Skip advert
Advertisement

Kia Rio: Final report

Our long-term Kia Rio is half the price of an Aston Martin bike, but it makes twice as much sense

Cycling is all the rage in 2012, with Bradley Wiggins winning the Tour de France and Team GB enjoying Olympic glory. But you’d have to be pretty keen to splash £25,000 on the Aston Martin One-77 Cycle – it’s nearly twice as pricey as our Kia Rio.

This ultimate pedal-powered two-wheeler is named after Aston’s $1million supercar, and is just as exclusive, with only 77 being built. For the money, you get bright lights and trip computers with speed and temperature info, but our supermini has all this, as well as protection from the elements. And although it shares the bike’s overly firm ride, I’d choose the Rio every time.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Our ‘2’-spec model has Bluetooth phone functionality, plus an iPod connection and air-con. On top of that, the low CO2 emissions of its 1.1-litre engine meant I didn’t have to pay the £10 daily Congestion Charge for driving to our central London office, while road tax was free, too. However, I needed these savings to offset the disappointing fuel consumption.

Over the 12,000-plus varied miles I did in six months, I averaged a mere 43.9mpg. Not only was that a poor return for a 1.1-litre diesel, it was way off Kia’s claimed 74.3mpg.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Yaris Hybrid

2024 Toyota

Yaris Hybrid

23,788 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £16,875
View Yaris Hybrid
Sorento

2019 Kia

Sorento

45,119 milesManualDiesel2.2L

Cash £18,229
View Sorento
T-Roc

2022 Volkswagen

T-Roc

27,890 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £21,299
View T-Roc
Juke

2018 Nissan

Juke

34,750 milesManualDiesel1.5L

Cash £7,300
View Juke

In an effort to boost the car’s economy I regularly checked that the tyres were running the right pressure. As a result, I recently noticed the front tread depth was getting close to the legal limit, which was a lot of wear for the mileage.

Worn tyres didn’t do much to help our car’s uncomfortable ride, either, and the 17-inch alloys sent lots of vibrations and jolts into the cabin. The firm suspension was always a personal bugbear during my six months with the car, and it spoiled the Rio’s otherwise calm, comfortable – and very practical – cabin.

The boot is huge, and with the rear seats folded flat there’s a generous 923 litres of space. Better still, the wide opening lets you make the most of the room – which meant the Kia swallowed nearly all the products I was testing (including the Aston bike). And even with the rear bench in place, there was plenty of boot space for my dog to move around in.

I had no complaints about reliability, either, which fully justifies Kia’s decision to back the car with its industry-leading seven-year warranty. In my time with the Rio, nothing broke or fell off, and it never left me stranded at the roadside. In fact, the only time I lifted the bonnet was to replenish the washer fluid bottle and top up the oil, which was down to the minimum mark.

Overall, the Kia proved itself as a worthy rival to mainstream superminis. It’s a handsome, generously equipped and spacious runaround that’s backed up by a brilliant warranty. Only the firm ride and disappointing fuel economy stop it scoring top marks with us – and I’d rather put up with these flaws than get on my bike.

Our view

“The Kia is up there with the class leaders. It’s well equipped, stylish, spacious and solid. All it needs is a smoother ride and more sparkling dynamics.”Lesley Harris, Road tester

Your view

“You’ve been getting shocking mpg for a 1.1-litre diesel. My one-and-half-tonne diesel estate is twice as powerful as the Kia, yet averages 51mpg.”Daniel, via www.autoexpress.co.uk

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £3,331 off RRP*Used from £9,600
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £25,915Avg. savings £2,116 off RRP*Used from £18,900
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £5,075 off RRP*Used from £14,448
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,513 off RRP*Used from £5,500
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025