Kia Rio road tests and consumer car reviews

Kia Rio GRDi 1.5 diesel 2007

I have had my Rio 1.5 diesel for three and a half years now and it has travelled 132000 miles. I chose to service the car myself, so no warranty, which I figured would cost far too much as it would need to be serviced every 10000 miles at £200 a go to qualify. I did have one engine problem at 75000 miles which turned out to be a broken cam follower, which cost £275. Apart from that problem the engine is as strong as ever and I have not replaces any parts other than tyres, disc pads oil, filters etc. The bodywork tends to suffer more than most from trolley dinks and dents, the interior plastic is soft and is easily marked. It has developed the odd rattle when it goes over bumps, but it has been driven hard. It still is returning over 50 MPG with the AC always on. The road tax is now £30 per year. Not the most comfortable of drives but ever if you factor in depreciation it’s still cheap motoring.

Kia Rio EX 2011

We just bought this car last October, since it had the lowest down-payment offered in town for a brand new car. It was shiny and it looked good. I previously drove an ’88 2.0 Nissan Maxima and I was used to its high torque. When I drove the Rio for the first time, it was quite hard to balance the clutch since I have to rev at a higher RPM to start at first gear. This gave me a hard time on the intersections. Shifting to reverse is also confusing since it used a Euro-schemed gearshift. On the bright side, the car has an aesthetic appeal coupled with its good fuel economy and a good price tag along with its all-power amenities.

Kia Rio 2010

I brought my 1.5 diesel in June this year and apart from a few minor troubles with the dealer to start with I have found it to be a great little car. It gives 50 MPG around town and costs nothing for road tax in the first year and only £30 from then on. I had a 2.0 TDI Golf before, which was an all singing and dancing model, but at servicing £255 and £445. The Kia costs £135 and £235, a bit of a different! Plus the Kia has a timing chain. The Golf needs a cam belt every 4 years @ £375. Get a KIA and have nice holidays on the money you’re saving.

Kia Rio Strike 1.4 petrol 2010

A nice little car to drive on good roads, but on rough surfaces, one wonders if there is any suspension underneath. or if some damping system is missing. MPG is also very disappointing for the petrol engine. The engine however is very quiet and it is good to check the gear selection for this reason. The radio and full size spare wheel are about its best attributes.

Kia Rio crdi 2006

This is a braw wee car! I had a Lexus 200, but as I do 300 miles a week to work the petol price was killing me, so I got the Kia to save money. It’s an 06 car with 72000 on the clock when I bought it. I’ve now had it for ten weeks and have done over 3000 miles. It does 450 miles to £60 of diesel and guess what? It’s real good fun! It’s very nippy for a wee car. It takes a lot of stick and keeps going; I never wash it or clean it, but it still goes and goes. It has good brakes and good road holding. It’s not a sports car and it has its limitations, but for a cheap car it makes a lot of sense. I paid £2600 for mine and it’s £100 a year to tax compared to £240 to tax the Lexus. It also saves me £40 a week compared to the Lexus on fuel, that’s £400 so far in just ten weeks! Over a year it will have nearly paid for itself on just these two savings alone.

Kia Rio 2008

Just bought the diesel for under 4 grand with 20k. It puts a smile on your face. Rapid small car.

