2022 Kia Rio Road Test and Review

2022 Kia Rio ・ Photo by Kia

Subcompact cars don’t typically generate a lot of excitement, but in virtually all areas, the 2022 Kia Rio is more car than the buyer might expect. And for a car with a base price that is among the lowest in the current inflated market, that is high praise indeed. Available as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback, the Rio offers pleasant creature comforts, easy handling, a cushy ride, and a surprisingly robust series of convenience features. Add to that laudable fuel economy and an impressive roster of available active safety equipment, and it isn’t difficult to see why the Rio is gaining advocates every day. If you are looking for a new car for the student in your family or a commuter vehicle for the breadwinner to drive every day, the 2022 Kia Rio will more than pull its own weight. It’s right at the top of the segment.

Exterior Style

To our practiced eye, the Rio sedan is better-looking than the hatchback, but it is hard to argue with the hatchback’s utility. If you plan to tote a lot of stuff with you, the hatchback is probably the better choice. Both the sedan and the hatchback roll on 101.6 inch wheelbases, a fraction shorter than the wheelbase of the Kia Soul. The sedan is a sleek 172.6 inches long while the stubbier 5-Door is a compact 160.0 inches overall. That’s five inches shorter than the highly accommodating Soul. The Rio got a styling upgrade for the 2021 model year, so its looks are virtually the same this year. In overall size, it’s right in the middle of a category that has been shedding models over the past few years. The sedan is about the same length as the Hyundai Accent, three inches longer than the Mitsubishi Mirage G4, and a little over four inches shorter than the Nissan Versa. While none of the cars in the segment will get your heart racing, the Rio is as good-looking as any of them.

Photo by Kia

Interior Design

In light of its rock-bottom list price, the 2022 Kia Rio offers a more well-crafted interior than you might expect. No, it isn’t filled with leather and natural wood, but it is well-designed and carefully assembled. The front bucket seats aren’t wide, but they are reasonably comfortable. And the driver’s seat has six-way manual adjustments. Between the two front seats is a T-shaped shift lever accompanied by a manual parking brake. While the cloth-upholstered front bucket seats are supportive, the rear seats aren’t as comfortable. Like the other vehicles in the class, the Rio has seat belts for three passengers in the rear seat, but it is really only wide enough for two adults. Those who purchase the more expensive S trim will be rewarded with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat with adjustable rear headrests, plus a center sliding armrest between the two front seats.

Photo by Kia

Powertrain

A single powertrain is available in the Rio. Both the sedan and hatchback versions are powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces a modest 120-horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque. The reliable engine is backed by a continuously variable transmission that drives the front wheels. The horsepower and torque figures aren’t impressive, and acceleration is only so-so. But the nearly 9-second zero-to-60 miles per hour acceleration time is right around the norm for today’s subcompact cars. The upside of the powertrain is good around-town drivability that avoids many of the typical CVT negatives, like droning engine sounds. Comparative horsepower numbers of the competitors demonstrate that the Rio is solidly in the subcompact ballpark. The Hyundai Accent delivers 120 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque from essentially a clone of the Rio’s 1.6-liter engine. The Nissan Versa is powered by 122-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, and the Mitsubishi Mirage G4 has a 78 horsepower 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine. In light of that, it is obvious the Rio is very competitive.

Photo by Kia

Driving Impressions

We don’t want to over-promise, but we expect most potential customers will find the Kia Rio offers better all-around ride, handling, and acceleration than they anticipated. With a curb weight of well less than 3,000 pounds the 120-horsepower engine doesn’t have crossover-like mass to haul around. Because of that and the tuning of the drivetrain, the Rio seems relatively lively around town. One major advantage of the powertrain is exceptional range. A Rio can travel more than 450 miles on a full tank of regular gasoline. And say what you will about driving fun; the Kia Rio’s main task is providing comfortable, economical transportation on a reliable basis. And the Rio’s score in consumer-survey-based studies show that it does a very good job of that. A young family of four will find the small Kia capable of comfortable long-distance cruising while sipping gasoline.

