With the 2012 Kia Rio, Kia has proven that reasonably priced subcompact cars don't have to suck. The Rio name has been around since 2001, and before the 2012 model year arrived, the Rio hadn't been redesigned since 2006. This year's all-new car, available as a sedan or a five-door hatch, has a new look that gives it more edge and attitude. The Rio is based on essentially the same platform as the Hyundai Accent, but is very different visually. This is without a doubt the best-looking Rio ever, and a far cry from the rental-car appliance previous generation models had become.
The Rio small sedan and hatch's new to the Rio platform has a longer wheelbase -- 101.2 inches as opposed to the outgoing car's 98.4 -- and the hatch is wider by 1 inch, longer by 1.2 inches, and sits 0.6-inch lower. The Rio 5-door (the name also changed for 2012) may be longer than the 2011 Rio5, but its overall length is 12.6 inches shorter than the 2012 Rio sedan. The increased 5-door size means more headroom and legroom in front.
While the Rio still is powered by a 1.6-liter four, this one is Hyundai/Kia's all-new, DOHC unit with direct injection and four valves per cylinder. Horsepower has increased from 110 to 138, and torque went from 107 to 123. A six-speed manual transmission is offered, but only on the base LX. The six-speed automatic is standard on the EX and SX, optional with the LX. The horsepower and torque numbers look small, but when you're talking about a 2500-pound subcompact, they make a big difference. We recently took a 5-door Rio tester to the track, where it reached 60 mph in 8.9 seconds and completed the quarter mile in 16.7 seconds at 83.5 mph. Motor Trend's most recent test of the previous Rio5 was of a 2006 SX with the five-speed manual; back then, it took 9.4 seconds to reach 60 and 17 seconds flat to finish the quarter at 80 mph. The 2012 engine's new technology and power also contribute to the huge improvements in fuel economy -- the 2011's 27 mpg city, 36 highway sound impressive enough until you note that the 2012 numbers are 30 and 40, respectively.
Our testing did reveal a lack of improvement in braking. The '06 Rio5 needed 127 feet to stop from 60, while the 2012 model took 135 feet. We attribute some of that to the tires -- higher performance rubber comes with the SX trim level -- and the fact that testing was done at a different location. There is no shortage of safety equipment on the little hatch, though. The new Rio's 10.1-inch vented front discs are the same size as before, but the rear drums have been replaced by 10.3-inch discs. Six airbags are standard, as are ABS, stability control, hill-start assist, and tire-pressure monitoring.
When the staff tried out the new Rio, comments ranged from the lukewarm "not bad, but not great" to "peppy -- and the transmission shifts pretty quick." The six-speed automatic was a huge step up from the 2011's four-speed. The Rio felt stable at higher speeds, and had sportier handling than expected. It's decent fun in turns, but there's no shortage of tire squeal. There are typical subcompact downsides, such as engine noise, hard seats, and a rough ride on choppy roads.
But the 2012 Rio also featured some pleasant surprises, namely plenty of space in the cabin, a roomy cargo area, and a lot of value for the price. The Rio 5-door starts at just over $14,000, with our EX's base at $17,250. Adding the $1000 convenience package brought alloy wheels, fog lights, the UVO system (Kia's answer to Sync), a rear camera, auto on/off headlights, turn signal indicators on the side mirrors, and more. The overall interior design looks great, and the hatch comes with a telescoping wheel, cool toggle switchgear, power folding mirrors, and a nice-looking radio display.
The size and price range categories the 2012 KIA Rio plays in are highly competitive, and standing out can be a real challenge. But the Rio 5-door pulls it off with a combination of power, fuel economy, value, and great looks.