Kia Rio 1.5 CRDI 2 2011

Very competent in everything without going crazy over anything, this car shows the worth of the policy which dictates how Kia’s from Korea are marketed: as cars offering great value for money - and with a confidence inspiring seven year warranty too. And because the range starts at just £8,540 OTR for the 1.4 petrol version, the Rio is one of the most affordable small cars in the UK when you take into account fuel economy and low cost of servicing. Even the 1.5 diesel Rio 2 tested here, costs only £10,995. Try getting an equivalent Ford for that! Compact outside and roomy inside thanks to a tall roofline and wide cabin, that generous interior space makes it a sensible-shoes five door, five seat hatchback super-mini that is pleasant to be in.. And while it’s not particularly ’exciting’ in silhouette as a supersonic sculpture, it certainly looks ’youthful’ and sporty - but looks aside, it provides all that the average driver needs in today’s world of motoring mayhem: room for a family and luggage, economical running and more than a measure of practicality. Quality thinking invests the Rio with rational appeal and many will be attracted by the functionality and not be bothered about the image - and they can afford to be because Kia’s cars function so well. It’s proof that a car can achieve great ends with modest means. With the Rio no single aspect of the design has been allowed over-emphasis and yet nothing has been overlooked. If there were ever any doubt that one could aspire to enjoyable, practical and reliable motoring without going to extremes of elaborate specification, half-baked homage to evocative names over which washes blank unthinking admiration and spending a fortune, that doubt must be dismissed by the Kia Rio. While the 1.5 109bhp diesel version is not the car for Mike Mercury, 110 mph is fast enough for Captain Sensible on today’s miserable roads. It’s a fairly light car, which doesn’t have the lead-loaded feel of a Volkswagen but it certainly is a well put together quality product. Fixtures and fittings inside and out are silver plate rather than sterling silver but everything seems durable enough to last for years. In the trim level 2 variant here, you get - amongst other things - air con., all round power windows, extra airbags, and smart alloy wheels: electronic stability control (ESC) is standard too. Settle comfortably behind the wheel, take in the basic ergonomic layout and you’re ready to go in an instant - unlike last weeks ’executive express’ which required a post graduate level of understanding to drive the sound system and understand the numerous beeps and bongs warning you of everything from naughty white line crossing to your unzipped trousers. Light and easy to manoeuvre in town and running straight and true at speed, the Rio is a balanced car that is a delight to handle whether parking or powering round twisty bends. The little diesel engine is a surprisingly eager beaver. 80mph cruising is reasonably quiet and the only time you hear a muted growl is under hard acceleration through the five gears. Despite ample torque, I did find a trace of transmission snatch when I lazily stayed in fifth in an urban situation. The Rio is no thunderblaster whizzbang but I was most impressed with how brisk it proved to be when pressing on and no matter how much I used the spurs, economy seemed to be unaffected. A very easily achievable 65 mpg overall is well within anyone’s capability and I have no doubt that should you choose to pussyfoot around in one of these, you’d get 70mpg. Not only does a Rio beguile you with its value, once you drive it, it will beguile you with its manners too. So, if your heart is set on a supermini, try romancing this Rio and you certainly won’t settle for less.

Responses to this review

This review looks too much like a pro sales job! Look at the structure and the word formation, I smell a rat. Don’t be taken in, the Rio is a disappointing little family car, nothing more and nothing less - Ken Smith from England

Kia Rio Strike 2010

I bought brand new Kia Rio strike one year ago, I must say it’s a nice car and good to drive!

Kia Rio 1.4 1 Edition 2010

I was due to be coming home from Australia on June 2010 and I had hired a car at Belfast City Airport, on the information ’Budget’ had emailed me (Receipt and other info) it said I was getting a Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec. Got to the Budget desk and they announced that they didn’t even supply the Focus! They were quite rude by saying to me if I had read the small print I would have seen that it said ’or a car of similar size’. So I happen to ask before I got the keys what car I would be getting he said a Kia Rio, I had never even heard of the thing! Checked it out on my iPhone and I almost died! Then I asked what other cars they had and they said a Mercedes A Class 1.6 Blue Efficiency or a Peugeot 308 SW 1.6 VTi. So I asked for either of them cars and they had all been rented out already! So I had to take the Kia, got into the car and realised the boot wouldnt take 3 large suitcases and a pram (we had 2 children in the back!) so we ended up paying for a taxi just to take our suitcases 40 Miles to our home. The car was a disaster, the wiper controls and indicator stalks were opposite each other and it was soo slow I almost had an accident due to the lack of power! I drove the car home and it didn’t move untill 4 days later when Budget phoned telling me there was a 308 SW waiting for me! Never been in such a bad car in all my life!

