2003 Kia Rio Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Kia's entry-level subcompacts get subtle styling changes, a larger engine, and extra standard and optional features for '03. Among the least-expensive cars on the market, Rio offers a sedan and wagon, the latter called Cinco. Both have a 4-cyl engine that goes from 1.5 liters and 96 hp to 1.6 liters and 104 for 2003. Manual transmission is standard, automatic optional. Options include ABS, air conditioning, power steering, and power door locks, and now power windows and fog lights. Side airbags aren't offered. Added as standard for '03 are rear-seat heater ducts, cupholders in the front-door map pockets and, for Cinco, a CD player. Kia claims engineering updates reduce noise and vibration, suspension alterations improve ride comfort, and that larger front brakes increase stopping power. Kia is owned by Hyundai and both South Korean automakers share warranty coverage: 5-years/60,000-mi. basic, 10/100,000 powertrain, 5 years/unlimited roadside assistance.

Competition

Honda Civic continues to be the car to beat with a 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. Also a Best Buy, Ford Focus doesn't offer the refinement of the Civic, but doesn't cost as much either.

Topping the crowded Recommended list are 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 redesigned but still reliable Toyota Corolla, the sporty Nissan Sentra, and the roomy Mazda Protege. Each of these is a valid alternative to a Best Buy if price is your major concern.

News

Launched in mid-2000, Rio drew some 51,500 sales through the end of 2001, not grand even for the cutthroat small-car market, and demand was basically flat in the first nine months of 2002. A rumored 4-dr hatchback sedan is still nowhere in sight, leading us to conclude it's been scratched.

Industry sources say a redesign is scheduled for model-year 2006, at which point Rio becomes a sibling of parent Hyundai's entry-level Accent. The current Rio is a Kia design that was in the pipeline before Hyundai purchased Kia.

2003 Kia Rio Road Test

Pros	Cons

Fuel economy	Acceleration

	Noise

	Rear-seat room/comfort

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
4	4

Test manual-transmission sedan ran 9.9 sec 0-60 mph. We haven't yet tested an '03 with automatic, but would expect about 11 sec vs. the 11.5 we got with earlier 1.5-liter version.

Fuel Economy

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
6	6.5

Not stellar for the class at 24.2 mpg for test sedan. Kia recommends regular fuel.

Ride Quality

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
5	4.4

Little changed despite '03 chassis revisions. Rio smothers small bumps surprisingly well, but bounces some over large humps and dips on relatively soft suspension.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
4	5.3

Small-car agile, but wimpy tires and soft suspension mean marked body lean, limited grip in corners. Test car's optional power steering had mediocre road feel, and its non-ABS brakes allowed early front-wheel locking in simulated panic stops, which weren't that short.

Quietness

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
4	3.7

Below par even for the budget class, with boomy engine resonance from 4500 rpm on up, plus marked coarse-surface tire thrum.

Controls

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
5	5.6

No problems, but no flair either, though materials acceptable for the price and radio controls are now adult-size. Extra-cost Upgrade Package adds tachometer and map lights. Our test car had it, plus optional power windows that did not operate smoothly; driver-side glass wouldn't lower without a push to free it.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
3	4.8

Upgrade option brings power steering and useful tilt wheel. Drivers get standard height-adjustable seat with center armrest. Both models offer decent visibility, but only average room and comfort for 6-footers.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
2	3.7

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

Cargo Room

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
2	3.8

Sedan has good trunk space for its exterior size, but opening won't swallow large boxes, and no fold-down rear seatback offered. Wagon has split folding rear seat and roomy cargo hold, but high floor lip hinders loading.

Value within Class

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
1	5.4

Despite its '03 changes, Rio is still outclassed by most rivals. It may have lower base prices, but a few options negate the advantage, and Rio's more-generous warranty is more than offset by Kia's mediocre reliability record and low scores in independent customer-satisfaction surveys. For superior all-around "cheap wheels," we recommend a Ford Focus or, if your budget allows, a Honda Civic.

Total Score

Base sdn, man.	Class Average
36	47.2

Scores for all Compact Cars

Low Score		34
Average Score		47
High Score		62

2003 Kia Rio Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 08/18/2003

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Base 4-door sedan, manual	$9,665	$9,260	$540

Base 4-door sedan, automatic	$10,540	$10,090	$540

Cinco 4-door wagon, manual	$11,165	$10,670	$540

Cinco 4-door wagon, automatic	$12,040	$11,485	$540

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

1.6-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, variable-intermittent wipers, automatic-off headlights.

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/CD player, tachometer, visor mirrors, map lights, rear wiper/washer.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Upgrade Pkg.
Base	$400	$350
Power steering, tilt steering wheel, tachometer, map lights, visor mirrors, bodyside moldings.

Power Pkg.
Base, Cinco	$335	$291
Power windows and door locks.

Safety
Antilock brakes
Base, Cinco	$400	$349


Comfort and Convenience Features
Air conditioning
Base, Cinco	$750	$652


AM/FM/CD player
Base	$425	$370


Floormats
Base, Cinco	$70	$54


Floormats w/cargo mat
Cinco	$120	$92


Appearance and Miscellaneous
Rear spoiler
Cinco	$100	$87


Fog lights
Base, Cinco	$115	$100


Alloy wheels
Base, Cinco	$275	$239

2003 Kia Rio Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

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

Wheelbase, in.	94.9	94.9

Overall Length, in.	166.9	166.9

Overall Width, in.	65.9	65.9

Overall Height, in.	56.7	56.7

Curb Weight, lbs.	2242	2236

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.	1.6 /97

Horsepower @ rpm.	104 @ 5800

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	104 @ 4700

Availability	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

5-speed manual	26/33

4-speed automatic	25/32

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 Cinco 4-door wagon

Front Impact, Driver	4	4

Front Impact, Passenger	4	4

Rollover Resistance	4	4

Side Impact, Driver	2	NA

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	2	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

< 2003 Kia Rio Photos

Also in the 2003 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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