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Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Sep 2011 Class: Superminis
New price: £10,130 - £16,730 Used price: On sale:
Performance:
Ride comfort:
handling:
★★★
★★★
★★★
Boot & Storage:
Safety:
★★★★
★★★★★
Reliability:
★★★
Total score:
74%
Superb value-for-money package, with seven-year warranty.
Lowest emissions of any conventional diesel engine. Sporty styling.
Performed poorly in our avoidance test.
Cabin isn’t as plush as VW Polo.
Kia is still a relatively non-prestigious brand.
Recommended models
in the range
Which? Car Top Choice Model
New price: Used price: -
Fastest Model
1.4 4 5dr ISG
New price: £15,715
Used price: -
11.1 secs
0-62mph:
Most Efficient Model
1.1 CRDi 1 EcoDynamics 5dr
New price: £11,995
Used price: Combined fuel economy:
88.3 mpg
Cheapest Model to buy new
1.25 1 3dr
New price:
Overview
The prospect of a new Kia Rio may not set pulses racing – previous incarnations of this Korean
supermini haven’t exactly been inspiring to look at or drive.
But this could all change with the arrival of the latest Rio, which not only looks like a classy
supermini contender, it drives like one too. And its lengthy seven-year warranty wipes the
floor with the cover offered by other mainstream rivals. According to Kia, everything apart
from the name. The Peter Schreyer-led design is longer, lower and wider than before, and
for the first time the Rio will be offered in three-door as well as five-door form (five-door from
September 2011, three-door spring 2012).
Under the bonnet there’s a choice of four distinctly different engines, two petrol and two
diesel. Most popular powerplant looks set to be the 1.25 petrol recently introduced in the new
Picanto city car. The other petrol choice is a perky 1.4.
Diesel power options are a 1.4 or three-cylinder 1.1 – the latter’s claimed emissions of
85g/km are the lowest to-date of any conventional-engined car; Kia also says it’s capable of
88.3mpg.
In line with other Kia models, three simply-named trim levels are offered: 1, 2, 3. Prices
start at just over £10,000 for the 1.25 1, rise to nearer £12,000 for the 85g/km 1.1 CRDi 1
EcoDynamics, and to nearly £15,000 for the fully loaded 1.4 CRDi 3 EcoDynamics.
Not sure which optional extras to choose? Read our optional extras guide
Competition in the supermini sector is the toughest of all – every other new car purchased
by private buyers is a small hatchback. So the Rio has more than 50 rivals; the most significant
of these are the Ford Fiesta (which is often the top seller too), Hyundai i20, Mazda 2, Peugeot
207, Skoda Fabia and VW Polo (the benchmark car for refinement, in our opinion).
£10,130
Cheapest Model to buy used
Used price:
-
Cheapest Model to Run (new)
1.25 1 3dr
New price: £10,130
Running costs: £9,624
(3 years/36,000 miles)
Owner’s View
I chose it for its green
credentials and I haven’t
been disappointed. As
a bonus, it is stylish,
comfortable to drive, and
has everything we’ve come
to expect, like central
locking and window
controls, and standard
safety features. The rear
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
On the road
How we test
Neither the 1.25-litre nor 1.4-litre petrol Rio we tested are what you’d call performance
machines. You really have to rev the engine hard to be rewarded with good acceleration, and
you’ll find yourself needing to shift through the gears quite frequently. The overall handling
isn’t brilliant, either - the Kia didn’t do particularly well in our avoidance test, and the standard-fit
ESC doesn’t perform well enough to prevent a lot of oversteer in fast bends.
Performance
★★★
The 1.25-litre petrol model we tested needs to be revved to 4,000rpm to reach the 83bhp and
121Nm of torque (pulling power), which isn’t a good thing. It means you need to be constantly
changing gear to get good performance and in fourth and fifth gears there is barely any pull.
Even to get reasonable performance, you need to rev out the engine in every gear. That said, performance is sufficient for regular urban traffic and for moderate cruising
speeds on the motorway. And because the four-cylinder engine is fairly smooth with little
vibrations, it sails along quite comfortably - only when you have to rev it hard does the engine
start to drone inside the cabin.
The 1.4 version has slightly more performance thanks to its 107bhp power output, but it’s
still not the quickest supermini around. You’ll find yourself shifting down from top gear a lot to
maintain good pace. The gearbox is precise and smooth, and, thanks to a short-shift gearbox, allows for swift
gear changes. The gear ratios are spaced rather far apart, though. Engaging the reverse gear
can sometimes become difficult, but this will improve as you become accustomed with it. Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Ride comfort
Acceleration (37-62mph)
8.4 secs
7.4 secs
Rating
★★★
★★★★
★★★
The Kia Rio has good spring and damper settings, but is lacking a little refinement and the
chassis isn’t the most responsive to surface irregularities. Short surface changes (like the
yellow warning strips as you approach traffic lights and roundabouts) are transmitted to the
passengers. There’s plenty of damping to prevent overt diving and lurching under heavy
braking and acceleration and there’s little body roll in corners. Fully loaded, there isn’t much
change to the ride.
