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2022 Kia Rio5

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2022 Kia Rio 5-Door Review Reliable Runabout

by Gerhard Horn The Kia Rio 5-door may not look like much, but it's close to the perfect car for the urban environment. Granted, it won't stir your loins if you're a proper gearhead, but cars like these need to exist to move the rest of the population around. The Rio 5-door is built to be efficient, simple, well-built, fun, and reliable without costing an arm and a leg. Only one engine is available. It's a 1.6-liter four-cylinder built with one target in mind and that's efficiency. This naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder is mated solely to a CVT transmission, helping deliver the kind of fuel efficiency that lures young buyers to dealer floors. Smart move, Kia. The Kia no longer has any direct rivals now that the Honda Fit and Chevrolet Sonic have both been axed. But there are larger rivals like the evergreen Toyota Corolla and smaller rivals like the Chevrolet Spark.

Read in this review

Exterior Design 8 /10 Performance 7 /10 Fuel Economy 9 /10 Interior & Cargo 8 /10 Infotainment & Features 9 /10 Reliability 9 /10 Safety 8 /10 Value For Money 8 /10 8.2 What is BuzzScore?

2022 Kia Rio 5-Door Hatchback Changes What s the Difference vs the 2021 Kia Rio 5-door Hatchback

For the 2022 model year, Kia is carrying over the 2021 Rio 5-door virtually unchanged, save for three minor differences. The first is that an engine immobilizer is now standard equipment, the second is that this year's car is proudly carrying Kia's new restyled logo inside and out, and the third is that the optional Technology Package gains rear disc brakes this year. The price has gone up too - by just $100.

Pros and Cons

Comfortable, compliant rideNimble handlingClass-leading fuel efficiencyExcellent standard warrantyImpressive crash-test safety ratings Standard specification is disappointingLimited adjustability for the driver's seat and steering wheelSpace in the rear is limitedCVT is not for enthusiastic drivers

2022 Kia Rio5 Trims

See trim levels and configurations: Trim Engine Transmission Drivetrain Price (MSRP) S 1.6L Inline-4 Gas Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) Front-Wheel Drive $17,390

Rio 5-Door Hatchback Exterior

The new logo will be spotted by eagle-eyed onlookers, but other than that, it still looks the same on the outside. Kia's famous Tiger Nose design still features prominently, flanked by a set of halogen headlights that switch on automatically when the sun starts to disappear. From the side, you notice the body-color door handles and side mirrors. It can be optioned with LED headlights and chrome door handles. As standard, the Rio 5-door gets 15-inch steel wheels with silver covers, but the Technology package includes 15-inch alloy wheels. KIA KIA KIA See All 2022 Kia Rio5 Exterior Photos

Dimensions

Kia's Rio 5-door has the same 101.6-inch wheelbase as its sedan brother, but it's a little shorter thanks to the hatch. The overall length is 160 inches. The rest of the dimensions are the same. Both sedan and hatch are 67.9 inches wide, 57.1 inches tall, and have a ground clearance of 5.5 inches. The Rio 5-door hatch weighs 2,762 pounds. Now Buzzing First Drive 2023 Toyota Crown First Drive Review: A Tale Of Two Hybrids Electric Vehicles Tesla Cybertruck Spotted With Production-Ready Rear End Sports Cars 2023 BMW M2 Coming With Optional Center-Lock Wheels Crash Watch A Seventh-Gen Toyota Hilux Truck Launch Into The Air After Losing Control Auctions One-Off Plymouth Barracuda Four-Door Is A Muscle Car Unicorn Tuning 700-Horsepower 2023 Nissan Z By AMS Performance Hits Nine-Second Quarter Mile Length 160.0 in Wheelbase 101.6 in Height 57.1 in Max Width 67.9 in Front Width 60.0 in Rear Width 60.2 in Curb Weight 2,765.0 lbs

Exterior Colors

Aurora Black +$195 Steel Gray Silky Silver Currant Red Sporty Blue Clear White

Kia Rio 5-Door Hatchback Performance

KIA KIA KIA

Engine and Transmission

The Rio 5-door's naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder has specs of 120 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque which goes to the front wheels exclusively. That's not much but it doesn't have a lot of weight to power around. It feels nippy and smooth off the line, with the engine only starting to struggle at higher speeds. Merges with the freeway need to be planned carefully, and the same goes for overtaking. The CVT is the perfect gearbox, considering most customers will have fuel efficiency near the top of their must-have list. Enthusiastic drivers need not apply, as the downside is an uninspiring driving experience. Although 0-60 times are less important here than they are for a Kia Stinger, the Rio should accomplish the run in around ten seconds. Engine 1.6L Inline-4 Gas Transmission Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) Drivetrain FWD

Handling and Driving Impressions

The compact dimensions and low curb weight result in a surprisingly fun FWD package. Power-wise it struggles a bit, but it has a finely-tuned chassis that's both comfortable and responsive. The steering has just the right amount of weight, and it even provides a little feedback. When you drive it, you can feel what the front wheels are doing, though the Honda Fit was better in this department. The ride quality is spot-on for a city car, as the damping deals with undulations with ease. It comes with disc brakes in front and drum brakes at the rear, with rear discs optional as part of the Technology Package. There's more than enough stopping power for the kind of driving it was built for.

