The 2009 Kia Rio test car, a small sedan, made a terrific first impression because of its eye-popping red paint. Pretty shallow, huh?
But in this case, the paint was symbolic. It had a rich, premium sheen, and that theme held up, more or less, throughout the car.
Rio, it can be reported with delight, is an example of how to make an inexpensive car that doesn't look or feel cheap. It was a pleasant surprise among rides that are right for the Great Recession, especially after a disappointing bare-bones version of Nissan Versa and the uninspiring Toyota Yaris five-door.
If the "cheap" thing doesn't bother you, then consider that the sub-$11,000 entry Versa is remarkably roomy for its overall size, and the Yaris is well-equipped and offers a generous array of useful options -- which quickly take it out of the low-price transportation category (defined here as a sub-$15,000 sticker price).
We're focusing on some low-price models from time to time to see which are worthy candidates for people battered into financial reasonableness (or desperation) by the economy -- at least those people who need cars and prefer the virginal persona and factory warranty of a new car to the value proposition but underlying mystery of a used car.
The current version of Rio was introduced as a 2006 model. The '09 tested is almost identical to the '08 model, except '09s get a new audio system that includes built-in satellite radio hardware, a different gauge design and different climate controls.
Rio is available as a four door sedan and a "five-door" (four-door hatchback), which is identical except for the body configuration.
The Rio sedan is worth a look because the bare-bones base model starts at an alluring $12,145 and comes with hard-to-ignore warranties: 10 years/100,000 miles on the powertrain, five years/60,000 miles on most everything else, which matches most luxury cars. Three years/36,000 miles is typical for non-luxury brands. The Rio5 hatchback, not tested, has no bare-bones version.
The really, really, really red Rio sedan test car was an LX (starting at $13,875), one step up from the base. For the higher price, LX gives you air-conditioning, adjustable steering column, split-folding rear seat and input jacks for both an iPod-like device and a USB drive.
Kia says Rio's been its highest-quality model. It scored first among subcompacts in J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Survey in 2006 and 2007, and second in 2008. The '09 ranking is not yet available.
The brand as a whole also has moved up in Power's '09 Vehicle Dependability Study, which measures problems in 3-year-old models. The '09 results, out Thursday, showed Kia 27th of 37 brands, up from 35th of 37 in '08.
The test car had an optional automatic transmission (not available on the base version) and floor mats ($95), bringing the sticker price to $14,820.
So, no longer dirt cheap, but still tempting. Here's how the test car escaped feeling "cheap."
- It had manual mirrors, like the low-end Versa did, but Rio's can be adjusted via stalks inside the passenger compartment. You don't have to lean out, tap the mirror glass, then sit back to see how close you came, as on the Versa.
- It had manual door locks, like the Versa, but provided a keyhole in both front doors, not just the driver's. Big difference in convenience.
Operating the rear door locks also was easier because of the wide reach-back gap between the front seat and door pillar. You could open the front door and stretch your arm back to the rear-door lock without much twisting or trouble.
- Manual windows benefited from cranks positioned just where your hand automatically reached. Each crank was angled up to catch your palm just right as you began the window-winding.
- A one-piece top on the instrument panel meant no creaks from plastic parts rubbing together, as when multiple pieces are involved.
On the other hand:
Its safety potential might not suit everyone. Rio got "poor" ratings in side- and rear-impact tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: www.iihs.org, though it got an "acceptable" front-crash rating. But Kia points out it received good scores in the government's less-severe crash tests.
Anti-lock brakes are not offered on the base and are a $400 extra on the others. Stability control is not available, period.
The engine was adequate for merging, passing, hauling a load. It sounded coarse, until wide-open throttle application transformed it to husky and almost appealing. That encouraged hard-throttle driving, which hurt fuel economy.
By contrast, the engine in that Yaris tested recently didn't encourage spirited driving, and the Yaris returned remarkably good mileage.
The Rio's four-speed automatic downshifted abruptly, was jerky and without finesse. The back seat was tight for adults. If you need generous space back there, the Versa and the Yaris are better.
The chemistry between driver and car sometimes is weak despite powerful on-paper attributes and features of a vehicle. And sometimes it's delightfully strong even though the spec sheet suggests otherwise.
Despite explicably mediocre mileage in the low 20s (lowered by hard driving, lots of winter idling), Rio had good chemistry. It felt right for everyday use. It never made you shudder at the lack of power accessories, or prodded you into looking around for something else to drive that had more power under the hood or a fancier interior.
Maybe that orange-tinted red paint had a magic ingredient.
ABOUT THE KIA RIO
- What? Four-door, front-wheel-drive, low-price, small economy car, available as conventional four-door sedan (tested) and a hatchback.
- When? On sale now.
- Where? Made in South Korea.
- Why? Because tight economic times mean more interest in economy cars.
- How much? Base sedan starts at $12,145, including $650 shipping. LX is $13,875. SX is $14,675.
Test car -- LX with automatic, air conditioning, floor mats -- was $14,820.
- What's the drivetrain? 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine rated 110 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 107 pounds-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm. Is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Four-speed automatic is optional on LX and SX, not available on base.
- How lavish? Not; that's the point. Fewer features equals lower price. Anti-lock brakes, standard on many cars, are a $400 option. Stability control's MIA.
- How big? Bigger than the Toyota Yaris hatchback (Test Drive, March 13), smaller than the Ford Focus (Test Drive, March 6). Rio sedan's 158.1 inches long, 66.7 in. wide, 57.9 in. tall on a 98.4-in. wheelbase. Weighs 2,365 lbs. (manual) or 2,403 lbs. (automatic).
Passenger space: 92.2 cubic feet. Trunk: 11.9 cu. ft.
Turning circle, 33.1 ft. (32.7 ft. base model).
- How thirsty? Manual's rated 27 miles per gallon in town, 33 on the highway, 30 combined. The automatic is 26/35/30.
Automatic test car, hurt by cold-weather keep-warm idling and hard-throttle fun, registered 21.5 mpg in suburban use.
Uses regular. Holds 11.9 gallons.
- Overall: Crash-test scores (www.iihs.org) give pause, but surprisingly classy and satisfying otherwise.
By James R. Healey
USA TODAY
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