The Kia Rio is new for 2018, but let’s start by answering one important question: Yes, you can still get it with a manual transmission. That six-speed box comes mated to a 130-horsepower, 1.6-liter, direct-injected engine. Curb weight for that combo is listed at 2648 pounds.
However, there’s a caveat to that statement: The manual box is only available with the base LX trim. If there’s a silver lining here, the stick can be ordered with the sedan as well as the 5-Door model.
Our test car, the top-of-the-line 5-Door EX, was not so equipped. While it traded a stick shift for an automatic box, it came nicely equipped by most normal standards: alloy wheels, 7-inch center display, heated outside mirrors, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Something else standard: a 5-star crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Rio still uses struts up front and a twist beam out back. The big news for 2018 is the styling: “A new eye-catching design that is decidedly European,” the release states, while remaining a value buy. The sedan starts at $13,900, while our EX 5-Door starts at $18,700.
In Canada, every Rio comes with heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Now that's knowing your market. OTOH, every Rio beyond the base model (the one with rear drum brakes) comes with a mandatory sunroof. If yours had one of those, how was the headroom? Also, how were the headlights? The IIHS says they are awful... but, as I understand it, they test cars the way they get them, with no effort to check or fix aiming.
That's cool re. the heated wheel and seats. Yeah, it sounds frivolous until it's like 30 below.
Good question on the headlights, but I didn't do a lot of night driving away from urban environments.
It's nice that someone agrees with my questions, but I sense a canoe here.
EDIT: Suprf1y beat me to it.
Suprf1y
UltimaDork
8/6/18 7:17 a.m.
Nonetheless, it's nice to see that this lame little hatchback generated so little interest.
Robbie
PowerDork
8/6/18 7:48 a.m.
Is it just me or does 1.6l, 130HP, manual transmission hatchback and 2650 lbs just scream 90's honda with a couple big passengers?
well, it doesn't have the double wishbones at any corner.
ProDarwin said:
What is going on here?
The latest "stretch and poke" technique from the drift crowd?
Putting a 15" tire on an 18" wheel would be quite a bit of stretch!
But seriously... do they really have 5.5" wide wheels?
pres589
PowerDork
8/6/18 10:53 a.m.
I sometimes think this might be a good eventual replacement for my SX4 Sportback. But I don't know how much of an actual improvement it would be as I want the manual trans which relegates me to pretty low spec overall. A five-door Golf seems like a nicer place to spend time in the end. Which is a shame.
Nice looking hatch. I am seeing those hatches being used now for auto parts delivery..
