2009 Kia Rio
Expert Reviews
By Cars.com Staff
Cars.com National November 14, 2008Vehicle Overview
The Rio sedan is Kia's entry in the very competitive small-car segment. Trim levels include a bare-bones Base model, an LX and a sporty SX. The Rio competes with the Chevrolet Aveo and Toyota Yaris.
Kia's Rio5 hatchback is covered separately in the Cars.com Research section.
New for 2009
The Rio's radio unit has been revised and now has Sirius Satellite Radio and MP3 compatibility. LX and SX models get a USB jack for MP3 players. Minor revisions were also made to the instrument and radio controls.
Exterior
The Rio features a black mesh grille and swept-back headlights. The Rio rides on a 98.4-inch wheelbase and is 166.9 inches long overall and 66.7 inches wide. The Rio is smaller bumper-to-bumper than its immediate competition.
- Available 14-, 15- or 16-inch wheels
- Standard auto-off headlamps
- Optional heated power mirrors (LX and SX)
- Rear spoiler (optional on LX, standard on SX)
- Fog lamps (SX)
Interior
Interior design is fairly conservative, though it's well-put-together. Interior volume comes in at 92.2 cubic feet, with 11.9 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk. The Rio's passenger space is just slightly bigger than its competition's.
The Rio's gauge cluster and climate and radio controls were slightly revised for 2009. SX models include chrome dashboard accents, unique sport seat fabric and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob with red stitching.
- Standard air conditioning (not available on Base)
- Standard 60/40-split bench (not available on Base)
- Optional power windows/locks and keyless entry (LX and SX)
- Optional steering-wheel-mounted audio controls (LX and SX)
- USB interface for MP3 players (LX and SX)
- Optional floormats
Under the Hood
The Rio Base is only available with the manual transmission.
- 110-horsepower, 1.6-liter inline-four-cylinder engine with 107 pounds-feet of torque
- Available four- or five-speed automatic transmission (LX and SX)
- Standard power steering (not available on Base)
Safety
Safety features include:
- Standard side-impact airbags
- Standard side curtain airbags
- Standard child safety locks
- Optional antilock brakes with rear discs (LX and SX)
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