Rio 5-Door Hatchback Gas Mileage

While the Rio 5-door's engine might feel a little sluggish in certain situations, you'll be amped whenever you have to stop at the gas station. It has EPA-estimated figures of 33/41/36 mpg city/highway/combined. That gives it a theoretical range of 428 miles from its 11.9-gallon gas tank. The much smaller Chevrolet Spark CVT manages 30/38/33 mpg, while the similarly-sized and priced Nissan Versa CVT can do 32/40/35 mpg, which gives Kia the upper hand. Fuel Tank Capacity 11.9 Gallons Fuel Economy City/Hwy: 33/41 mpg * 2022 Kia Rio5 S IVT

Rio 5-Door Interior

KIA KIA KIA See All 2022 Kia Rio5 Interior Photos

Seating and Interior Space

Although it's technically a five-seater, the Rio 5-door remains a small car so realistically you can only transport two grown adults or three kids on the rear bench. Adjustability for the driver's seat is limited, but space in the front is generous. It has 42.1 inches of legroom and 38.9 inches of headroom. The rear will feel cramped to taller adults, but kids should be able to cope just fine. The rear legroom is rated at 33.5 inches, while the rear headroom is 38 inches. All-round visibility is good thanks to thin B- and C-pillars. The standard rearview camera makes reversing easy. Seating capacity 5-seater Front Leg Room 42.1 in Front Head Room 38.9 in Rear Leg Room 33.5 in Rear Head Room 38.0 in

Rio 5-Door Hatchback Trunk and Cargo Space

The Kia Rio 5-door hatchback has 17.4 cubic feet of cargo space, beating its sedan sibling by an impressive 3.7 cubes. That's enough room for the school run for three kids or a month's worth of groceries. When the rear seats are folded flat in a 60/40 split, the luggage capacity increases to 32.8 cubes. Interior storage consists of front and rear door pockets with bottle holders, a center armrest storage bin, dual front cupholders, and an average-sized glove compartment. KIA KIA KIA Maximum Cargo Space 32.8 ft³

Rio 5-Door Hatchback Infotainment and Features

Features

Kia's Rio 5-door is a budget car, and the standard features reflect that. Exterior-wise, it comes with halogen headlights, body-color door handles, and power-adjustable and heated side mirrors as standard. Interior features include remote keyless entry, a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, power windows, manual air conditioning, a 12-volt power outlet, an immobilizer, a center console with a sliding armrest and storage bin, dual front cupholders, and a multi-function steering wheel with manual tilt-only adjustment. Safety-wise, the Kia is equipped with a rearview camera, cruise control, hill-start assist, and basic active features like ESC, ABS, and tire-pressure monitoring. Passive safety systems include six airbags and front and side crumple zones. LED headlights with high-beam assist and a suite of driver-assistance features that includes forward-collision warning and lane-departure warning are available.

Infotainment

The 2022 Rio 5-door boasts an eight-inch color touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Tech-savvy youngsters will love this feature. Bluetooth connectivity is also standard, and SiriusXM is available. When not paired with a smartphone, the interface is intuitive and easy to understand. There's a single USB up front as well as two additional ones at the back for charging purposes. A single 12-volt socket is included in the front. As for audio, it's channeled via six speakers.

Rio 5-Door Hatchback Problems and Reliability

The last time it was assessed in 2020, the Rio scored 82 out of 100 points from J.D. Power and an excellent 87/100 individual rating for quality and reliability. Among other small cars at a similar price point, the latest 2022 Hyundai Accent has an even better quality and reliability score of 90/100 but the 2021 Nissan Versa was worse with 83. Kia also deserves praise for designing and building the Rio 5-door so well. It has been recall-free for the last decade - that's one of the most blemish-free reliability records for any modern vehicle. Even better, the Rio 5-door is covered by a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and an industry-leading ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Roadside assistance is covered for the first five years or 60,000 miles.

