2002 Kia Rio Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Among the least-expensive cars on the market, Rio is sized and priced below Kia's Spectra subcompact. For 2002, Rio offers sedan and wagon body styles that share a 4-cyl engine and manual or optional automatic transmission. The wagon is called the Cinco. ABS and air conditioning are optional. Side airbags and power windows are unavailable. Included with the wagon and in the sedan's upgrade package are power steering and tilt steering wheel. Hyundai is Kia's corporate parent and that South Korean automaker's warranty applies here: 5-years/60,000-mi. basic, 10/100,000 powertrain, 5-years/unlimited roadside assistance.

Competition

A perennial favorite, the Honda Civic, is as good as ever. We love the wide range of bodystyles, engines, and equipment. Civic is a solid car that has good performance, a nice ride, and a high degree of civility. We also love almost everything about the Ford Focus, but were reluctant to rank it a Best Buy because it was new from the ground up. After a year of living with a ZTS model, we can say that the reliability is good. Focus ranks a notch below Civic in some areas but costs less.

Topping the crowded Recommended list are the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. They easily could be Best Buys. However, they are among the most expensive cars in this segment. Other Recommended choices include the no-frills Toyota Echo, the sporty Nissan Sentra, and the roomy Mazda Protege.

News

Launched in mid-2000, the entry-level Kia recorded nearly 47,000 sales through September 2001, a so-so result even for the cut-throat small-car market. Rio reportedly sees no big changes for the next four years, though a planned 4-dr hatchback sedan is still on track for introduction in early 2002.

2002 Kia Rio Road Test

Pros	Cons

Fuel economy	Acceleration

	Rear-seat entry/exit

	Rear-seat room (sedan)

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
2	2	2	3.7

Copes adequately with city/suburban traffic, but struggles to reach highway speed even at full throttle. Automatic transmission hunts annoyingly between gears to maintain a pace on even moderate grades. Test car did 0-60 mph in a slow 11.5 sec with automatic transmission. Feels little faster with manual.

Fuel Economy

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
6	7	6	6.7

Unimpressive, given light weight and mediocre power. Test Rios averaged 25.2 mpg with automatic transmission, 22.9 with manual.

Ride Quality

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
4	4	3	4.1

For 2002, 14-inch wheels and tires replace 13s as standard, to the benefit of ride. Around town, Rio is absorbent enough not to jar on broken and patchy surfaces. It's choppy on scalloped freeways, though with mild bounce over only the largest moguls and dips.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
3	3	3	4.9

Troublingly rubbery steering feel and lots of body lean and front-end plowing in turns. Poor directional stability at highway speeds with any crosswind. Simulated emergency stops were no problem with and without optional ABS.

Quietness

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
3	3	3	3.6

Engine moans and drones in hard acceleration or when cruising above 55 mph or so. Wind rush tolerably low, but tires sing a noisy tune even on fairly smooth pavement.

Controls

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5	5.6

Uninspired design, but logical and convenient save smallish audio controls. Sedan lacks tachometer and release for trunklid, but intermittent wipers are standard. Cabin materials slightly better than entry-level pricing would suggest. A test sedan's rear parcel shelf vibrated loudly when a rear door or the trunk lid was slammed.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
3	3	3	4.4

Good head room because seats are low to floor. Height-adjustable driver seat standard, though optional tilt wheel doesn't lift that high and larger drivers may feel confined. Standard fold-down driver armrest a nice touch. Aft visibility poor on both body styles.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
2	2	3	3.2

Very tight for adult legs unless front passengers move well up; even then, minimal toe space. Wagon seems to have slightly more head room than the sedan's bare minimum. No rear cupholders. Entry/exit tight because doors have narrow bottoms and don't open wide.

Cargo Room

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
2	2	6	3.3

Sedan trunk space good for such a small car, but opening won't swallow large boxes, and no fold-down rear seatback offered. Wagon has split folding rear seat, roomy cargo hold, and convenient pull-down tailgate handle, but high floor lip hinders easy loading.

Value within Class

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
1	1	2	4.7

Rio offers "cheap wheels" economy and a generous warranty, but Kia's resale values are low, partly in recognition of its unproven record of reliability and low ratings on independent surveys of customer satisfaction. Our test Rios were optioned to $11,400 or more, which buys a larger, fancier used car in good condition--or a more-desirable Toyota Echo.

Total Score

Base sdn, man.	Base sdn, auto.	Cinco wgn, auto.	Class Average
31	32	36	44.2

Scores for all Compact Cars

Low Score		31
Average Score		44
High Score		61

2002 Kia Rio Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 12/21/2001

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Base 4-door sedan, manual	$9,095	$8,450	$495

Base 4-door sedan, automatic	$9,970	$9,250	$495

Cinco 4-door wagon, manual	$10,385	$9,630	$495

Cinco 4-door wagon, automatic	$11,260	$10,445	$495

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

There are no rebates or incentives at this time.

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

Base

Powertrain

1.5-liter dohc 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

Safety

Dual front airbags, emergency inside trunk release.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Manual steering, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats w/height-adjustable driver seat, center console, cupholders, rear defogger, intermittent wipers.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

175/65R14 tires, wheel covers.

Cinco adds to Base:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Power steering, tilt steering wheel, split folding rear seat, AM/FM/cassette, tachometer, visor mirrors, cargo cover, rear wiper/washer.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Upgrade Pkg.
Base	$380	$315
Power steering, tilt steering wheel, visor mirrors, bodyside moldings.

Safety
Antilock brakes
Base, Cinco	$400	$350


Comfort and Convenience Features
Air conditioning
Base, Cinco	$750	$650


AM/FM/cassette
Base	$320	$250


AM/FM/CD player
Base	$425	$350
Cinco	$125	$100


Power door locks
Base, Cinco	$95	$75


Floormats
Base, Cinco	$69	$48


Appearance and Miscellaneous
Rear spoiler
Base	$85	$65


Alloy wheels
Base, Cinco	$275	$225

2002 Kia Rio Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Kia Rio 4-door sedan	Kia Rio 4-door wagon

Wheelbase, in.	94.9	94.9

Overall Length, in.	165.9	165.9

Overall Width, in.	65.9	65.9

Overall Height, in.	56.7	56.7

Curb Weight, lbs.	2242	2436

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	9.2	44.3

Standard Payload, lbs.	--	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	11.9	11.9

Seating Capacity	5	5

Front Head Room, in.	39.4	39.4

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	42.8	42.8

Rear Head Room, in.	37.6	37.6

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	32.7	32.7

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	dohc I4

Size, liters/cu. in.	1.5 /91

Horsepower @ rpm.	96 @ 5800

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	98 @ 4500

Availability	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

5-speed manual	27/30

4-speed automatic	25/30

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	Kia Rio 4-door sedan	Kia Rio 4-door wagon

Front Impact, Driver	4	4

Front Impact, Passenger	4	4

Rollover Resistance	4	4

Side Impact, Driver	3	NA

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	3	NA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	10/100,000	--

Bumper-to-bumper	5/60,000	--

Corrosion	5/100,000	--

Free roadside assistance	5/unlimited	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: South Korea

Drivewheels: front-wheel drive

< 2002 Kia Rio Photos

Also in the 2002 Kia Rio Review:

Kia Rio

Kia Rio Road Test

Kia Rio Prices & Equipment

Kia Rio Specs & Safety

Kia Rio Photos

Kia Rio Full Review

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