Acceleration

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4.4

Adequate around town with either transmission, but wants for highway-speed passing power. Manual transmission shifts easily, has light clutch action; test sedan so equipped did 9.4 sec 0-60 mph. Smooth automatic kicks down quickly enough to summon what power is available.

Fuel Economy

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
7	6	6.7

Test manual-transmission LX sedans averaged 27.2-28.4 mpg, including gas-eating performance runs. Automatic-transmission Rio5 averaged 23 mpg in test heavy on urban commuting.

Ride Quality

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
5	5	4.9

Both sedan, hatchback solidly built and comfortable for compact cars. Some jouncing on wavy pavement. Smaller bumps register with a thump. Larger ones cause occasional jolt.

Steering/Handling/Braking

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
4	5	5.6

Rewardingly maneuverable, with quick, accurate steering. Helped by 15-inch tires vs. 14s on sedans, Rio5 feels almost sporty. All have moderate body lean. Rio5 has adequate grip in fast turns, sedans prone to noseplow. Gusty crosswinds affect straightline stability. Rios with ABS have good stopping power, pedal feel. In test LX without ABS, rear wheels were quick to lock up in rapid braking on wet roads.

Quietness

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4.2

Engine noisy during acceleration. Cruises more quietly with automatic transmission vs. manual. Moderate wind noise. Lots of road noise over coarse pavement, some thumping over bumps.

Controls

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
6	6	5.9

Gauges clear. Audio, climate controls angled toward driver, have large knobs, buttons, are high-mounted, easy to reach. Most cabin surfaces are hard plastic, but materials, assembly quality equal to many more-expensive cars.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5.5

Good head, leg room. Firm, comfortable seats, though larger drivers may want wider cushions. Driver seat adjusts for height, has fold-down right armrest. Tilt steering wheel standard on all but base model. Poor visibility to rear corners in Rio5.

Room/Comfort (rear)

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
3	3	3.9

Quite good for a compact. Adequate head, toe room. Leg room tight only if front seat is well back. Fairly easy ingress/egress. Seat nicely contoured. Seatback angle adjustable in Rio5, a rarity in this class.

Cargo Room

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
2	6	4.7

All but base sedan have split folding rear seatback. Sedan's doesn't lie flat, rests above level of trunk floor, and opening is cramped. Release awkwardly placed toward center of seats. Trunklid hinges dip into load area. Rio5 benefits from hatchback load volume and seat bottom that flips forward, allowing seatback to lie nearly flat. Release is handy. Interior storage features five small bins, but no console box, and only a small glovebox.

Value within Class

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
6	6	6.2

These smallest Kias are best suited to undemanding, low-speed work. That said, Rio and Rio5 are surprisingly well-constructed and backed by strong warranties. They also deliver a lot for the money, notably standard front side airbags and curtain side airbags. The base sedan offers no options, so if you want such features as air conditioning, automatic transmission, or ABS, you must move up to the costlier LX sedan or Rio5 hatchback.

Total Score

LX, man.	Rio5 SX w/ABS, auto.	Class Average
46	50	52

Scores for all Compact Cars

Low Score		37
Average Score		52
High Score		64