Less may be more for future minivan buyers if the Kia Rondo is any indication.

With gasoline prices sure to remain high, the dwindling choices in the minivan market and the continuing exodus by families from sport utility vehicles, "mini-minivans" could be the wave of the future.

These small minivans still seat six to seven with starting costs around $20,000. Compare that to the $30,000 to $40,000 price range for large minivans. That could explain why sales of larger minivans have plummeted -- never mind the image issues involved.

Enter the Rondo. It's a cute, well-made small minivan that starts at $16,395. Well-equipped, the Rondo still is a reasonable $23,495.

Power comes from a 2.7-liter, 182-horsepower, four-cylinder engine that is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway. There also is a four-cylinder, 162- horsepower, 2.4-liter rated at 19/26. To be frank, I'd skip the four altogether and go with the V-6.

By the way, this is a particularly safe product with a five-star driver and passenger frontal crash rating, and a five-star front seat side crash rating.

The Rondo also has a four-star rear seat side crash rating, and a four-star rollover rating system. All of these ratings come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Standard equipment includes power steering, five-speed automatic transmission, full-length side curtain air bags, electronic stability control with anti lock brakes and electronic brake force distribution, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, power windows and locks, cruise control, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, folding and reclining 60/40 split second row seat, and of course, that famous 10- year/100,000 mile limited power train warranty.

The Rondo also has lots of storage and seats that slide back and forth for easy access.

The Rondo's only true competitor is the Mazda5, one of my top 10 choices for families.

The Mazda5 is considerably sportier looking and has a driver's edge when it comes to handling and performance.

But the Rondo has its own charms.

It's pleasantly styled with a spacious interior that offers good visibility, practicality and intuitive controls.

The big issue for the Rondo is a lack of power -- when you hit hills or need to accelerate rapidly, you really have to floor the accelerator pedal to get a response.

This is especially true if you have a full complement of passengers and/or cargo.

Other than that, the Rondo is a prototype of the minivan of the future.