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)
