Kia Rondo discontinued in U.S. market with nary a whimper?
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/carbuying/" rel="tag">Car Buying</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/minivans/" rel="tag">Minivan/Van</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/kia/" rel="tag">Kia</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-rondo/"><img hspace="0" vspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/2010-kia-rondo.jpg" alt="2010 Kia Rondo" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><sma ll>2010 Kia Rondo - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
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<em>"Thank you for inquiring about the </em><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/rondo"><em>Rondo</em></a><em>. As the saying goes, 'all good things must come to an end.' But with endings, come new beginnings..."</em><br />
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That's the message visitors receive when they <a href="http://www.kia.com/#/rondo/explore/">attempt to learn about</a> the 2010 <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/kia">Kia</a> Rondo from the Korean automaker's U.S. website. Interestingly enough, when we contacted Kia officials for confirmation that the Rondo wouldn't be around for 2011, we received the following response: "Kia has not yet decided on a 2011 model, but the 2010 is still available in dealerships."<br />
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Yes, that sounds like a typical canned response, and our best guess is that the Rondo is pretty much a goner. Taking a look at sales figures from last year, the Rondo was Kia's third slowest seller just behind the full-size <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/borrego">Borrego</a> SUV and the faux-luxe <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/amanti">Amanti</a> sedan. Worse yet, the Rondo's 2009 sales total of 14,206 units was less than half of the 28,645 sales it managed in 2008.<br />
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Kia is naturally hoping it doesn't lose out on customers that would otherwise have considered a Rondo. In lieu of the micro-minivan, Kia's consumer website is pointing buyers towards its <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/sportage">new-for-2011 Sportage</a> cute ute, which does have a good bit of space for stuff but surely isn't quite as family friendly as the apparently outgoing seven-passenger Rondo.<br />
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Interestingly enough, <a href="http://www.kia.ca/pages/showroom/overview.aspx?model=rondo ">Kia of Canada does not seem to have the same message on its site</a>, so we wouldn't be surprised if the MPV soldiers on with our neighbors to the north. If you're still interested in getting a Rondo of your very own in these United States, there are massive incentives that remain active on the <em>2009</em> model, including $2,000 cash back, $1,000 for a competitive vehicle turn-in, $1,000 for Kia owner loyalty, and/or a $500 discount for military service. That's a whole lotta cash on the hood.<em> Hat tip to Michael B!</em><br />
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<div class="postgallery"><p><s trong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-rondo">2010 Kia Rondo</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-rondo/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/2010-kia-rondo-large003_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-rondo/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/2010-kia-rondo-large006_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-rondo/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/2010-kia-rondo-large004_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-rondo/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/2010-kia-rondo-large007_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-rondo/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/2010-kia-rondo-large001_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
[Sources: <a href="http://www.kia.com/#/rondo/explore/">Kia</a>; <a href="http://www.kia.ca/pages/showroom/overview.aspx?model=rondo ">Kia Canada</a>]<p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/19/kia-rondo-discontinued-in-u-s-market-with-nary-a-whimper/">Kia Rondo discontinued in U.S. market with nary a whimper?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.kia.com/#/rondo/explore/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/19/kia-rondo-discontinued-in-u-s-market-with-nary-a-whimper/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19600473/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/19/kia-rondo-discontinued-in-u-s-market-with-nary-a-whimper/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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