Responses to this review

I have never heard so much rubbish in all my life. I recently purchased a brand new Kia Rio and up to date can not fault this vehicle one bit. What exactly were you expecting from a car hire company? It is a perfect car for a perfect price. And regarding the boot space I think you would find you would not fit three large suitcases and a pram in a Ford Focus either! - Ella Miles from England

Sounds to me like you’re just a snob - Joanne from Yorkshire

Just because a hire company shafted you over doesn’t mean the car is bad. I’ve owned and driven numerous cars (including the horrendously over-rated Ford Focus) and you must be a shocking driver because what you’re saying about this car simply isn’t true. Also if you wanted to fit three large suitcases and a pram in a boot, would it not be prudent to have asked for something approaching a large people carrier/estate? Good luck spending stupid money on a badge and deluding yourself - Jonathan Reynolds from England

As a fellow countryman (NI), I can’t help but agree with the respondents’ comments. Perhaps you should have arranged to hire a larger car or taken the taxi with your bags without the hire car. I can only assume severe jetlag got the better of your senses. Kia seems like a good car to me - David Bradley from County Antrim

Kia Rio Strike TDi Diesel 2011

A wee flier with a roomy boot. Rough gear change 1st to 2nd. Very economical and £30 for tax for a year. Great paintwork. My first ever car with alloys. Well pleased!

Kia Rio Diesel 2007

Well covered 34,000+ miles now and still a very happy bunny. Would definitely get another one. And now they are new with a 7 year warranty its a real no brainer.

Kia Rio 2006

This isn’t a nice car. I bought the car in 2006, the gear box is tough and it’s very hard to put it into the right gear and it has very poor mileage, only 25/30 mpg regardless of motorway or city driving. Very sad to say.

Responses to this review

Have you ever changed any gearbox part? What does Kia say about that? I have this problem with first and second gear. Please can you answer to me? - Vince Virga from England

Kia Rio My11 Graphite 1.5L CRDi 2010

My first Kia. Took delivery of the new My11 car on 28/10/10 and to date 18/11/10 have covered just about 700 miles of stop start busy town type driving with two longer round trips included of about 90 miles each. Diesel consumption to date is 11.45 miles per litre or 52 mpg. The car with it’s 81Kw/110PS engine with a torque of 235 Nm or 173 lb/ft @ 1900 - 2750 rpm, along with the overall kit supplied which now includes a replacement of the rear drum brakes with the new solid rear disc brakes as well, is an absolute steal at the price. Take a test drive and see for yourself. Great car for the city or longer journey’s. Highly recommended!

Kia Rio 1.4 strike 2010

Not a bad car, 9 months old 5000m bought new but two comments; gears notchy first to second otherwise ok and front lenses mist up inside sometimes.

Kia Rio MY11 2011

As yet I have not found any reviews of the Rio MY11 (that is a Rio for the year 2011) I have had one of these now for a week. The car cost approx £9,700 and thus far has only disapointed in minor ways ie the handbrake does not stop the car from rolling even on an almost flat surface, there is no cigarette lighter supplied, etc. The major let down re any Kia product is the dealers, I have been lied to, cheated and treated with little or no respect whatsoever. To improve their market position Kia must get their act together at the point of sale, and that means getting rid of the current dealer network and replacing it with a competent replacement that sees the customer as an important part of the future economic cycle of the mark. This car could have made a 4 star review if it had not been let down by the indifferent dealer network.

Kia Rio 2008 2008

Value for the price but had to go back twice to have wheel bearings fixed, under warranty thank goodness.

Kia Rio Strike 2010

Purchased car in March 2010 after a long wait for metallic silver. Problem with remote door controls which mis-behaved, causing some embarrassment. The problem was rectified after four months without apology. Still getting used to right hand indicator, and the exceptionally hard ride on poor road surfaces. Fuel consumption is disappointing (petrol model). Otherwise considered good value so far. Watch out for the insurance rating.

Kia Rio Sport 2009

This is the third Kia we have owned and I find them a very good drive. Unfortunately our 2059 purchase has developed wheel bearing problems. We only were made aware of this through a friend who recognised the reason behind the wheel noise of which we had become aware, but thought that was due to the low profile tyres.The problem was confirmed by our neighbour who has an indepth knowledge of cars. I understand that this problem can cause the wheel to seize up with disastrous results. The car is being returned to the garage tomorrow and I expect the repair to be made under warranty, but am disappointed that we are having this problem at all.

