Teresa’s View
I had an unusual thought when I saw the entry-level subcompact Rio5 in my driveway. It was, “Road Trip.”
Oh, sure, everyone expects a Mercedes, Audi or BMW to be a pleasure to drive, but road trips in small, inexpensive cars are generally something to be endured — the price of a budget ride. I had the feeling the Rio5 would be different.
Haven’t heard of the Rio5 before? The all-new hatchback replaces the Rio Cinco sedan and wagon. The Rio5 is sold as an SX hatchback alongside the base and upscale LX version of the Rio sedan, once proclaimed to be the lowest priced car offered in the United States.
Our trip got off to an inauspicious start. Although our Rio5 came with standard features such as air conditioning and a CD player, it didn’t have power anything: seats, door locks, mirrors or — gasp — power windows. Yes, folks, I had to use the old-style window crank.
On the road, the little guy gobbled rumpled pavement with surprising composure. Its engine strained a bit on the freeways, although, for the most part, it suffered quietly. As long as I didn’t delude myself that I was driving a sports car, the Rio5’s 110 horsepower 1.6-liter inline four power plant provided enough get-up-and-go to motor comfortably in the far right lane for the majority of the drive. A standard 5-speed manual transmission helped supply extra effort needed for strategic commuter moves.
The Rio5 is prepared to protect passengers with a total of six airbags — two in the front, two on the side and two full-length side-curtains. ABS is a $400 option.
Around town, the Rio5 was in its element. We comfortably ran the gauntlet in front of Pike Place Market and wedged the Rio5 into a parking space I’d never have attempted in a larger car. Bonus: The Rio5 gets great gas mileage — my manual transmission tester scored 32 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway.
Sales of subcompacts are projected to grow by 27-percent over the next two years. Pressed by competitors such as the Chevy Aveo, Ford Focus, Hyundai Accent, Scion xA and Suzuki Reno, Kia clearly plans to get its slice of the pie with the Rio5.
What Is It?: The Rio5 is a five-passenger, five-door hatchback. It retails for around $14K.
Gadget Rating: 6 out of 10. Silver-colored plastic encases the audio controls, which sit high on the dash for easy access, although the buttons are on the small side.
The Back Seat: The Rio offers best in class passenger room, topping even some compact sedans. You won’t be squiring the Supersonics, but your kids will be less cramped.
Trivia: If you bought a Ford Festiva — surprise! — you owned a Kia. The Festiva, offered by Ford from 1987 to 1992, was the first Kia sold in the United States.
Cheat Sheet: Korean manufacturer Kia is owned by Hyundai Motor Co.