Aggressive new styling, more power and tight handling make Kia’s all-new Rio5 subcompact great fun to drive. Plus, new efficiency-boosting tech means that athleticism doesn’t come at the expense of segment-leading mileage.
What’s New: Kia’s design shop in Irvine, Calif., overhauled the Rio’s styling from bumper to bumper in an attempt to convey power, agility and aggressiveness—qualities Kia believes will capture the attention of the young and restless. This version is also wider, longer and lower than its predecessor. The new Rio keeps the same all-aluminum 1.6-liter four-cylinder from the previous version, but adds direct fuel injection in addition to a new system called Idle Stop and Go.
Tech Tidbit: Idle Stop and Go (ISG) technology is a subtle system that improves city fuel economy up to 3 percent, according to Kia’s engineers. In certain conditions, ISG shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stationary to save gas; the power plant refires when the driver takes his foot off the brake. Algorithms and sensors ensure that ISG doesn’t engage when this feature would be more annoying than efficient, such as when you’re inching along in a traffic jam or creeping through a fast-food drive-thru lane. I didn’t even notice the first time it kicked in, which was at a toll booth; it wasn’t until I took my foot off the brake that I felt the engine turn over, and it occurred well before shoe leather traveled those few inches from brake to accelerator. Stop-and-go tech is finding its way into more and more cars, but Kia says it’s the first automaker to offer ISG in a car that’s not a hybrid or luxury vehicle.
Driving Character: The Rio5 is a subcompact, so it’s not designed to haul a quartet of basketball players cross-country in gracious comfort, but the cabin does offer decent headroom and legroom for four adults of normal height and girth. The cabin is also quieter than that of the prior version. The dashboard retains the clean, functional three-cylinder setup, and Kia designers have heeded the cry of drivers who appreciate intuitive controls: There are knobs for audio volume, cabin temperature and fan speed, and toggles on the central console for climate control, making the car’s interior a snap to suss out. With two passengers, the Rio has plenty of acceleration off the line. The steering is tight but not twitchy, and there’s only minor cornering roll. At higher speeds, you have to punch it a little more aggressively to pull out and pass, but when cruising, the 1.6-liter engine takes the car to a quiet 80 mph and above without breaking a sweat. The Kia-built six-speed automatic transmission is smooth and alert to downshifts. (A six-speed manual comes with the LX trim level.)
Favorite Detail: The 60-40 split folding rear seats—a feature that seemed especially appealing coming on the heels of a gear-laden camping trip.
Bottom Line: The Rio5 provides a lively driving experience, outstanding mileage for a nonhybrid engine, a cool exterior and an interior with the kind of high-quality design and materials that you’d expect in a larger, more expensive car. The Rio5 couldn’t look or handle less like the stodgy econoboxes of yore. It’s an excellent value at around $14,000, and you can feel virtuous about the Rio’s efficiency without sacrificing any driving fun.
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