2011 Kia Rio Overview

Kia Rio 2011

The 2011 Kia Rio has a low base price, but when you add features like air conditioning and an automatic transmission, that price starts to grow. If you can’t afford the Honda Civic or Kia Forte, and don’t mind driving a car that offers the bare minimum, the "Kia Rio" will suit your needs. In a class crowed with cars that offer a fair price, numerous standard features and good performance, the Kia Rio has difficulty competing. Kia offers another car, the Kia Forte, that makes up for the Rio’s meager list of standard features and small trunk.

The Rio handles reasonably well, brakes seem strong, and there's enough gumption from the powertrain and 110-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine for most driving, aside from high-speed passes.

The 2011 Kia Rio offers a well-designed interior, but it doesn't step outside its small-car roots or offer any packaging magic. While the base-model Rio strictly offers reliable transportation on a tight budget, the 2011 Kia Rio and Rio5 come well-equipped in their upper trims. The Rio SX model gets a sportier suspension, alloy wheels, fog lamps, and a spoiler, plus sport seats, leather trim, and Sirius Satellite Radio.

2010 Rio LX and SX trims levels offer the availability of Bluetooth, automatic cruise control, and side mirrors with integrated turn signals. Anti-lock brakes (ABS), with four-wheel discs, are standard on all 2010 Kia Rio LX and SX models.
The Kia Rio comes in sedan and hatchback versions, and in base, LX and SX trim levels. The hatchback models are called Rio5.

The Kia Rio sedan ($11,695) comes with a manual transmission, wind-up windows, and manual door locks. The Rio LX sedan ($13,795) comes with air conditioning, power steering, tilt steering column, and a 60/40-split folding rear seat. The Rio5 LX hatchback ($13,895) is equipped the same way and is also available with the automatic ($14,795).

The Rio SX sedan ($14,895) and Rio5 SX hatchback ($15,195) upgrade to P205/45R16 tires on alloy wheels, fog lights, upgraded cloth seat inserts, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, metal-finish interior trim, metal pedals, and a spoiler. The Rio SX sedan ($15,795) and Rio5 SX ($16,095) are also available with the automatic. Anti-lock brakes with rear discs are standard on the LX and SX trim levels of both the Rio and Rio5.

The "Kia Rio" is a roomy car. Even with the rear seats up for passengers, the Rio5 has an impressive 15.8 cubic feet of cargo space. We spent time in an LX automatic sedan and a Rio5 SX manual. Standard-issue brakes, on the base model, are 10.1-inch vented discs up front and 8.0-inch drums in the rear. The Kia Rio is an enjoyable car that's easy to live with. The Rio or Rio5 represent a lot of automotive value for the money.