Kia Rio: Good or bad car?

"Katsumoto" (katsumoto) 02/29/2020 at 14:26 • Filed to: None

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Anyone know anything about them? They good or bad? Anything to worry about?

Pic for attention, mine’s the same minus the wheels and foglights. I got steelies and hubcaps.

It’s a 14 with 41k so I won’t have any real issues for a while. My old beater Crown Vic decided to start puking from the heater core. I refuse to put any more money into it.

Nothing is wrong with it, clean carfax. I bought it through the auction with a 7 day guarantee. It’s going to get a once over at the Kia dealer(my mom works there) to make sure she’s good. It’s a base sedan, so power locks/windows and keyless are about it’s only real options, which is all standard equipment anymore.

I see alot of people buying Kia’s, dealers I haul cars for buying all kinds of Kias. Not so much the Rio, but Forte, Souls, Optimas are all selling. So I figure it’s halfway decent.

It does have a compustar remote star/keyless entry and weathertech front floor mats.

MM54 > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 14:43

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I didn’t know they even still made the Rio until I saw one at an auto show a couple weeks ago. I did have a rental Forte recently as well; while not very good, it was miles better than a comparable versa.

EL_ULY > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 14:54

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killer mileage in eco mode. Bad seats personally in 2013 model year. 2 hours from ATL to Columbia SC absolutely destroyed my lower back.

Cash Rewards > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 14:58

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Rented one recently. Can confirm its a car. No more, no less

Katsumoto > MM54 02/29/2020 at 14:58

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I paid 3k for it. I can’t complain. I mean to me, it seems like a decent car. It’s a subcompact, so it’s basically competing with Fits(if Honda still calls them subcompacts) versa, Sonic/Spark, Fiesta.

I just figured when I saw it, that I could put probably almost 100k on it before anything really shits the bed. I doubt if I’ll keep it that long. I mean after 2-3-4 years with something I get kinda bored and want something new.

Just a cheap car that looks good, good on gas and if I wreck it I’m not salty about it. Just going to be a DD, cuz I’m more in motorcycles for speed than anything.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 14:59

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I think  more so just, “Car.”

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 15:01

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Decent little cars! I have a 2009 Hyundai Accent 2-door hatch, which is the same underpinnings as the Rio of the same generation. Very solid cars, reliability-wise.

The generation of Rio you have is the same basic drivetrain as Hyundai’s Accent of that era as well, as far as I know, and they are pretty good little cars. Mine’s a base model as well, though being the gen prior to yours, that means manual everything, no cruise, no ABS, no traction control, no A/C....and I am just fine with that! :)

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 15:02

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I spent a weekend in a rental Rio a few weeks ago. It was a perfectly fine tool. Did exactly what I needed it to do , no more and no less.

I tried opening her up. “No, I’m not much for that, my guy,” she replied, at a loud 6,000 rpms.

I floored it going around a 90 degree right hander. She leaned hard and asked me to be patient. I tried it again with a left-hander, to see if she’d step out at all. “Not really much of a dancer,” she answered, holding her knee.

Quite modest, and skilled at being so. “I don’t ask for much,” she purrs at idle. “And I will give you 35 mpg at 85 mph. But if you’re gentle and let me cruise at 75, I will squeeze 44 mpg for you.”

She may not be exciting, but she'll get you where you want to go and pinch pennies the whole way. 

Katsumoto > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/29/2020 at 15:05

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Damn, talk about a stripped out car.

I believe all that stuff is standard on mine, I don’t have cruise either. Manual HVAC, I want to say it has traction control, but I’d have to look to be sure. I think ABS is mandatory anymore on cars.

I do wish it had a backup camera. I haul cars(big semi car carrier) for a living, and go to car auctions ALOT. So when I’m pulling cars to load, I use the backup cam to help me tell how close to get. I can backup without, but I would like to have one, without installing a 2nd screen or aftermarket radio. Maybe a mirror based one though.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 15:08

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T he Rio is “f ine”. It’s reasonably reliable, reasonably safe transportation for a reasonably low price.

Is it exciting? No.

Is it luxurious? No.

Will it last forever? No.

Is it fuel efficient? Yes.

Is it good value? Yes.

Katsumoto > EL_ULY 02/29/2020 at 15:09

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I spent around 1.5 hours in it today without issue. I’m used to shitty seats I guess.

Car I’m replacing is a Crown Vic, former cop car. My work truck is a Sterling, AKA Ford. I’m typically don’t do long drives in my own cars. I drive so much for work, I don’t want to do it for my own shit. But I will stop at some place in the work truck, If I’m in the area and need something.

EL_ULY > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 15:11

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should be fine for a quick runner car unless someone knows something i dont

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 15:16

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Eh, t he only thing I really miss is Cruise on longer trips and once and awhile A/C on really hot days in the summer, but otherwise just opening the window and turning on the fan is fine enough for me as the hottest it usually gets here, max, in Nova Scotia is like 36C in the summer and ‘normal’ hotness is more like 28-32C.

I think ABS is mandatory everywhere now, but the US instituted that before Canada did, so there were a few years here, I believe where the base trim Accents of my gen didn’t come with it.

Mine has manual HVAC as well, which I vastly prefer to any automated HVAC gubbins, and I also have a manual transmission, which I forgot to mention. You could get the base trim here with the same manual everything setup with an Auto trans as well

MM54 > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 15:23

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Sounds like a good purchase!

