2011 Kia Rio

Vehicle Overview

The Rio sedan is Kia’s entry in the 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 2011
Bluetooth connectivity was a late addition for the 2010 model year; for 2011, it is now available as part of the Value Package.

Exterior
The Rio features a black mesh grille and swept-back headlights. It’s available as a sedan or hatchback, which Kia calls the Rio5. Exterior features include:

• Available 14-, 15- or 16-inch wheels
• Standard auto-off headlamps
• Optional heated and power-operated side mirrors
• Optional rear spoiler
• Optional fog lamps

Interior
The interior is fairly conservative. SX models include metal-finish dashboard accents, unique sport seat fabric and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob with red stitching. Interior features include:

• Optional air conditioning
• Optional 60/40-split bench seat
• Optional power windows and locks
• Optional keyless entry
• Optional steering-wheel-mounted audio controls
• Optional USB interface for MP3 players
• Optional floormats

Under the Hood
The base Rio is only available with a five-speed manual transmission.

• 110-horsepower, 1.6-liter inline-four-cylinder engine with 107 pounds-feet of torque
• Available four-speed automatic transmission
• Optional power steering

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)