Turning on the headlights
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The Kia Rio isn’t an obvious used supermini choice, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad one. In fact, being slightly under the radar just means you stand a decent chance of getting more for your money than some more popular rivals - and the Rio was good value even when it was new.
It’s a chunky, grown-up feeling supermini, and while it’s not as fun to drive as some rivals, it feels like a bigger car from behind the wheel and offers a composed, relaxing driving experience that some buyers will appreciate. A range of frugal petrol and diesel engines and a spacious cabin are other highlights. Below we’ve covered some of the engines and trim levels in more detail.
At some point in the last decade or so, Kia started building cars that were really rather handsome - and while you don’t see as many on the road as you do Fiestas or Polos, the Kia Rio really isn’t a bad-looking supermini. It looks not unlike the larger Kia Ceed, and quite grown-up as a result.
There’s more to the Rio than well-proportioned styling though, because that big-car feel continues inside. The interior too is not unlike that of the Ceed, with a solid feel, a neat design, and a logical layout that some competitors would do well to look at before penning their own haphazard dashboards. Some of those rivals do offer more technology and fancier kit, but the Rio is decently well-equipped, and the infotainment system, where fitted, is simple to use. There’s plenty of space too, and the boot is nearly as big as some cars from the class above.
On the road the Kia acquits itself well, with neat if not especially engaging handling, a composed and comfortable ride, a stable feel, and good refinement. The engines are pretty good too - the diesels need working hard sometimes but at more relaxed pace they’re very fuel-efficient, while the 1-litre turbocharged petrols are pleasantly peppy and quiet at a cruise.
The supermini segment is still a busy one. Cars like the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Polos are big sellers, and the latter pair have a similar big-car feel to the Rio. As does the excellent Renault Clio for that matter, and the Skoda Fabia. Cars like the Mazda 2 and Toyota Yaris promise quality and reliability, while for pure interior space the Honda Jazz is probably the car in this class to go for.
The Kia Rio is not at its best either at the bottom of the range nor right at the top, but somewhere in the middle. We’d pick the 1.0 T-GDi petrol engine with 100PS as the power unit of choice, with a fuel economy figure knocking on the door of 50mpg and a 0-62mph acceleration run in a reasonable ten seconds flat. The little three-cylinder is respectably refined too. If you take joy in extracting as many miles as possible from a gallon of fuel, one of the diesels may take your fancy, but the petrol is more pleasant to drive. Spec-wise, we’d suggest the ‘2’, with its touchscreen infotainment, reversing camera, and cruise control.
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The Kia Rio’s exterior dimensions are:
The Kia Rio’s boot space is:
The most recent generation of Rio arrived in 2017, which means the bulk of the models on sale will attract a flat rate of VED, currently set at £190 per year.
At its most affordable you’ll find examples of the Rio with just group 2 insurance, while even the most expensive and powerful variants are only group 10. This is pretty competitive with other superminis, though several of the Rio’s rivals do offer more powerful and better-equipped variants, which explains why some may be a little more to insure.
£9,250
£11,795
£12,400
