Used 2018 Kia Rio

The value-packed 2018 Kia Rio, available as a sedan or 5-door hatchback, boasts a larger interior than its diminutive size would suggest, a generous serving of tech-savvy features and the best warranty in the segment. The Rio is a more substantial car than its sub-$15,000 base price would suggest, and its options list includes items that you’d normally find on cars costing significantly more. All-new for 2018, the Rio is bolstered by an attractive, quiet interior, a comfortable ride, and an expansive array of safety features. An underappreciated car in the subcompact group, the Rio is poised to take on segment standouts like the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa (and Note), Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris.

Thanks to a new platform and suspension, the longer, lower, wider Kia Rio feels more planted and confident than in the past and has more poise than you might expect for its size and price. The newly redesigned cabin is smartly laid out, is roomier than the car’s size would suggest, and is available with features you’d expect to find at a higher price point. The Rio is available with one engine and either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. The Rio used every ounce of the engine’s 130 horsepower and 119 lb-ft of torque, and did fine accelerating onto the freeway. This isn’t a ton of power, but the benefit is better fuel economy. Considering this is a commuter car, getting mpg as good as 29 in the city and 37 on the highway will offer a bigger benefit than high horsepower in the long run.

The Kia Rio’s relatively roomy interior looks more upscale than you may expect in this size category — even in the base LX — and contains several appealing convenience and tech features. The screen serves as the infotainment center and is well placed near the top of the dashboard. Controls to adjust temperature and the stereo are logically placed and within easy reach. Steering-wheel-mounted controls are standard; the more features your Rio has, the more features you can control via buttons on the steering wheel. Leather accents are optional on the EX.

Whether in 4-door sedan or 5-door hatchback form, the Rio’s new looks have a European influence, and the Rio is now both sportier and more mature than in the past. Even though the sedan and hatch share the same wheelbase, the sedan is almost 13 inches longer. All models come with 15-inch wheels and tires, but step up to the EX and your Rio rides on alloy wheels. Also differentiating the EX from the rest are fog lights, a black-and-chrome grille, and a black/body-color bumper.

TECH-FRIENDLY INTERIOR
It’s easy to stay connected in the Rio, with available features like a 7-inch display to run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Sirius satellite radio is standard, Bluetooth and a rearview camera are available, and there’s a USB jack and optional charger.

SAFETY FEATURES
The Kia Rio is one of the least expensive cars to offer Autonomous Emergency Braking. There’s also a long list of safety features that are standard across the board. Six airbags, hill-start assist, vehicle-stability management and tire-pressure monitoring are included on every Rio.

The starting price for the base LX, including destination fees, is under $15,000. There are some pleasant standard-equipment surprises in the LX trim, such as the 5-inch audio display, steering-wheel-mounted controls, air conditioning, tinted glass, Sirius satellite radio and extensive safety equipment. However, you’ll be cranking the windows by hand, the 15-inch wheels are steel with covers, you don’t get a center console with armrest, a 60/40-split rear seat comes only on S-and-higher Rio sedans (standard on hatchbacks), and power seats aren’t offered on any trim level.

If you opt for the top-of-the-line EX, you’re welcomed by a Rio with alloy wheels, front fog lights, heated side mirrors, tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel (it’s tilt-only on LX and S) and a 3.5-inch LCD display within the gauge cluster. You control UVO3 infotainment and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto through a 7-inch screen, and you get cruise control and one-touch auto up/down power windows. On the safety side, all EX models come with Autonomous Emergency Braking.

The engine is an updated version of the 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that powered last year’s Rio. Power is down a bit — a mere eight horsepower — from last year, but the upside is that fuel economy has improved for 2018, by one mpg on the highway and as much as two mpg in the city. You can get a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission in either the 4-door sedan or the 5-door hatchback.

1.6-liter inline-4
130 horsepower @ 6,300 rpm
119 lb-ft of torque @ 4,850 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 29/37 mpg (manual), 28/37 mpg (automatic)