Kia Rio LS 1.5 CRDI 2007

I bought new in Sept.2007. The diesel engine is superb; quiet, lots of torque and very economical. 65mpg on long runs sticking strictly to national speed limits and around 50-55 on mixed motoring. At 10,000mls the front tyres had to be removed due to severe tread wear on the inside edges whilst the rear tyres showed no signs of any wear. My previous Suzuki Swift clocked 35,000mls on its first set of tyres. Our local Kia approved repairer replaced two steering/suspension bushes under warranty. There was no evidence of any premature tyre wear during the first service at 5,000mls (or nobody noticed !). Obviously the front wheel alignment had been seriously affected. KIA charged me for alignment rectification and refused to compensate for the premature tyre wear despite the problem having been caused by a warranty defect. A friend’s 2009 Rio is also showing similar wear at 5000mls and has suffered a front wheel bearing failure. As there is no provision for wheel alignment checks in the Kia maintenance schedules, check your front tyres regularly or have your alignment checked by a specialist tyre workshop before you have to replace your front tyres prematurely. Overall rating - it is a good little car. (4.5 star)

Responses to this review

Sadly all manufacturers (not the dealerships) do not cover tracking under warranty. I would challenge the manufacturer directly, asking your dealer to support their findings and repairs as been the cause of the tyre wear. Any decent manufacturer would at least offer to pay a percentage towards the replacement cost of your tyres. A tricky one, I know this as I worked for many years as a Service Advisor and a Warranty Clerk!!! Allan Cornhill from Bridgend

Kia Rio 1.5 CRDI 2008

Just bought a Rio2 with 12500 miles on the clock, test drove the 1.4 Petrol before trying out the diesel, but no comparison as the diesel is very nippy, although the 1.4 petrol was a nice drive as well. Spec is very good and the one I bought was immaculate not a scratch on it and valeted beautifully before I picked it up from the dealer. Cant believe the fuel consumption I am getting I only do about 15 miles a day and use the car at weekends with the occasional motorway drive and I reckon I am getting about 55 to 58mpg. Had to have the wheels balanced as their was vibration between 80 and 85 but this was soon fixed. Found the steering very light but still a nice drive very smooth and had to get used to changing gears at a much higher speed upto 40mph. The spec is great, and I cant find anything wrong with the radio contrary to poor reviews. Road Tax £35 and only having to fill up once a month, so economical a brilliant car my previous card was a Hyundai Getz loved that too but someone crashed into the back of me, hence I bought the Rio I would recommend the diesel over the petrol purely for the quicker ride and economy This car is a must for anyone on a budget, and if you do buy a new one, well a 7 year warranty that is just bombproof which shows how Kia believe in their build quality. Time other makers caught up.

Kia Rio 2009

I too went for the scrappage deal, just over £6,500 for a new car in September, why buy second hand? Did have problems at first, knocking from the back, found to be rear stabiliser arm loose, and damper problem, when I put it in to be done, they found the two front rubber seals were loose. I had only done about 1800 miles, it took a while to get the parts from Kia. but other than that, Griffin Mill where I bought the car were excellent in sorting it all out for me. I also find the wiper lever a bit of a pain being on the other side, wife says the boot is small, have now done about 2300 miles, hope to give it a good run to France, see what mileage is like and as I have long legs, see how the driving position is.

Kia Rio 1.4 petrol 2009

We purchased a base 1.4 petrol Rio on the scrappage scheme last August (£5,200 on the road ! Amazing value !). So far only got 5,000+ on the clock but we have been really pleased with it. It is modern in design, well-equipped and a pleasure to drive. The only two "criticisms" are that the wipers/indicator controls are on the "wrong" side, which means that when I drive it I sometimes wipe the screen when turning corners. But my wife has easily got used to it. Also, we took it on a 150+ mile trip to Wales, and after an hour or so my right thigh started aching - I guess the seats are not the most comfortable on a long run. As it was bought as a second car, this isn’t really a problem. I would recommend them, particularly now that Kia has extended the warranty to 7 years!

Responses to this review

Watch out for your front tyres - just had to replace mine at 11,000 miles - the tyre dealership that I went to said he has seen some Rios with complete tyre wear at 5,000 - Kia knows that there is a problem with the tracking but are not very helpful and won’t pay for a new set of tyres - Sandra Blackburn from Shropshire

Kia Rio ice 2007

Kia cars are not worth it! They are terrible on corners and they hate rain and dirt! My Kia Rio has had a rusty spot on its bonnet now for over 3 years!

