Used 2021 Kia Rio

The 2021 Kia Rio is either a subcompact sedan or, as the Rio 5-door, a subcompact hatchback. Both are priced competitively, but the sedan is the more affordable of the two.

A typical Kia approach is to offer substantial vehicles at reasonable prices. And even though the Rio sedan is the cheapest new Kia, it still comes with a tidy amount of standard equipment (although we’d prefer it if some driver assistance features were standard, or at least made available with the base trim). It’s also spacious enough up front to accommodate tall drivers.

Small cars are not so numerous as they were even just last year. Both the Toyota Yaris and the erstwhile class-leading Honda Fit have both been discontinued. This leaves the 2021 Rio in competition with its sister car from Hyundai, the Accent sedan, plus the Nissan Versa sedans, the Chevrolet Spark (hatchback only), and the Mitsubishi Mirage (available as a sedan or hatchback).

The Kia Rio is one the strongest of this bunch, especially if the European-flavored styling (updated this year) is factored in. And like the Hyundai Accent, the Rio has an unbeatable 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty along with a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty.

As long as no one expects a pocket rocket, the 2021 Rio should please most buyers with its agreeable driving behavior. Kia makes the best out of what are inexpensive components, like the continuously variable transmission (CVT), torsion beam rear suspension setup, and drum brakes at the rear.

The ride is comfortable. The steering, which could use some more feel, is at least precise. Corners are tackled with ease — safe and predictable understeer phases in at more enthusiastic speeds. And it’s the discs at the front wheels that bear most of the braking burden. On top of all that, the Rio’s cabin is pretty quiet for the class, even on the freeway.

Some drivers may not like the steering wheel, which adjusts only for height, not reach. But finding a workable driving position shouldn’t be too tricky.

Clean, classy, and user-friendly — that’s the Kia Rio’s cabin. The new 8-inch infotainment touchscreen takes pride of place on top of the dashboard, and there are no gripes on how everything has been put together.

Space up front is fine even for tall people, but the Rio’s subcompact dimensions naturally limit rear passenger room. Adults of average size and above will be less grumpy in the Nissan Versa’s back seat.

The Rio sedan’s trunk measures 13.7 cubic feet, slightly less than the Versa, but the same as the Accent. One good reason to consider the Rio 5-door is the maximum 32.8 cubic feet of cargo area when the rear seats are folded down.

This year sees some styling tweaks to the Kia Rio’s front end, with a new bumper and grille accentuating a European influence. The sedan also receives a new rear bumper.

This is subjective, admittedly, but the 5-door looks arguably the cooler of the two 2021 Rio body styles. And it’s definitely more practical.

Even in higher S trim, the Rio has 15-inch steel wheels with plastic covers. Acquiring alloy wheels means buying an S model, then selecting the Technology package.

WIRELESS SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION
Smartphone integration means bringing some of the apps of an Apple iPhone or some Android-based alternative into a car’s infotainment system. It can access previous Waze destinations, for example, and it’s all controlled on the touchscreen. In many cars, this feature entails running a cable between the phone and a USB port. The setup in the 2021 Rio can now function wirelessly.

FUEL ECONOMY
Not only is the Kia Rio relatively cheap to buy, it’s also cheap to run. The only subcompact with better average fuel economy is the Mitsubishi Mirage (39 mpg), whose piffling little 3-cylinder engine makes only 78 horsepower. The Rio has a much more acceptable 120 horsepower and still manages 36 mpg in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) combined driving cycle.

This is a bargain-priced new car, so the amount of standard equipment in the 2021 Rio reflects that fact. The base LX trim comes with 15-inch steel wheels, rear drum brakes (discs up front), power windows/locks, cloth upholstery, plastic/tilt-only steering wheel, air conditioning, six airbags, a trip computer, and a 6-speaker audio setup.

Slightly more impressive are the heated/power-adjustable side mirrors, new 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, USB input, Bluetooth, and hill start assistance.

To obtain things like a center armrest (which also slides and has some storage underneath), cruise control, and 60/40-split-folding rear seats means going up to S trim. The 2021 Rio 5-door comes as an S model exclusively.

LX trim isn’t eligible for many options. The most desirable are the self-dimming rearview mirror with a universal garage door opener ($350) and Aurora Black Pearl paint ($195). These are available with every 2021 Rio.

The main thing to consider is the Technology package ($1,800), which we would definitely choose. Applicable to S versions, it adds driver aids like forward-collision warning, lane-keeping/lane departure warning, lane-following assistance, and automatic high beams. Plus a 4.2-inch driver information display, LED headlights, satellite radio, push-button start, automatic climate control, upgraded tire pressure monitoring, rear occupant alert, and 15-inch alloy wheels.

A 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine is in every version of the 2021 Rio. It develops a reasonable 120 horsepower and drives the front wheels courtesy of an “iVT” automatic transmission. This is essentially a continuously variable transmission (CVT), but with some programmed steps to simulate actual gears.

It works fine and helps the Rio achieve decent fuel economy, which is the same for both body styles.

1.6-liter inline-4
120 horsepower @ 6,300 rpm
112 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 33/41 mpg