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Rating
★★★
★★★
Performance
We use the sophisticated electronic timing
equipment to record standing-start and
in-gear acceleration, and repeat each test
several times.
Ride comfort
Ride comfort is assessed by our laboratory experts who have driven hundreds of
thousands of miles in a myriad of different
models.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
On the road continued...
How we test
Handling
★★★
Handling
The Rio is slow to respond to steering input, making direction changes abrupt at times. The electronic traction control means you get plenty of grip in slippery conditions, but the
standard stability control (ESC) isn’t quite as impressive. This was highlighted in our avoidance
test: the car understeers slightly on the initial turn-in and then oversteers massively as the
car swerves back into line, which may cause skidding if the driver doesn’t countersteer again
immediately. The ESC kicks in too late and isn’t intrusive enough to prevent this happening.
We’d recommend that Kia updates the ESC system to control this swerving effect better.
In fast corners, the Rio also oversteers, and if you come off the throttle mid-corner this only
gets worse. The ESC has a difficult time coping with this, and the harder you push the more
obvious the problem is.
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
★★★
★★★
★★★★
While the handling of the new Kia Rio is somewhat questionable, braking is not a concern.
The brakes are stable and there is no fade, even after excessive use. They’re responsive and
incremental, and the brake assist is helpful.
Braking distance (62-0mph)
37.3m
37.3m
Refinement and noise
Rating
Noise levels measured inside the Rio’s cabin are acceptable. At 4,500rpm the 1.25 engine
does start to vibrate and become more audible inside the car. Wind and road noises can also
be heard, but aren’t distracting or irritating.
Cruising noise
70dB
71dB
The Which? Car braking test measures
stopping distance from 62-0mph and is
repeated ten times in quick succession to
highlight any brake fade issues.
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
Refinement and noise
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Brakes
Rating
Brakes
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
On-the-limit handling is explored well
away from public roads to ensure a fair
test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of
the harshest tests in the industry..
Rating
★★★
★★★
The Which? Car experts use a decibel
meter to record interior sound levels
at common UK motorway speeds, and
combine this with subjective assessments
to arrive at an overall score.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
On the road continued...
How we test
Cabin and controls
★★★★★
Cabin and controls
There are plenty of positives in the Rio’s interior. The height- and reach-adjustable steering
wheel is easy to adapt and the pedals and gear lever are well placed. The start button is
backlit, making it easier to find, but it is partially covered by the steering wheel. The instrument
gauges are all large and easy to see and the on-board computer carries all the key information. The radio and optional sat-nav (touch screen) control panels are easy to reach and use,
and the controlling buttons in the dash are all well placed and well marked.
The only real criticism we have is that fully open doors are hard to close from inside as the
door handles are too far away from the seated occupant.
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Rating
Visibility and parking
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★
Visibility and parking
The Rio only receives an average all-round visibility rating in our lab test. Forward visibility is
OK, but rear visibility is limited by a high rear window line and chunky C-pillars.
Another slight disappointment is that xenon lamps are not available.
A turning circle of 11.4m is also way too big for a town-dwelling car like this.
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
We penalise cars with difficult controls,
and we look for things like backlit light
switches and easy-to-use heating and
ventilation adjustments.
Turning circle
11.4m
11.3m
Rating
★★★
★★★
Visibility is a major issue for motorists
today, so each car gets a 360-degree
swivel view test to reproduce the driver’s
eye view and any obscured areas.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
Comfort and practicality
How we test
Getting in and out of the 2011- Kia Rio is aided by wide door apertures and low sills, and once
inside it’s a very roomy supermini. The boot is highly practical too, with plenty of storage
compartments. One slight irritation is the air conditioning, which sometimes seems to have a
mind of its own.
Getting in and out
Getting in and out
★★★
The Rio has wide door apertures and low sills, meaning it’s fairly easy for most people to get in
and out. Taller rear passengers will have to mind their head getting in, due to the sloping roof
line. Models with keyless entry can be opened using the remote locking or by merely touching
the buttons in the front door handles and the boot hatch while you have the keys in your
pocket. We take measurements all around the
driver and passenger’s door apertures
and note the height of the seat, door sills
and step down onto the car floor. The
best cars don’t require too much bending
or stretching to get in and out.
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Seat space and comfort
Seat space and comfort
Rating
★★★
★★★
★★★★
Front seats are firm but tall and ergonomically-shaped rear backrests provide plenty of
support. The seat bases offer good thigh support and make long-distance trips more
comfortable than in some rivals. There is plenty of room up front, with lavish headroom and
generous cabin width. The front passenger seat is not height adjustable.