Kia Rio GRDI 2007

This car I did own before been written off was so great it would not be possible to put into words. Fuel economy well what can one say apart from fantastic. Forget the official figures I was getting over 65mph. Unfortunately the car was so good for its safety equipment that the poor thing got hit on the rear quarter panel and all of its safety features came into play. It was hit by a car at 60 mph and did not move an inch all safety features came into play and I wasn’t even in it!! Was a great car. I’m buying another as I’m sending this!!

Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi Ice 2008

I love this car, previously owned a Skoda Fabia 1.9sdi which didn’t use much by the way of fuel. The Rio was a big surprise, although fuel saving didn’t really kick in ’til after 10,000 miles. Left Scotland driving to France and upon reaching Dunkirk I was still on one tank of fuel, working out at about 500 odd mile to a tank, not bad with 2 adults 2 kids and luggage. I’m now moving on to a Kia Ceed SW. One other bonus on the Rio against the Fabia: 2 kids seats and a adult in the back is no problem in the Rio, just a great we car. I’ve done 50k in 2 years with a wheel bearing being my only problem, kia sorted this very quickly with no probs. My advice is always use premium tyres on the front axel, the torque can be sore on tyres. I will be very sad to see it go.

Kia Rio Rio strike 1.4 2009

I took delivery of the Rio in mid-January 2010, having been seduced by the government scrappage scheme. I had been looking forward to delivery of the vehicle, having had the last car for 8 years ( a wonderful reliable Nissan Primera 1.6 sx ) and frankly felt that I just needed a change. Overall, on delivery, I was satisfied with the car, but after just a couple of days, I became aware that I was struggling to keep my right foot in a comfortable position on the accelerator pedal when undertaking longer journeys. I thought I would adjust to the new car, but never did. I also found the seats uncomfortable, and the plastic trim far to easy to become marked with scuffs. There were positives, such as a good responsive engine, light steering, and a cracking stereo system, but overall, I just couldn’t get comfortable with the Rio, and sold it on after 2 months and 3,000 miles. I think that on reflection, the Rio is much more suited to city driving, and maybe I should of realised this before purchasing the car. So I have just bought another car, and it is back to another Nissan Primera !!

Kia Rio 5 door 2007

Follow up from when I first got it. Now had it since May and I must say we cannot believe how good it has been in the recent snow and ice. Just before Christmas when we had the horrendous snow storms. Took 11 hrs to do 1.5 hr journey, conditions were awful. But this little car was wonderful in the really bad conditions. Just kept on going, seemed to cope better than some four wheel drives, don’t know if it has anything to do with it being the diesel version. The ABS is also brilliant. Can’t praise it enough.

Kia Rio 2009

I bought a my Rio black 6 months ago. A nice car to drive on the motorway nice looking too. Good on fuel, however, does have a few problems such as when it rains some water drips on to a vacuum pump, which collects water under the bonnet, the rear light clusters seem to steam up when damp and last starting to get a bit of wind noise on this drivers back window. These are only small problems at least so still a nice car for the price.

Kia Rio CRDi 2009

A great little car for the money. I get an average of 60mpg, and the car is nippy around town with good acceleration. It is easy to drive, save for the gearbox being a little notchy at times. The stereo is pefectly adequate. The interior is comfortable, and the whole car seems well put together and well equipped. My only real gripes are that it can be difficult getting reverse at times, and the switches for the fog lights could be better located. Who cares about badge snobbery? This is an unpretentious little car that does what it says, and is very satisfying to own.

Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi Ice 2008

Bought this in March of 2008 from new and I do alot of driving with it for my work purposes. At present nearly 2 years on I’m still getting a average of 60 mile to the gallon. For the money you pay for these models, it is value for money. As one other reviewer said because of the heavy diesel engine it is a bit sore on front tyres. Replaced front ones but rear are like new only lost 1mm in 2 years- that is good.

Kia Rio 1.4 3 2009

Just bought this in June. Lovely car but poor mileage. I am only getting around 28-30 miles per gallon overall driving town and motorway.