Photo by Kia

Cargo & Towing

If four adults plan a cross-country trip in the Rio, they need to pack strategically. The Rio sedan doesn’t have a large trunk, but it is bigger than many larger luxury coupes. That said, if you seek versatile cargo space, the five-door hatchback is the wiser pick. The 2022 Kia Rio sedan has 13.7 cubic feet of trunk space, right there with the Hyundai Accent. The Nissan Versa offers one cubic foot more. Those who don’t travel light will be more comfortable with the Rio hatchback’s 17.4 cubic feet of cargo area behind the second row and comparatively voluminous 32.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded out of the way. The 5-Door has a light, easy-to-open-and-close liftgate and a reasonably low liftover height, making loading cargo a snap.

Photo by Kia

Infotainment &Technology

Kia Rio scores very well in out-of-the-box quality surveys, and one big reason is its intuitive infotainment systems. The Kia systems don’t try to wow customers with tons of complicated features; they just work well with no in-the-car training. One surprising feature is its standard 8-inch touchscreen display, much larger than on many competitive vehicles. Another surprise-and-delight feature is standard wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto compatibility. The Rio S trim offers the availability of an upgraded 8-inch display with UVO telematics, Sirius satellite radio, rear-view camera display, and integrated modem. Both systems offer Bluetooth streaming and both have four speakers plus two tweeters. The S trim has a rear USB charger. Steering-wheel-mounted audio controls are also standard on both sedan and hatchback versions.

Photo by Kia

Safety & Driver Aids

The Kia Rio offers a degree of safety that is uncommon in an inexpensive vehicle. All Rio models are equipped with tire pressure monitor, engine immobilizer, electronic stability control, hill-start assist, and vehicle stability management. The Kia Drive Wise suite of driver’s assistance technology is available on the S trims. It includes forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, high-beam assist, driver attention warning, lane-departure warning, and rear occupant alert. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the 2022 Rio sedan and 5-Door Good ratings in five of six of its Crashworthiness categories but did not name either model a Top Safety Pick. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not evaluated the Kia Rio in its 5-Star Safety Rating Program for several years.

Photo by Kia

Fuel Economy

The Kia Rio offers fuel economy that is among the best in its segment. According to the EPA, a Rio with the CVT automatic transmission is rated at 33 mpg when driving in the city and 41 mpg when driving on the highway. The mechanically similar Hyundai Accent matches it with an estimated 33 mpg during city driving and 41 mpg on the highway. With the tiny 1.2-liter three-cylinder, the Mitsubishi Mirage G4’s fuel economy is 35 mpg in city driving and 41 on the highway. The Nissan Versa is rated at 32 mpg in city driving and 40 mpg on the highway. Depending upon how hard they want to work the engine, Rio drivers can expect to get about 35 mpg to 37 mpg in all-around driving, and they might top 40 mpg on cross-country trips.

Photo by Kia

Trim Levels

The 2022 Kia Rio is available in two trim levels — LX and S — and that makes things simple for car buyers and dealers alike. The LX is available only as a sedan. It is well-equipped including power windows with auto up/auto down, central door locks, and six-way adjustable driver’s seat. As we mentioned, another wow is the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment interface with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. The Rio S doesn’t cost that much more. And the additional outlay nets buyers useful items like 60/40 split-folding rear seat, adjustable rear headrests, and front center sliding armrest. In addition, several options are available that aren’t offered on the LX. Among them are 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, cruise control, remote keyless entry, and an enhanced infotainment system.

Photo by Kia

Pricing & Value

Kia is renowned for its strength in the low-price/high-value end of the market, and the Rio’s pricing is right in line with its reputation. The Rio LX has an MSRP of $16,250 plus a $1,025 destination charge, and it is available only as a sedan. The Rio S sedan has a base of $16,890 plus the destination charge. And the Rio S 5-Door has an suggested list price of $17,190 plus the destination fee. For those looking for value-per-dollar, the Kia Rio is one of the best vehicles in the category. Its ride, handling, interior features, infotainment, and fuel economy are tops in the segment. The Rio 5-door hatchback offers more cargo space, so it is the more practical of the two bodystyles, but in our eyes, the sedan is better looking. Either way, the 2022 Kia Rio is an excellent value.

Photo by Kia