealer gave us a free loaner, but it took them 4 weeks to complete the repair. Front suspension noises, needed 2 new control arms. Last year gave us a few problems, I got the feeling everything was starting to wear out at 190,000 km. Terrible in the rain right from the beginning as serpentine belt slips and power almost cuts out. Not that good in snowy weather, wish I had AWD. Because of these problems, I made sure I had high quality Michelin then Nokian tires installed. I installed a new battery and new serpentine belt around 120,000 km. Power steering fluid does not seem to stay at full level. Engine oil pressure light came on and I checked the oil level and it was very low. I discovered that the oil pan had rusted out and that is how I lost almost all the engine oil. No other rust problems and no other engine oil leaking issues. I have never owned a vehicle where the oil pan rusted out within 12 years. A few years ago, the airbag light came on, but I didn’t repair the airbag system because the repair estimate was $2,000. A couple of years later, the airbag light turned off by itself? My last problem was a failed power steering system. May have a failed power steering rack. At this point, with lots of things starting to go wrong, I don’t feel like putting a lot of money into the vehicle, because I don’t know how long the engine and transmission will last. A friend who owned the exact same 2009 Rondo EX also started to experience lots of problems, so they traded it in. I should have done that, too, a year ago. I am loathe to bring my Rondo to the dealer for service because they are quite expensive. I try to use highly rated local garages. In conclusion, the Rondo has been an ‘okay’ vehicle, but Kia doesn’t seem to have the long term quality or reliability as other car manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, Subaru, or even Ford. I had previously owned 2 Subaru Outbacks (1998 and 2002), both of which were excellent cars, except the 1998 4 cylinder model had the dreaded blown head gasket and a few other gasket oil leaks. I also owned a used 1993 Volvo 850 GLS sedan for 5 years, fully loaded, which was a very good safe car on the highway, with a great engine and the most comfortable seats I have ever owned. The only serious problem with the Volvo was that the maintenance was very expensive and frequently required, needing a garage which specialized in working on Volvos. I will not purchase another used Kia vehicle and I can no longer afford any type of brand new vehicle. I am currently looking for something more reliable.

Report Abuse
1.13 out of 5 stars

The worst drive ever

Troy, 11/30/2009
2009 Kia Rondo LX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
6 of 19 people found this review helpful

I do not know what to say. The car has the worst seats of any car I have driven, the visibility is not the best, the transmission shift like a 1980 Chevy Citation with 100k on it. The 4speed auto is so outdated. I have this as a long term rental.

Report Abuse
3 out of 5 stars

Do Not Buy This Vehicle

Cameron, 06/10/2018
2009 Kia Rondo LX Base 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
3 of 9 people found this review helpful

They are ok little cars. Too heavy for the 4 cylinder engine. Book value sucks on them. All around I say 2.5 stars outta 5.

Safety
3 out of 5 stars
Technology
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
3 out of 5 stars
Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Value
2 out of 5 stars
Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Love My Rondo!

ruth, 08/30/2018
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 7 people found this review helpful

Excellent value

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
Report Abuse
2.75 out of 5 stars

Kia Rondo

Boyde Wheeler, 01/14/2010
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.7L 6cyl 5A)
3 of 17 people found this review helpful

When driving there is cold air coming through the door handles-buttons- speakers or any place like that. Also the doors are cold to the touch.

Report Abuse
4 out of 5 stars

Would make a few minor changes.

LucidAnn, 10/18/2009
2009 Kia Rondo LX 4dr Wagon (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
1 of 7 people found this review helpful

I gave up a SUV with lots of bells and whistles for this car. We wanted 3rd row seating, to use occasionally, but we didn't want a large van or gas hog. I may have some complaints about this car but it is mostly because I am comparing to my previous vehicle.

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Best kept secret in used cars

Rondo, 08/13/2022
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.7L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I've had two of these. First was a 2008 LX with the V6. Great driving, lots of room, comfy seats. The V-6 is punchy and responsive. Mileage is about 22 in local driving and 28-30 on the highway. Bought in 2012 with 22K miles. Then gave to my son where it has 130K and still going strong. After I found another one to replace it for me. It is a 2008 EX with the V6. Bought with 33K and still going great at 70K miles. Only maintenance items on these seem to be the front brakes. I get about 30-40K miles and then the brake rotors warp enough that they had to be replaced because you'd get the shimmy in the steering wheel. Also the V6 does have a timing belt. The factory says to replace at 60K miles. I replaced it on my first Rondo at around 70K and old one looked like new. It's surprising to me this car was only around in the USA for 3 years. Kia still sold it internationally as the Carens model for many years. It's one of the best kept secrets in used cars.

Report Abuse
4.75 out of 5 stars

Great family car

RRTJAY, 05/26/2009
2009 Kia Rondo EX 4dr Wagon (2.7L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful

After extensive research and test drives, we decide on the Kia. We are so happy we did! It is a great car to drive and has so much flexibility.

Report Abuse
Items per page:
50