The rear seats aren’t as supportive as those in the front, and a pronounced tilt in the seat
bases results in poor upper-leg support. And, realistically, the Rio only has two back seats
as the centre strip would not accommodate a passenger of any size. This is disappointing,
especially as this supermini feels wide and spacious inside. Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
We assess seat comfort subjectively,
using our road testers’ expert knowledge
and experience from thousands of different cars. And we measure the head-, legand elbowroom on offer in every seat, to
see how well the car caters for people of
all shapes and sizes.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
Comfort and practicality continued...
How we test
Boot and storage
★★★★
Boot and storage
A boot capacity with the back seats up of 260 litres is OK for a large-sized supermini - a
capacity of 625 litres with the back seats lowered is much more impressive. Overall, the boot’s
pretty practical, with a cargo net on the floor to prevent items rolling around, and a storage bin
and another net in each corner to contain smaller objects. The boot hatch is easy to open and close, it’s nice and wide and isn’t too deep, meaning
it’s easy to access.
The split-folding rear seats do drop down easily, but you have to pay attention when doing
this as the seats can pinch on the seatbelts and cause damage. Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Boot space (seats up/down)
260 litres / 625 litres
260 litres / 625 litres
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
Carmakers give official stats for boot
space, but our tests are more realistic. We
load the boot up with measuring blocks
only as far as the rear window line, so
that luggage is well secured and won’t
obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test
with the rear seats up, and folded down
(where possible).
Heating and ventilation
Heating and ventilation
★★★
In our climate chamber, the Rio performed adequately. It warmed up from -10°C to 22°C in just
13 minutes in the front seats and 19 minutes in the back. There aren’t separate temperature
controls for the front and rear and the air volume controls are fairly inflexible. Another irritation
is the standard AC - this kicks in if the car detects the front window is fogging up and you
cannot deactivate it or change the air volume until the misting has cleared. It’s worth noting that higher spec models come with automatic air-con and heated front
seats as standard. Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Rating
★★★
★★★
Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm
each car up from a frosty -10 degrees in
our climate chamber. Starting with a cold
engine, we measure how long it takes to
warm up the front and rear of the cabin.
Diesel cars usually take longer. We also
check the effectiveness of air conditioning, where fitted.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
Running costs and depreciation
How we test
Fuel-efficiency isn’t brilliant on either the 1.25-litre or 1.4-litre petrol models we’ve tested. If you
want the cheapest running costs, the 1.1-litre EcoDynamics diesel (without air conditioning) is
claimed to return 88mpg and will cost nothing to tax.
Fuel consumption
Fuel consumption
The 1.25-litre petrol Rio we tested in our lab returned 49.6mpg on the combined cycle. That’s
quite a bit off the 56.5mpg claims made by Kia, but is better than some rivals, like the Toyota
Yaris. The 1.4 version didn’t fare any better, averaging 46.3mpg in our hands (against a claimed
51.4mpg).
Economy-conscious buyers will be attracted to the 1.1-litre EcoDynamics diesel model
(without air-con) as this returns a claimed 88.3mpg. In fact, the remaining 1.1-litre diesel versions
and the 1.4-litre diesel are all claimed to return over 70mpg. Petrol (combined mpg, claimed)
44.1 mpg - 56.5 mpg
Diesel (combined mpg, claimed)
70.6 mpg - 88.3 mpg
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Urban (claimed/tested)
47.1 mpg/44.8 mpg
39.2 mpg/38.7 mpg
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Extra urban (claimed/tested)
65.7 mpg/61.4 mpg
62.8 mpg/58.9 mpg
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Motorway (measured)
41.5 mpg
40.9 mpg
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Combined (claimed/tested)
56.5 mpg/49.6 mpg
51.4 mpg/46.3 mpg
We test fuel economy under strict lab
conditions – using realistic test cycles – to
reveal the facts behind the figures. Our
figures rarely match manufacturer claims
as, unlike the official mpg test, we measure economy with both a hot and cold
engine, and on the motorway.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
Running costs and depreciation continued...
How we test
Emissions
Emissions
Emissions for the 1.25 petrol as tested were higher than those claimed by the carmaker, but
this won’t affect the car tax costs. A claimed CO2 output of 114g/km means just £30 a year car
tax. The 1.4’s 128g/km emissions bump it up a tax band into £95-per-year territory. The 1.4-litre
automatic petrol emits the highest and results in £130 tax per annum.
1.1-litre diesel models qualify for free car tax and the 1.4-litre diesel will costs owners just
£20 a year to tax. Petrol (CO2, claimed)
114g per km - 150g per km
Diesel (CO2, claimed)
85g per km - 105g per km
While testing fuel economy, we also
collect exhaust gases to enable us to
measure the amount of carbon dioxide
(CO2) emitted. We also check whether
particulate filters are effective at removing
sooty emissions from diesel engines.
