Kia Rio 2005 Review

These cars may have low price tags, but no longer are they cheap on the inside.

Kia's Rio may not set any benchmarks in the light-car segment but it is one of many entries tailor-made to the price-sensitive end of the market.

The latest model comes with a host of features including driver and passenger front and side airbags, three-point seatbelts with pretensioners and rear three-point seatbelts.

Power windows, mirrors and steering, remote central locking, airconditioning, driver's armrest, CD player, luggage cover in the hatch, 12-volt power socket and variable recline rear seats are also standard.

Front and rear power windows are not offered in some of the large cars that are double the Rio's $15,990 tag.

The Rio is powered by a 1.6-litre engine that produces 11kW more power than the previous version, now at 82kW and 145Nm of torque. The Rio shoots along, reaching 100km/h in 10.2 seconds.

The manual Rio in the garage (we have not yet driven an automatic) is sprightly off the mark. It is zippy around the city and its small dimensions make it easy to park, not to mention the tiny 5m turning circle.

The clutch is light and gear-changing action is smooth, although the five-speed gearbox feels a little clunky.

The 82kW engine is one of the most powerful in the class and will happily spin to redline without protesting.

On the road the Rio is smooth and quiet, soaking up most of the potholes on Sydney's roads. But when hitting bumps the car tends to bounce over them, making it feel unsettled.

Steering feels a little vague and is light but the Rio gets around tight corners without too much fuss. Getting into the Rio is made a lot easier with both the front and rear seats raised. The cabin doesn't look, or feel, cheap and nasty. The interior is bare but the uncluttered design keeps things simple.

Rear-seat hatch passengers can even recline the back seat rests.

The quality of the build is emphasised by the no-fuss quietness of simple operations, such as power windows and door locks.

The doors feel solid and don't sound tinny when closing.

The passenger dash curves under the windscreen and gives the feeling of space and there is loads of leg room.

There are two cupholders, and for those who don't smoke, the ashtray can be removed to reveal a third. The dashboard instruments have a funky European appearance and the steering wheel is a comfortable size.

The non-slip mats in the storage compartments keep things where they should be, and the positioning of a separate power socket (not just the cigarette lighter) is perfect to charge the phone in car and still keep it easily accessible. ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution are available for $850.

Rather than annoying chimes or warning bells sounding if the headlights are left on, the Rio has a battery-saver function that allows the lights to be left on if you want them to be. Once the battery gets down to a low level (if the lights are accidentally left on) all functions are automatically cut off so the battery never goes flat.

The addition of a full-sized spare is a bonus.