ge5031860458831747169
ge5745693143716006163
ge5494667054171197646
ge4905173667259066154
ge5377398409732514810
Melissa McCormick13 Mar 2012
REVIEW

Kia Rio: Road Test

Kia's Rio deserves its time in the sun

Kia Rio SLi hatch and Rio Si sedan
Road Test

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $21,990 (SLi hatch), $21,690 (Si sedan)
Options fitted (not included in above price): Metallic paint $400 (hatch)
Crash rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 6.1 (hatch and sedan, six-speed auto); 5.6 (hatch and sedan, manual)
CO2 emissions (g/km): 145 (hatch and sedan, six-speed auto); 133 (hatch and sedan, manual)
Also consider: see Light Car comparison test

One of the favourites in our recent light car comparison test, the Kia Rio hatch almost won the day for its looks, handling and relative spaciousness. In short, the mid-spec Rio's cost went against it in a segment where sharp pricing is paramount.

But you get what you pay for. As tested here, the Rio starts at $21,990 for the top-spec SLi model which boasts a generous equipment list. Standard items range from hill start assist to cargo cover -- most everything is included for your outlay.

Features like leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, power folding and heated side mirrors, and even the fold-out key are included to 'surprise and delight' the owner for years to come. At the very least, they put the Rio on par with more expensive options.

Rio pleases inside and out. From first sight the Korean hatchback is a standout, blessed with great styling and additions like sporty-looking 17-inch alloys. The hatch's tailgate is topped with a neat slimline spoiler and the LED-adorned lower rear bumper is black, resembling the diffuser treatment applied to hot hatches like the Renault RS Clio.

The test Rio hatch was fitted with Kia's six-speed 'sports automatic' which is responsive, quiet and quick to downshift when encountering hills. The manual mode helps in cases for overtaking because the 1.6-litre engine's verve is in its mid-to-upper rev range. It's somewhat lacking from standstill but will happily sit in cruise mode around 2500rpm, bringing good economy.

Our fuel figure for the hatch over the two-week period (including four-up passengers, highway runs and stints in city traffic, with air-con on full time) was 7.1L/100km.

The Rio SLi cabin is spacious, front and rear. There's ample legroom for front passengers and the dash is well-forward of occupants' knees. Foot and knee room is also decent for rear passengers, even with the front seats placed full back.

The hatch's tall windows and wide windscreen bring good outward vision. The slit-like rear window appears as though it would compromise vision but didn't for this tester, however taller (than 162cm) drivers may have difficulty looking rearwards.

The Rio four-door sedan was released locally after our comparison test. The sedan is only available in the equivalent mid-specification, with the Si version keeping the start-up price to under the top-spec hatch by around $300.

Kia Australia has aimed the sedan at fleet (and government and corporate) buyers due to the four-door's high (five-star) safety credentials, ease of access and generous load space in the boot.

Kia has no plans to add a higher or lower spec sedan to the local range, preferring to avoid complexity, and the five-door hatch remains the lineup's best-seller.

The sedan uses the same engine and transmission setup as the hatch models and returns equivalent consumption figures, despite feeling heavier. There's not much between them: 1215kg for the hatch versus the sedan's 1221kg but it's felt behind the wheel.

The sedan's cabin accommodation is light and spacious, and resembles some of the larger sedan models on offer. 16-inch alloys come standard and while not as flashy as those fitted to the SLi hatch, they suit the more conservative looks of the sedan.

Both the sedan and hatch have a light steering feel which makes them perfect for darting around carparks and the like, but they also feel stable during highway speeds. Despite Kia's entry-level approach for the Rio models, these are not flimsy runabouts.

In fact, in the case of the hatch especially, Kia has equipped the Rio so well that shoppers in the segment could be forgiven for contemplating the brand for its generosity alone.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site

Share this article
Written byMelissa McCormick
See all articles
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Looking for a family car?Get the latest advice and reviews on family car that's right for you.
Explore the Family Hub
Family
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.

If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
Download the carsales app
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © CAR Group Ltd 1999-2024
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.