The
technology trickle-down effect is a good thing. It’s what drove the veritable
arms race in the consumer camera industry and allows mere mortals like you and
me to spend surprisingly little money and have the hardware to capture
sensational images and video footage. Heck, even the cameras in our smart
phones are capable enough that some pro-level photographers have admitted to
using them for published news stories.
In the
auto industry, the same is true. Well, not entirely. Most of us can’t use our
cars to shoot pro-grade photography (though some cars have enough cameras
mounted these days they almost drive themselves), but they do paint a pretty
clear picture of how quickly key features permeate through cars. Want to know
what features were the hot-button items in luxury cars a few years ago? Just
look at today’s entry-level machinery and you’ll see.
Take
our Kia Rio 5-door tester, for
example. Trimmed barely above the bottom rung of the Rio family hierarchy, this
Rio still sports the following necessities for the modern motorist: a
half-dozen airbags, Bluetooth connectivity, heated seats, remote keyless entry,
a six-speed automatic transmission and satellite radio, to name a few.
For
those really wanting to look like big shots without spending the big bucks, the
top-trim Rio SX adds LED lights front and back, leather seats, rearview camera,
automatic headlights and wipers, a cooled glove box and even power-folding side
mirrors. All this on a car that’s still under twenty grand!
So Kia is giving consumers a lot of
kit for their investment with the Rio. No big surprise there, they’ve been
doing that throughout their whole model range for years. What’s equally
impressive is that the Rio is now mechanically a solid machine too.
Not
that long ago driving any economy subcompact car like the Rio was akin to some
sort of torture practice – possibly used by the CIA. Cramped, bumpy and noisy,
those little cars were the most elemental means of point-A-to-point-B
automotive transport one could find. With Kia’s cheapest car, the driving
experience is not too bad at all.
The Kia Rio shares its engine and
transmission (and much of what’s under the skin) with its Hyundai Accent
cousin, and since costs are amortized over two models, there is a lot of value
for your mechanical dollar here too. The 1.6L inline-four-cylinder engine
produces 138 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque, both of which are excellent figures in
the class and help the Rio to feel quite lively zipping around town. At highway
speeds, caution is wise before attempting daring passing maneuvers, but again,
there’s sufficient oomph for most sensible motoring needs.
The
six-speed automatic in our Rio dutifully went about its business without
drawing much attention to itself – just as most folks would want it. The ratios
are well spaced and enable the Kia’s
engine to churn at less than 2,500 rpm at 120 km/h. We’ve driven mid-size
sedans that buzz away much higher than that and the low revs at highway speeds
help the Rio be a quieter and more relaxing place to collect kilometres.
Those
low revs also help Kia’s
smallest car deliver decent fuel efficiency too. With a rating of 6.4 L/100 km
highway and 8.7 city (7.6 combined), the Rio may not deliver the best
efficiency numbers in the subcompact class, but make no mistake, this is still
a very fuel-friendly machine. During its time with us, wearing snow tires and
suffering a fair bit of stop-and-go traffic, we still saw mid-sevens for an
overall average.
Steering
feel is decent for the Rio, lending it a bit of a playful nature often found in
these subcompact cars. The combination of diminutive mass and compact
dimensions makes subcompacts nimble enough to dart through small gaps in
traffic, but the Kia
stands out for its stiff suspension, keeping it flat and stable when doing so.
The
four-wheel disc brakes with ABS (standard on all trims of Rio) provide decent
stopping power and good pedal feel.
Like
the rest of the Kia lineup,
the leadership of design maven Peter Schreyer helps the Rio stand out in the
subcompact class with a clean and sophisticated look both inside and out. Being
the budget-friendly LX+ trim, our Rio wore plebian 15-inch steel wheels with
plastic wheel covers that detract from the Kia’s otherwise refined lines.
The 17-inch alloy wheels and body kit on the SX trim remind us just how much
visual impact a nice set of wheels can have.
The
beltline that separates the glass from the door panels sweeps down to meet the
windshield and helps provide an expansive view from forward angles. Toward the
back, the smallish rear window and sizable C-pillars limit visibility, but not
to the point where they make the Rio difficult to park.
In LX
and LX+ trim, the steering wheel is plastic and most of the trim materials are
hard and cheap feeling. The armrest on the door is not particularly comfortable
due to its unyielding material and the sliding centre armrest available on the
EX and SX trims was missed here on the boring stretches of highway driving.
Still, finished in mostly matte-black plastic, the overall aesthetic of the
dashboard is Teutonic and functional. One particularly stylish element is the
row of toggle-like switches that protrude from the lower dash to operate some
of the climate features.
It must
also be said that despite being a rudimentary four-speaker system, the audio
and phone connectivity systems worked surprisingly well. Sound quality is
acceptable, but more impressive is the sheer ease and simplicity of the
system’s operation. Connecting one’s phone to the Rio is a snap and the
voice-activated commands (initiated by the steering wheel-mounted button)
worked flawlessly every time.
The
seats are pretty basic looking and offer minimal lateral support and no
adjustable lumbar. While a height adjustment lever is provided for the driver,
it really only cranks up the back part of the seat bottom causing it to provide
less under-thigh support at the front if ratcheted up. Plus, without the
telescoping steering column available on EX and SX trims, a driving position
that neither crowds the legs, nor causes a long arm stretch can be hard to
find.
Rear
seat space is on par for the class, which is to say adequate for two
average-sized adults. Squeezing a third grown-up back there will result in much
more complaining than the driver will wish to bear.
The
cargo space beneath the hatch is both wide and deep, allowing a practical
amount of room for bulky items, but those suffering with back-pain issues from
long stints in the seats should beware the significant lip to overcome when
lifting heavy items out of the cargo hold.
At its
designated price points, the Kia
Rio 5 represents a solid value within the category. The pleasing driving
dynamics, solid equipment lists and Kia’s comprehensive
five-year warranty should make the Rio 5-door a popular choice with shoppers
looking for a decent all-round subcompact choice. And with as good as the
current generation Rio is, you’ve just got to wonder what amazing features will
find their way into the next generation.
Pricing: 2015 Kia Rio 5
Base Price (LX+ with Automatic Transmission):
$17,395
Options: Chestnut Pearl paint, $200
Destination: $1,485
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $19,180
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