Used 2022 Kia Rio

The Kia Rio is a small, humble, entry-level car. It’s suitable for young drivers shopping for their first new car on a modest budget or just anyone who could use an affordable, fuel-efficient car with a good warranty. It won’t be accused of being a fancy luxury car, but the Rio is comfortable, reliable, and has some nice standard features, including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Small, affordable cars like the Kia Rio used to be common, but the subcompact car class is shrinking. That means the Kia has few direct competitors. Its chief rivals are the Nissan Versa and the Hyundai Accent, which is mechanically similar to the Rio. Unlike the Rio, neither of these cars are available as a hatchback.

Driving the 2022 Kia Rio provides few thrills, but drivers shopping for a car in this price range probably won’t mind. It also serves up few surprises, which is good if value and efficiency are your top priorities. Speaking of efficiency, the Rio impresses with a fuel economy rating of up to 41 mpg on the highway.

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is the only choice in the Kia Rio, which is part of what makes it so fuel-efficient. Unlike the Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent, you can’t get a Rio with a manual transmission.

Subcompact cars typically aren’t known for indulging the driver in comfort, but the Rio is pretty comfortable and surprisingly quiet for an entry-level vehicle this size. The steering doesn’t give much feedback, but it’s precise enough to handle daily city driving confidently. The braking is decent, but better if you get the rear disc brakes that come with the S Technology Package.

The interior of the Kia Rio is nothing fancy, but it’s pretty nice for its price point. It uses a clean, straightforward design and all of the controls are easy for the driver to use. The standard 8-inch infotainment system will make you feel like you’re in a more expensive car.

The front seats are roomy, supportive, and comfortable, even for taller drivers. As you might expect for a car this size, there isn’t a lot of legroom in the back seats, but the headroom is decent. The back seats of the Nissan Versa are a bit more accommodating for taller passengers.

The trunk of the Rio sedan is a little small at 13.7 cubic feet, but the cargo space is expanded significantly if you opt for the hatchback. With the back seats folded down, the Rio hatchback has 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space.

The styling of the Kia Rio won’t turn a lot of heads, but it’s a nice-looking car. It’s a Korean car with some European visual flair. We think the hatchback is the better-looking of the two available body styles.

The look of the Rio gets a little more upscale if you opt for the S Technology Package on the hatchback. On top of a nice list of tech features, it adds alloy wheels, chrome door handles, and LED headlights for a slightly more premium look.

The Rio sedan has the same dimensions as the Hyundai Accent, and it’s a little smaller than the Nissan Versa. The Rio hatchback is about a foot shorter than the sedan, meaning it will take up less space in your garage while providing more cargo space. The Chevy Spark and Mitsubishi Mirage are both smaller than the Rio.

WIRELESS ANDROID AUTO AND APPLE CARPLAY
These handy standard connectivity features let you connect your smartphone to the car’s infotainment system without taking it out of your pocket or purse.

S TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE
This option package loads up the Rio with desirable features, including LED headlights, automatic climate control, alloy wheels, and a list of modern safety tech features.

The list of standard features on the base LX trim is relatively modest. The standard powertrain in every Rio is a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine with a CVT automatic transmission. Standard features on the LX model include air conditioning, a tilt steering column, heated, power-adjustable mirrors, power windows and door locks, an immobilizer, a USB port, 6-speaker audio, and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.

The standard infotainment system is an 8-inch screen with a backup camera, Bluetooth, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. As with all new Kia models, the Rio boasts a warranty that covers the powertrain for 10 years/100,000 miles.

The nicer S trim of the Rio is available as a sedan or a hatchback, but the base LX trim is sedan-only. The S model adds a few handy features like cruise control, remote keyless entry, 60/40 split folding back seats, a center console, and a rear USB port.

Adding the S Technology Package ($1,800) adds some excellent features without the price going too crazy. This package includes rear disc brakes, 15-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles, LED headlights, automatic climate control, push-button start, a tire pressure monitoring system, a 4.2-inch driver information display, and SiriusXM.

Moreover, the S Technology Package adds modern safety tech features including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, automatic high beams, driver attention warning, and rear occupant alert.

The sole engine option in the Kia Rio is a 1.6-liter inline-4. This humble engine won’t blow you away with its performance, but it does return very impressive fuel economy, partially thanks to its frugal CVT automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive comes standard on every Kia Rio.

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