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By Steven Cole SmithOrlando Sentinel
December 15, 2005
And quite a few people did. The Rio has been a pretty good seller for Kia, but that term "alternative" has followed the little car around -- a Kia Rio isn't really anyone's first choice for a new car. Kia hopes to change that with the new 2006 Rio, which is larger, more expensive and more powerful -- but still one of the cheapest cars you can buy. The starting price for the base version of the 2006 Rio is $10,570, compared with $10,195 for a 2005 model. Our test car was an upmarket LX model -- base price $13,295 -- which had air conditioning, an automatic transmission, a good stereo with a CD player, and side and side-curtain air bags. A $600 "power package" includes remote locking, power windows, locks and mirrors and tweeter stereo speakers. With carpeted floor mats and shipping, the total was $14,505. Antilock brakes are available for $400. Cruise control and a sunroof aren't offered. Under the hood, the 1.6-liter four-cylinder pumps out a respectable 110 horsepower, and still gets 29 miles per gallon in the city, 38 on the highway with a four-speed automatic transmission. With a five-speed manual transmission, mileage is 32 mpg city, 35 highway. The manual Rio LX costs $750 less than the automatic. Exterior styling can't be faulted, but it's inside that the Rio is genuinely improved -- seats are cloth and the dashboard is vinyl and plastic, but it's all done so nicely that you never feel as if you're riding in a bargain-basement car. Only one small problem on the tester: Look down between the console and the passenger seat, and a big lump in the edge of the carpet revealed a yellow wiring cable beneath. Rear seat room isn't bad for kids, but legroom is limited when the front seats are moved back far enough to suit medium-to-large drivers and passengers. The trunk is quite large, and if you need even more room, the rear seat folds down. On the road, the Rio rides better than you would expect in town and on the highway. The P185/65R-14 radial tires are on the narrow side, and are mounted on black steel wheels, topped with thin plastic wheel covers. Oddly, larger tires and alloy wheels aren't an option. The 2006 Rio is a substantially better, more sophisticated car than the model it replaces, and that Kia industry-leading warranty package remains. It's still a lower-priced alternative to a Honda or a Toyota, but the gap has just narrowed. Sentinel Automotive Editor Steven Cole Smith's TV reports air today on Central Florida News 13.
Find a USED 2006 Rio for SaleFind used car inventory in your area.
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