Katsumoto > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/29/2020 at 15:32

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Mine’s an auto. With the remote start it has Im glad it has manual HVAC. I can set it before getting out, so when I hit the button it can start warming up the inside, and if possible defrost the windows.

ST80MND > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 15:32

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I rented one a couple of years ago for a week. It was winter, so that may have some bearing on my take, which is this:

Total GARBAGE. In particular, the tcs, which I was unable to turn off. Picture this: flat intersection, half inch of snow. Light turns green, step on the gas and........nothing. didn't even make I a foot. It was 6, yes 6 light cycles before I made it through. Dry roads were fine, if anything I would call the car uninspired. Then came the mountains. And again, tcs was there to limit my speed to about 45kph. I was being passed by busses, rv's, loaded big rigs, wildlife at one point. Brutal car, never again.

Katsumoto > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 02/29/2020 at 15:34

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It’s all I want. Just a DD that doesn’t get 15mpg city on a good day.
Fucking 3.55 trak lok(posi) crown vic in the city. Just drinking the shit.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/29/2020 at 16:05

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You can’t get much more basic than that in a modern car, other than Cars of Fort Langley’s Forte.

My friend has an absolute base model Jeep Patriot, w/ 5 speed and manual windows and locks (but has air con!) . It also has the single worst sounding engine I’ve ever heard. There is something kind of fun about absolutely no excess, though I prefer power locks.

You can actually still option a Wrangler with no air conditioning and manual windows and locks though! I doubt they move many of those in the south.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 16:09

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Wow, 3k? I guess a bit of a gamble since it was at auction.

Makes my $ 4,900  100k Cruze (‘12, but 2 years ago so almost the exact same) look like a bad deal. But also bluetooth was nearly inaccessible  below 5k 2 years ago so I’m still happy.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/29/2020 at 16:39

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I really wish you could get no nonsense cars here nowadays....you really can’t anymore other than like...the Mitsubishi Mirage....but even that still has ‘features’ on the base model now. I do like them though...no frills motoring is my thing! :)

SmugAardvark > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 19:12

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I rented one about two years ago. Perfectly fine as an automotive appliance. Nothing thrilling, but wholly serviceable for transportation.

Kia sucks > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 19:27

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They suck i got a 2011 got it with 70000 on it and ive done nothing but put work into it now it wont run at all.   All kia's are junk

Katsumoto > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 02/29/2020 at 19:49

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It’s getting taken to my mom’s work(kia dealer) to get a once over while I still have my auction guarantee. If anything major is wrong, I can return it and get my money back.

It’s got a clean carfax. No one just seemed to bid. I stole it and immediately paid for it before they changed their mind.
I had one of the dealers I transport for actually buy it for me. I was there with him bidding and everything. Just needed him to actually buy it, since it was in the dealer only lane.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 21:37

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Ah, that's the kind of deal you can only get if you know to look. Good buy!

thatsmr > Katsumoto 02/29/2020 at 23:09

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If this inspects well you done good. When my ex’s 2008 Mazda 6 started to become very expensive to maintain around 120k,my advice was buy as late model in budget Toyota, Honda, or Hyundai/Kia (in that order). Late model Korean cars are very well built in my experience of selling and owning. Good choice

Edit she picked up a nicely equipped Hyundai Santa Fe which has been serving well last couple years (a 15 if i remember correctly)  

jdlmon3@gmail.com > Katsumoto 03/01/2020 at 15:19

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The Kia Rio is a fantastic car. I have a 2013 Kia Rio SX Hatch. I bought it brand new back in October 2012 and now in March 2020 that car has 147,000 miles on it. I have had no issues with it at all. Just do your normal maintenance and you should be find. I have only used full synthetic oil since the 1st oil change.

I also own a Hyunda Sonata 2011 and it has 135,000 miles on it.

I would definitely recommend any Kia or Hyundai.

Mad@kia > Katsumoto 03/01/2020 at 15:26

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Horrible cars. Kias suck ass. I got mine with over 100k, within 2 months my catalytic converter failed. Bought the car for over 6k, need about 2k done. Don't even bother. Sell the thing once you pay it off and get a toyota. Garbage car. 

Khalbali > Katsumoto 03/01/2020 at 17:33

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My wife has a same spec hatch, hers is a 2013 that just crossed 70k, I’ve done tires, battery, belt, trans flush and rear brakes and that’s it. Getting ready to do some kind of valve cleaning and plugs but nothing other than maintenance for us so far, I second the 2013 seats sucking though and ours really hasn’t gotten the mileage you’d expect but my wife idles it a lot and stuff so I’m sure that’s part of it, we usually average around 26 mpg indicated, but if it’s just me driving on the highway I can get 40+ with some mild hypermiling. All in all i t’s a good cheap car, getting ready to do some cosmetic work though, wife tore up the front bumper and the windshields cracked, and then I'll probably add heated seats and maybe a carplay stereo and we're gonna try to get another decade out of it.

RAmable > Katsumoto 03/02/2020 at 11:01

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I own my 2013 rio ex hatchback from new. I have 79k kms on it. Previous trade in was a 2010 forte coupe ex. The rio has better power to weight ratio so is pe pier than the forte. I haven’t had any issues except the backup camera had to be replaced. I have the manual transmission so can’t speak for the autos. I have used synthetic oil from the start and dont plug in my car since I park curbside. Battery was replaced a year ago. Other than that one time it hasn't failed to start. Out of all the cars I have owned over these 30 years it is my favorite.