Long-Term Update 1: 2007 Kia Rondo

Williams took the Rondo on a roundtrip run from Los Angeles to San Francisco to "load up a soon-to-be college grad with all her clean clothes (stored in a 33-gallon garbage bag), a newly built book shelf, athletic gear, a full backpack, stereo equipment, and two suitcases." Essentially a mini minivan, the Rondo allowed Williams and his crew to utilize "every inch of the flat rear cargo area with all four seats in back folded flat, while still giving us plenty of good visibility out all the rear windows." Although it's adept at hauling a variety of gear, the Kia is less proficient at transporting a full load of adults: "We drove over to a restaurant with seven passengers, and the engine and suspension felt tapped out-it's clearly not made for adult passengers all of the time."