Responses to this review

Hi... I am also disappointed with the milage; I commute on urban and extra-urban but the performance does not appear to go beyond 40mpg. The combined figure is 49. I used to get more with my Polo which I scrapped for this one. I have done 5,000 miles but am thinking of selling it - Rocio from Norfolk

Kia Rio 1.4 CHILL 2009

Bought my Rio Chill in June 09. Not the quietest engine in lower gears, but ok when in upper gears. With all the extras included in the chill, i.e. power steering, alloys, front fogs etc, for £6,555 (with scrappage allowance). It is a good value for money car. One point for me personally was my car arrived with a small dent on the bonnet and i had to continually contact the agent to get it repaired. They did the repair eventually and made a first class job but they used a subcontractor to do the work.

Kia Rio 1.4 base 2009

Bought the little Rio new in April for under 6 grand. Have done almost 10,000 miles now and I’m pleased with it. It’s perfectly adequate in everything it does and is comfortable and quiet. No faults to date. Only grumbles are that the ride is crashy at low speeds, it’s not as economical as it’s rivals and the interior is flimsy. However for 6 grand...

Kia Rio crdi 2008

I have had my Rio for little over a year and have travelled 37,000+ trouble free miles. Overall I get 50 miles per gallon driving fairly hard. I have had 55 miles per gallon but I really had to work hard to get it. A few very small issues I have :- 1 Massive blind spot from door pillar which I have overcome by convex mirror addition to side mirrors 2 Suspension a bit hard on country roads. Most of mine are motorway so no big deal. 3 Instrument panel is a bit too dark for me. The older models have a silver section. I always drive on side lights which switch off automatically when you open the door to get out. 4 Replaced the front tyres at 20,000 miles but I do drive fairly hard as I said earlier. 5 Have difficulty finding it in car parks as it looks like every other small hatchback (is that a plus point? maybe it is) 6 Reverse isnt the easiest gear to get. Apart from those points, what more can anyone want from a small cheap hatchback with £35 road tax and cheap insurance.

Kia Rio 1.4 chill 2009

I purchased this car through the scrappage scheme in June 2009. Scrapping my Punto. The Rio is a value for money car which ticks all the boxes for me. Do not belive all Clarkson writes!

Responses to this review

Glad I read your report, what does Clarkson want for such a small amount of money for a new car? Not got mine yet but I am ordering one before the vat goes up. I am also scrapping my Punto! I can’t wait to get rid of it as it is an old punto I have spent a lot on it. Thanks for your review - Sybil Fox from Cheshire

Hi, I bought my chill in June 09 also. On the whole am happy with the car but on the downside I have had the front seat covers changed at 3,000 miles and now, at 7,000 miles, the driver’s seat is once again starting to fray. (How is your’s wearing? - Cheers - Fred Hargate from Yorkshire

Kia Rio diesel 2007

Read all these reports before purchasing diesel 2007 2nd hand. And I love it. Is everything you all said it would be. Easy to drive, if you need speed put your foot down and it kicks in. Great economical budget car for the non badge concious driver.

Kia Rio 1.4 Petrol Rio2 2009

Like others, I was quite reserved with my views around Kia. Then came the Government Scrappage Scheme and a serious look into buying a new car. We saw the ads for the Picanto and Rio, really cheap, and the wife persuaded us to go look. We test drove a Rio2, and I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. Was this car really only £6200 OTR with our old banger as scrappage (£2000)? Electric windows, air con, alloys, central locking?? A ride much better and more powerful than the Corsa we were trading in! Much more room all round too, looks Focus sized. My only reservation was... what do I tell the lads in work! Bear in mind I am 40 and should it matter at my age? But when I told them, I was heartened by so many others say they were looking at the Kia’s as a viable alternative to the much pricier Ford’s and Peugeot’s; and "can i have a look inside". I simply cannot fault this car, the price, the build quality, the equipment as standard, and of course the famed Kia warranty. If you are on a budget like we were, why buy second hand when you have a brand new car at this price.

