Kia Rio 1 1.25 Air 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The Rio's 1248cc engine delivers 83bhp at 6000 rpm and 89lb-ft of torque. 0-62mph takes a leisurely 12.6 seconds thanks to gear ratios which were chosen for economy rather than acceleration but the top speed of 107mph means that the Rio will be able to keep up with motorway traffic without too much fuss.

This Rio has been targeted more towards a comfortable ride, but it also drives quite well. The Rio has reasonably taut suspension but the steering has an artificial, disconnected feel. The Rio's engine is noisy when worked hard but wind noise isn't too intrusive.

The Kia Rio looks completely different from its predecessor, with a sharper, more European body designed by Peter Schreyer, who designed the original Audi TT.

Inside, it isn’t as luxurious as its rival the Polo, but nevertheless the interior has come a long way from earlier models. There is a large central speedometer surrounded by dials for the engine revs and petrol, red and white illumination, bringing a touch of maturity. There are also two 12V power points allowing you to charge a number of gadgets. The front seats are very comfy, even on longer journeys but they are wide and flat, offering little support in tight corners.

Kit wise you get: central locking, power steering, electric front windows, Bluetooth connectivity, CD player with MP3 connectivity, daytime running lights, body-coloured exterior trim, trip computer, stereo with USB and AUX ports as standard, and air-con.

The Rio is one of the largest cars in the supermini class. With a 288 litre boot there is plenty of room for luggage and even more so when you fold down the seats, creating 923 litres. There is also a good sized gloved box and large door bins.

The Kia is well on its way to building a reputation for reliability. This is mainly thanks to the 7 year/100,000mile warranty which comes as standard and is transferable to the next owner. There have been few faults with other Kia models, so the Rio is likely to be reliable as well.

Safety kit included as standard includes anti-lock braking, hill assist control to prevent the car rolling backwards during hill starts, twin front, side and curtain airbags and front and rear seat ISOFIX child seat anchors.

The Rio 1 1.25 Air 5dr should return 56.5 mpg on the combined cycle and with CO2 emissions of 114g/km, the Rio will also be cheap to tax under VED band C.

The purchase price of £11,395 may seem like a good deal but the Rio will suffer steep depreciation and there are better, if slightly smaller, cars around for roughly the same outlay.