Before I even so much as touched a dial, I already had fallen in love with Kia's new 2007 Rondo crossover, all because of a small but nonetheless deeply appreciated, parent-friendly feature that Kia doesn't even tout.

	kia.com The Kia Rondo is powered either by a 2.4-liter four or a 2.7-liter V-6. Click photo for larger image.

The feature? Hooks that are used to install baby seats. In most cars, these are so well concealed that they are virtually impossible to use without bruising your fingers, breaking off a nail, or losing a lot of time as well as your temper. But Kia is one of only two car brands I've tested this year -- the other is Saturn -- that has put these critical latch hooks out in the open where you can see them and easily attach belts to them.

OK, maybe I'm overreacting. But baby seat-hooks aside, the Rondo has plenty else to recommend it, starting with the price. The base price on our Rondo LX was $17,895, and other than cruise control, floor mats and a keyless entry, that was it. Final price? $18,880. Talk about your family-friendly car that can seat up to seven!

Standard features are ext ensive. They include full power equipment, electronic stability control, side curtain air bags, tire pressure monitoring system, air conditioning, six-way adjustable driver's seat, lots of cup and bottle holders, and a 60/40 split second row seat.

It also is fun to drive, feeling more like a compact sporty car than a crossover. You zip right along without missing a beat. And it's incredibly quiet, especially when the car's sitting still. Twice I thought the engine was off when it actually was running.

There also were a lot of little touches I appreciated, such as lighted steering wheel controls. There are plenty of luxury cars that don't have the level of effective night light controls that Kia's Rondo has. There's also an easy to use parking brake lever on the dash. And if you order the two seat Rondo instead of the three seater, there's a wonderful large tray with compartments that can store all kinds of stuff.

Built on the same platform as Kia's all-new Optima, the Rondo is powered either by a 2.4-liter four or a 2.7-liter V-6. Both offer relatively strong performance when you consider the modest sizes of the engines. Fuel mileage ratings for the four cylinder engine are 21 city/29 highway, and 20/27 for the V-6.

Standard equipment includes a four- or five-speed automatic transmission, depending on whether you order the V-6 or the four. It also has standard full length side curtain air bags, antilock brakes, stability control, lots of cup holders and cubbies, map and dome lights and a tilt steering wheel.

But perhaps the most important feature that the Rondo has is an available third row seat, which makes it the cheapest seven-passenger crossover on the market ( it also is available in a five passenger version).

If you think the Rondo's modest size means that people wouldn't care to have a third seat, you're wrong. Most of the buyers in chat rooms mentioned it as a big factor in their decision.

"We needed a vehicle that could carry our family of four, yet easily have the option of more seats for the occasional in-law visit or the kids' friends. Minivans and SUVs were too big and we wanted the good gas mileage and all the safety features," one owner said. "The Rondo surprised us nicely. Not only was the interior better than what we expected, but the ride is actually fun!"

The second row space comes to 40.2 inches of headroom and 38.2 inches of legroom with either version. When you order the third row, you can adjust the second row seat by moving it forward or backward by nearly a foot to provide more room for passengers or luggage. That really opens things up on the third row for passengers.

I enjoyed my drive in the Rondo and found it to be capable, quiet, and even lively with the four cylinder engine. I think it's going to be hard to justify spending more for the V-6, in fact, because of the smaller engine's robust performance.