Warranty

Basic: 5 Years \ 60,000 Miles Drivetrain: 10 Years \ 100,000 Miles Corrosion: 5 Years \ 100,000 Miles Roadside Assistance: 5 Years \ 60,000 Miles

New Kia Rio 5 Safety

The Rio 5-door was last rated by the NHTSA in 2017, when it received an overall rating of four out of five stars. However, this was for the previous-generation model. A more useful reference is the crashworthiness test carried out by the IIHS. In the agency's new Rio 5-door safety review, the hatch returned Good scores in every crash test besides the small overlap front passenger-side test, for which it managed an Acceptable score. Standard safety features include six airbags, electronic stability control, stability control, hill-start assist, a rearview camera, and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

Verdict Is the 2022 Kia Rio 5-Door a Good Small Car

Yes, the Rio is a good car because it hits all the correct targets for entry-level budget motoring. Kia's Rio 5-door will be purchased for two reasons; a city runabout or a first car. It hits the mark by being nippy off the line, fun to drive, and comfortable as a city car. It can carry two adults and three kids with ease. The safety ratings are also good, despite the lack of standard driver-assistance features. The CVT is a bit dimwitted but easy to forgive once you see the gas mileage results. That links us neatly to first-time buyers, who will love the frugality. As a young upstart, you likely don't have money to burn on gas, making the Rio a logical choice. Young buyers also demand the latest tech, and Kia delivers on that front. The eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system is a joy to use, not to mention the standard fitment of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its main rivals have a lot of catching up to do in this department. Quality-wise, the Rio 5-door is excellent. The days of Kia being the butt of car-related jokes are long gone, and they offer the same kind of value and quality as Japanese cars. Finally, it's hard to ignore that ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. It shows a lot of confidence in the product, making the Rio 5-door an obvious choice for both target markets.

What s the Price of the 2022 Kia Rio 5-Door Hatchback

The price of the Kia Rio 5-door begins at $17,090 but this MSRP does not include the destination fee in the US of $995. There's only one Technology Package to choose from, retailing for $1,800. It includes alloy wheels, LED headlights with auto high beams, rear disc brakes, many driver-assistance features such as forward-collision avoidance and lane-departure warning, and automatic climate control, to name just a few.

2022 Kia Rio 5-Door Models

See All 2022 Kia Rio5 Trims and Specs

What Kia Rio 5-Door Hatchback Model Should I Buy

Since there's only one Kia Rio 5-door hatchback model, we thought we'd look at the optional extras instead. It's worth adding the Technology Package because it improves the Rio 5-door in every department. The most noteworthy are the driver assistance features, including forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, and LED headlights with auto high beams. The Rio 5-door looks its best in Sporty Blue and Currant Red, both of which are no-cost options. Even when specced up like this, it remains good value at less than $19,000.

Check out other Kia Rio Styles

Rio Compare

2022 Kia Rio5 Comparisons

Kia Hyundai CompetitorHorsepowerMPGPrice (MSRP) Kia Rio5120 hp33/41 mpg$17,390 Kia Rio 120 hp33/41 mpg$16,450 Hyundai Accent 120 hp33/41 mpg$16,645

2022 Kia Rio5 vs Kia Rio

The Honda Fit was a great small hatchback, but, unfortunately, it's no longer available in the USA. It doesn't matter too much, but now we have to decide whether the five-door or sedan is best. They're basically the same car, featuring the same interior layout and functionality. The hatch is more practical, however. It offers 17.4 cubes of cargo capacity, while the Rio sedan has to make do with 13.7 cubes. We also think the hatch looks funkier, and that's why we wouldn't bother with the sedan. See Kia Rio Review

2022 Kia Rio5 vs Hyundai Accent

Hyundai's Accent is the same car wrapped in a dull small sedan body with 4 doors and a traditional trunk instead of a hatch. It doesn't have much counting in its favor because for 2022, the formerly available a six-speed manual gearbox that made for a more engaging driving experience is no longer available; the base Accent SE now uses the same CVT as the Rio S and is now only $445 cheaper than the Rio. Since it's the same engine/gearbox combo, the consumption figures are identical. The entry-level Accent has a five-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity. To get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you have to buy either an SEL or Limited model. The SEL is $1,000 cheaper than a fully-kitted Rio 5-door, while the Limited is a little more expensive. The final nail in the coffin is the Rio 5-door's additional luggage capacity, which is 3.7 cubes more than the Accent can muster. It doesn't seem like much, but in a small car, every little bit helps. See Hyundai Accent Review

Kia Rio5 Popular Comparisons

The most popular competitors of 2022 Kia Rio5: Hyundai Veloster $18,900 - $28,450 Price (MSRP) Compare Chevrolet Spark $13,600 - $18,100 Price (MSRP) Compare Mitsubishi Mirage $14,645 - $17,895 Price (MSRP) Compare

Kia Rio5 News

Car Culture 10 9 Cars That Could Soon Be Scrapped In The US If you want one, you'd better move fast. Pricing 0 2022 Kia Rio Is Still One Of America's Cheapest Cars A new model year brings a new corporate identity. Industry News 6 Kia Rio Living On Borrowed Time The end seems to be near. LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top