Safety
Model tested
1.25 petrol (83bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
1.4 petrol (107bhp) manual 5-door (2011)
Emissions (claimed/tested)
114g per km/130g per km
124g per km/140g per km
Safety and security
The base-level Rio comes with plenty of standard kit. Stability control and brake assist is
included on all models, as is the LED brake light which flashes to warn approaching drivers
when you’re braking very hard. The engine cannot be started without depressing the clutch.
A slight niggle is that the fuel filler neck is on the traffic-exposed side of the car. The rear
power windows also don’t have anti-pinch sensors, so children could trap their fingers. We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP
crash test scores (where available),
alongside our own comprehensive safety
checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results
from our accident avoidance test – after
all, it’s far better to steer around a crash
than rely on the airbags...
Euro NCAP score
Security
★★★★★
In the adult occupancy crash tests, the Rio provided good safety for adults of all sizes. There
was plenty of protection all round, apart from in the side barrier test, as the rear door that took
the impact was found to be not fully latched after the test, and Euro NCAP did penalise for
this. However, the Rio came through the more severe side impact test without this reoccurring. Please enable JavaScript to access this content. Electronic stability control is standard equipment on the Rio, and met Euro NCAP’s test
requirements (although it fared less well in our own tests).
Please enable JavaScript to access this content. (Year tested: 2011)
Adult occupant
Child protection
Pedestrian protection
Safety assist
92%
84%
46%
86%
★★★★★
Which? safety rating
Active (crash avoidance)
Passive (crash safety)
Child
Pedestrian
67%
80%
70%
45%
Security
Theft of car: Theft from car:
-
-
Security scores come from the security
experts at Thatcham, who break into
hundreds of cars each year. Most modern
cars are very difficult to drive away, but
are still too easy to steal from.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
Which? Car Survey results
About our survey
The Which? Car Survey is the UK’s biggest and best reliability and owner satisfaction survey.
In 2013, drivers told us about 57,182 cars, covering more than 450 million miles in the previous
12 months (that’s equivalent to driving 18,398 times around the world). This unique feedback
allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars.
Note Star ratings below are from 1-5 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown
under ‘Most common faults’ indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the
past 12 months.
Brand
Sample size: 1,100 people
Kia ratings
Overall owner satisfaction for this brand
Brand reliability
Dealer Servicing & repair
Sample size: 37 people
Ownership ratings
Overall owner satisfaction for this range
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Everyone who takes part in the Which?
Car survey tells us about their car and
the dealers who sell and service it. We
analyse this feedback across all cars to
give top-level satisfaction ratings for each
brand, including the brand’s reliability
record over the last eight years. All star
ratings are out of five.
Model ownership ratings
★★★
★★★
Dealer Sales Service
Model: Kia Rio (2011-)
81%
Brand ratings
These show how owners score this car
in 12 different areas, from performance to
heating. Owners’ ratings are subjective –
so may differ from Which? Car test scores
– but they give a good idea of what the
car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars
are scored against other cars in the same
class (e.g. for space).
83%
-
Owner’s View
Good practical car,
appreciate the 7 year
warranty.
Owner’s View
Dashboard rattle over
rough roads. Tiny rear
window and thick side
pillars. Reversing sensors
essential.
Which? Car review
Kia Rio (2011-)
Superminis
Which? Car Survey results continued...
About our survey
Reliability ratings
Reliability ratings
★★★
Overall Reliability
Petrol cars
Reliability
Breakdowns
Average annual repair cost
Diesel cars
Reliability
Breakdowns
Average annual repair cost
All cars
Reliability
Breakdowns
Average annual repair cost
Up to 3 years old
3-8 years old
-
-
-
-
-
-
★★★
-
£5
-
We split reliability into breakdowns (including failure to start), faults (where parts
need replacing) and problems (minor issues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where
the car has been on sale for some time,
and we have numerous survey responses
from owners, we also split scores by the
age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are
out of five – the more stars, the more reliable the car.
Most common faults
Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months
Average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12
months
Most common faults
Up to 3 years old
Engine - Other
Steering
Manual gearbox
Onboard computer
Clutch
5%
5%
3%
3%
3%
3-8 years old
-
-
-
-
-
-
Failure rate: The proportion of owners reporting this problem in the last year
Want to know what’s most likely to go
wrong as the car gets older? These are
the five most common faults reported by
owners, grouped by age into new, recent
and older cars. A score of 40% means
four out of 10 owners reported problems
with that part of the car over the previous
12 months. Engine electrics and non-engine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause
more headaches than mechanical parts in
most modern cars.