Responses to this review

Thanks you for your detailed review Mark, I am looking at buying the Spec Ed Strike and am thinking it is a great car for the price, especially compared to the Corsa’s, C3’s etc.. I am hoping to put the deposit down tonight! - George England from Cheshire

Hi, got my Rio-Chill in June 09 new. All OK generally but having had the front seats re-upholstered at 3,000 miles. The driver’s seat is now fraying again at 7,000 miles. Have you had any upholstery problems? Cheers - Fred Hargate from Yorkshire

Kia Rio 1300 cc 2003

I have a 2003 Kia Rio 1300 cc. The road tax is £?170 per year. I think that is to much for an engine that size. What do you think?

Kia Rio 1.4 Chill 2009

Just read other reports and agree what a great little value car a Rio is. A lot of so called road tests are very biased against Kia - most people can’t afford the expensive cars Clarkson crows over so as a Kia owner I would advise anyone to go and make their own mind up you wont be disappointed. The Magentis is a great value for the money car as well second-hand.

Kia Rio 1.6 110 bhp 2006

I wish that this site would work here in Texas! I tried submitting a report but it would not let me. BTW, have a 2006 Rio with the 1.6 110 bhp engine and suspension tweaks.... great little car.

Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi LS 2006

I bought this Rio new Jan 2006, covered now 98,000 miles, so this is a true test. Only one fault at 35,000 miles when a water-pump bearing failed. Serviced on time, no other problems, runs as well today as new. Returns 50 mpg on average. Interior very little signs of wear. Would like a change of model, but cannot find anything better for the money. One last word, in my work I drive many various executive cars, at the end of the day it is a pleasure to return to my Rio.

Kia Rio 2008

I have had two Kia Rio CRDI now and I think they are excellent. I love the handling and speed. With an excellent 1.5 diesel engine it is perfect. I don’t really like the 1.4 petrol - a bit sluggish i think. If you are think of buying one go for the 1.5 diesel ICE or CHILL. We priced as well.

Kia Rio Crdi ICE 2008

Really surprised with this little car, I test drove the petrol version and though it was pretty good, I ordered the diesel version and what a surprise, the engine is a belter, far quicker than the petrol and very quiet, very reliable. I took it to France 3 weeks after buying it and 3,500 miles later it was still as sweet as a nut. Fuel consumption wasn’t as good as expected, but I have been checking the other forums and have found out that it gets better with age. Mine has 8,000 miles on it now and it is using less fuel. Good looking car and definitely stands out. Only one slight complaint, its heavy on the front tyres. I have taken advice on this and have been told to replace them with something like a Michelin tyre and that should stop the problem. Other than that a fine, extremely quick car and I certainly would recommend one to anyone. Bit of advice, don’t read the magazine reviews , just go and drive one, you will not be disappointed.

Kia Rio 1.4 GS 2006

A decent little car. Quiet, nippy enough if you don’t want super performance. I find it a pleasure to drive. It can be a bit `hoppy’ on uneven roads but overall its a nice car to drive. Sharp brakes thanks to all round discs. A decent amount of space, reasonable fuel economy. I would recommend it for anyone who wants a decent car at a low price.

Kia Rio 1.5 GS 2006

I bought this ex-Demonstrator with 1700 miles on the clock almost two years ago. Whilst fuel consumption is marginally disappointing at an average 52mpg over 14,000 miles I am very happy with the car. It both cruises beautifully on Motorways and is nippy in traffic. Whilst I have read reports about heavy front tyre wear (on the insides) I am glad to say that mine has yet to show similar symptons. Wheels were changed around at 7,500 miles per Kia Handbook recommendation, and tyre pressures are checked regularly. Perhaps this has something to do with it! I think that the car offers very good value if you are not a ’badge snob’ and I would happily encourage any prospective Supermini buyer to take a road test in one.

Kia Rio 2006

One of the best cars I have owned. Smooth ride and drives like a much bigger car. Love it.

Kia Rio Ice 2007

Having had this car for one month now it ticks all the right boxes, Kia Rio Ice 1.4 in black, transports 4 adults easily with ease, with the price of fuel its is economical and fun to drive and value for money. I would invite others to try this nippy vehicle, basic yes but the stereo system is great drive is fantastic, affordable car for those of us on a budget and practical.

Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi LS dr

Kia make brilliant affordable cars, this was bought as a second car for my wife but I do find myself driving it if I’m just nipping out locally as it’s very easy and economical to drive. Okay, it is pretty basic but you get what you pay for and I think it’s excellent value for money.