Kia Rio Hatchback (2011 - ) review

Trim levels include 1, 1 Air, 2, 3 and 4. The 1 gets Bluetooth connectivity, daytime running lights, body-coloured exterior trim, trip computer, stereo with USB and aux ports as standard, and 1 Air simply adds air-con to the list. Front fog lights, 16-inch alloys, rear electric windows, a cooled glovebox, a better stereo, heated and folding mirrors and leather covers for the steering wheel, gear lever and central armrest make the 2 a considerable step-up. Privacy glass, 17-inch wheels, reversing sensors, LED lights, climate control, automatic wipers, cruise control and heated front seats come with 3 trim, while the 4 adds keyless go, leather upholstery and a heated steering wheel.

If you think that Kia still punts out cars that look awkward, dowdy and unremarkable, think again. The firm’s products now have enough style to cut it against any European rival, and the Rio is a good example of that. Sharp lines, compact dimensions and interesting details give the car a modern, contemporary look. All models have body-coloured mirror housings and door handles, but low-end models miss out on alloy wheels and a chrome grille surround. They still look pretty smart, though.

It’s easy to find a comfortable driving position in the Rio, because all versions have a height-adjustable driver’s seat and the vast majority have two-way steering adjustment. The seats themselves are a little flat and have limited lower back support, but should be fine for most. The dash layout is simple and logical, making all the functions easy to find and use. Over-the-shoulder visibility could be better, though, because the thick rear pillars block your view. The cabin generally feels very sturdy and quite pleasant, but it can’t match the high quality standards set by rival cars like the VW Polo.

There are four engines on offer, starting with 1.25 and 1.4-litre petrols which put out 83bhp and 107bhp respectively. The former can struggle to get going, especially when you hit a steep incline, and it gets rather noisy when you inevitably have to work it harder. The latter is a good bit more flexible, making it a more relaxed, and quieter, companion. The two diesel engines on offer, a 74bhp 1.1 and an 89bhp 1.4, both need plenty of revs to get going and still feel a little lethargic once they do. Both sound rather loud and clattery, too.

The Kia Rio is one of the larger cars in the supermini class, so there’s decent room inside for four adults. Rear legroom is especially generous for the class. How easy it is to get into the back will depend on whether you choose the three-door or the five-door – both are available. The boot is a good size at 288 litres, too, and it’s a nice, square shape. However, there’s a big lip that you’ll have to haul heavy items over, and you’re left with a stepped load area when you fold the seats down.

Kia is carving itself an enviable reputation as a trusted brand for reliability, partly thanks to its standard seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which is also transferable to the next owner of the car. There have been few major faults with recent Kia models, leading us to expect the Rio will perform just as well.

Kia has targeted comfort with the Rio, but has come up a little short. The suspension struggles to deal with rippled surfaces, so it never really settles as much as you’d like. The handling feels stable and assured, but it’s not what you’d call enjoyable to drive. The steering is the biggest culprit, because it feels very numb and the weighting is inconsistent. Refinement isn’t ideal, either. The engines are rather raucous, and there’s too much road noise.

The Rio isn’t exactly cheap to buy, but it is affordable and represents pretty good value. The 1.1 CRDi Rio in basic ‘1’ trim steals headlines with its 88.3mpg average fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of 85g/km, making it exceptionally frugal and extremely good on the various taxes motorists face. Choose the 1.4 CRDi, and 70.6mpg and 105g/km are still not to be sniffed at. Both petrol engines will better 50mpg (provided you don’t specify the automatic gearbox on the 1.4), which is reasonable, if nothing special, for the class.

The Kia Rio has been awarded the maximum five-stars by Euro NCAP. It’s fitted with an electronic stability programme as standard and also gets anti-lock braking, hill assist control (to prevent the car rolling backwards during hill starts), twin front, side and curtain airbags and front and rear seat ISOFIX child seat anchors.

The Kia Rio is a decent all-rounder that looks good, is affordable to buy and provides a lot of equipment for the money. However, it can’t match the class leaders for quality, comfort, refinement or driver appeal.