Kia is the fastest growing car company in North America, and the
Rio is their least costly car- so I thought I'd do my last review this year on it, to try and sort out whether this cut-rate compact was in fact "cheap" or not. This is a very inexpensive car, you can get one for $11,995 if you pay cash. There is also an available $500 discount for recent grads.
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| (Photo: Kia Motors Canada) |
The Rio is not a powerful, sporty, eye catching sort of vehicle but rather an exercise in offering a basic package. If you have limited funds and are ready to retire your old beater, it's definitely worth a look. The base model comes with dual airbags, power steering, ABS brakes and a CD player- not a bad start. Add the 100,000 kilometer bumper to bumper, powertrain and body perforation (rust through) warranties and it looks even brighter. Roadside assistance is provided for five years as well. It sounds like Kia doesn't think its Rio is "cheap" given all this coverage, but it exists in arguably the most competitive segment in the automobile market today. Features and options are present but price and quality are where the competition really gets intense, and this means more value for consumers. Warranty coverage is having more and more of an impact on the perception of quality and reliability.
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| (Photo: Kia Motors Canada) |
Inside, the Rio is sparse. The execution of the interior is simple: 3 gauge instrument cluster, CD player, standard bits of storage space as well as some reading lamps and a place to put your sunglasses overhead. It doesn't try and grab your attention with flashy chrome or colored stitching, but Kia have still managed to make it inviting with warm colors and easy entry through each door. The rear legroom is a bit cramped, but at nearly 6 feet tall, I wouldn't be spending too much time in back. I had plenty of headroom and the seats are comfortable once you are settled in. There is plenty of room up front, and great visibility. The blind spots are minimal, and the windshield "A pillars" are small and unobtrusive. Everything is laid out at arms reach and once you get in, and it takes no time to learn where the few controls are so you can focus on driving. I really appreciated the build quality inside while traversing Barrydowne Boulevard. As the potholes and ruts tried to swallow the poor Rio, everything inside proved to be solid and tight -- no annoying squeaks or rattles here. I couldn't help but think that the people who make the Hummer H2 should come to Barrydowne Boulevard for their off road testing.
Up front is a tiny 1.6 liter engine which makes just over 100 horsepower. That's not a lot, and I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to pick on any Mustangs at the lights. But that isn't the point -- the Rio gets over 40 miles per gallon on the highway. Under light throttle, the engine emits only a distant mellow hum. Open the throttle and it makes its voice heard as it tries to hurry the car along. Its not bad sounding either, I've heard much worse sounding engines. This isn't the kind of car which you can demand a lot of in the performance category, but it doesn't demand very much of you as the owner either. The automatic transmission is programmed well to make most use of the available power, not trying to push you into the next gear as quickly as possible, and holding each gear even under only moderate throttle. Upshifts at moderate throttle are silky smooth, and downshifts are fairly quick and solid. If you cannot drive a manual though, this car would make the perfect excuse to learn -- the mileage is better on a standard Rio, and a manual box makes even better use of the 104 horsepower.
