- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.5i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
71kW, 132Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7.6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Used car review: Kia Rio 2000-05
Trip to Rio for price conscious
It sounds like an awful back-hander, but the Kia Rio that sold here from 2000 until it was replaced by a new model in 2005 is really the sort of vehicle that appeals to those who don't actually care about cars.
Korean manufacturers are getting very good at the sort of car that quietly does the job without ever threatening to induce any passion or inject driver involvement into the equation. And for some folks, that's absolutely fine.
Rios may not be mechanically faultless and they certainly don't drive with any verve, but they have a ready market, predominantly made up of the pragmatists out there.
The Rio landed here just as Kia was starting to really find its feet.
Because previous models, like the dreadful original Sportage and the clumsy Credos, did the brand no favours, the Rio emerged from behind.
Perhaps the cleverest thing about the Rio was its station-wagon variant. If you're buying a sensible, passionless small car, why not maximise its practicality by making it a wagon? Why not indeed.
Kia called the car a hatchback, but it's more or less equal parts hatch and wagon. Certainly, it's a lot more versatile than the four-door.
Even so, plenty of Rio sedans were purchased, so the used-car market is well populated by both versions.
The 1.5-litre engine produces 74 kW for an adequate performance. The five-speed manual is the pick of the crop, but plenty of older buyers went for the four-speed automatic transmission that blunts what is already a fairly dull edge.
You'll tend to find yourself driving the automatic version pretty hard most of the time to keep up with traffic and it's then that the engine can feel a bit harsh and noisy.
Build quality was a little underdone and the paint seems a bit soft and prone to scratching during the inevitable car park scuffles.
Handling is definitely on the soft side, but the pay-off is a better than expected ride; at least you can attack speed humps at a fair clip in a Rio.
Similarly, the steering was hardly communicative.
But it was inside the Rio that you saw the most evidence that it was a price-leader model.
The steering column isn't adjustable for height, the seats are flat and unsupportive and the backrest of the rear pew is a little too upright to be truly comfortable.
The interior plastics are also quite downmarket and there are some wild trim patterns. Overall, the interior feels barely padded and cheap although it has worn reasonably well.
On the other hand, anyone buying a second-hand Rio is certain to be doing so for practical reasons.
Just make sure you buy a second-hand Rio from an older owner who is far more likely to have looked after it.
The one you don't want to buy is the Rio that was bought as a first set of wheels for a younger driver. Should you see the rear footwells filled up with McDonald's wrappers, a furry anything hanging from the rear-view mirror or the obligatory Bad Girl decal on the rear windscreen, give the thing a wide berth and look elsewhere. Not only will such a car have been driven hard, it is unlikely to have seen the inside of a service workshop or to have been parked anywhere other than the nature strip.
Need to know
- Automatic gearboxes won't tolerate irregular servicing.
- Timing belts need to be changed as per the owner's handbook.
- Make sure all electricals work properly.
- Check for trashed CV joints, brake rotors and clutches.
What to pay
Model | Year | New | Now |
Rio | 2000 | $14,990 | $7200 |
Rio | 2001 | $14,990 | $8000 |
Rio | 2002 | $15,990 | $9100 |
Rio | 2003 | $14,990 | $10,300 |
Rio | 2004 | $14,990 | $11,600 |
Rio | 2005 | $14,990 | $12,400 |
Source: Glass's Guide