Comparison review: 10 subcompact hatchbacks (2nd place)

 

Poke around inside most of today's subcompacts, and you'll find some clear evidence of cost-cutting. Maybe it's evident throughout the cabin, or maybe you just notice a knob that doesn't want to turn smoothly, or perhaps hard plastic where you want to rest your arm, or the absence of an expected feature. It's not easy, after all, to deliver everything the increasingly spoiled market demands at a reasonable price without cutting a few obvious corners. 

 

The newly redesigned 2012 Kia Rio holds up under close scrutiny, going above and beyond the quality and feature content standards set even by many larger models. Cabin design and trim is upscale, the center console bin/armrest adjusts fore-aft, a rearview camera is widely available, and moving parts are commendably solid. 

 

Overall, the Rio is the premium compact of the class, while squeezing in more interior space, more user-friendly ergonomics and better EPA fuel economy ratings than the Ford Fiesta, its nearest competitor. 

 

Where the Rio narrowly misses its shot at first place – it's a virtual tie with the mechanically related Hyundai Accent – is its driving dynamics, which are competent by the class's high standards, but not nearly as outstanding as the car's interior. 

 

The Rio feels solid and stable, isn't terribly noisy, and rides well in its EX trim. But the steering feels unnatural, robbing the car of a fun-to-drive quality – even in the “sport-tuned” SX trim that also brings a stiffer ride. Some shoppers will also likely favor a competitor with more cargo room and flatter-folding rear seats. 

 

But for an impressive combination of premium and mainstream qualities, the Rio belongs on the shopping list of any subcompact car buyer, except one who's looking for something sporty. 

 

 

This reviewer drove two Rios for this review: a well-equipped EX model, which is the most comparable to the others in this comparison, and the sport-tuned SX, which was on a week-long loan from Kia. The two cars were nearly identically equipped and nearly identically priced; the EX is the obvious choice between them.

 

You give up some cosmetic items, to be sure. The SX has larger, more eye-catching alloy wheels; LED-trimmed headlights; and dual exhuast tips. It also has additional available features beyond what the EX offers: heated leather seats, a sunroof, a navigation system, and a proximity key system. 

 

But if you don't go for those features, the EX's smoother and quieter ride should win you over – especially considering that the Rio's steering saps the ability of the “sport suspension” to make the car particularly fun to drive. 

 

That's not to say that even the Rio EX is the smoothest, quietest car in this class. Unwanted noise is suppressed well, but the Rio lacks the cushy ride quality of a Chevrolet Sonic, and it trails the taut control of a Ford Fiesta. But it's more than acceptable by this class's high standards, and the engine is smoother, peppier, and quieter than in either of those models. 

 

All Rios have a 1.6-liter 138-horsepower four-cylinder engine shared with the Hyundai Accent, and all but the base model come only with a six-speed automatic transmission. (Models with the six-speed manual transmission will be rare and have few features.) The Rio is peppy for a subcompact and rated for a class-leading – tied with the Accent – 30 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway. The tested Rio returned 32 miles per gallon in mixed driving, much of which included carrying four adults. 

 

As a small, light vehicle, the Rio has an inherent agility and maneuverability. But as noted, it doesn't have the sporty steering feel of several competitors. It never feels natural, and it's not as quick or precise as the best small cars. 

 

Further, the car demands steering input to go straight after a turn, in conditions where most cars manage it themselves. As in a growing number of cars, the Rio's power steering assist is run by an electric motor to achieve better fuel efficiency, but others – including the Hyundai Accent – are better calibrated to feel like a traditional hydraulic system. 

 

The Rio's interior is where the car stands out. It's not that it tries to jump out at you as an upscale car, but it gives a first impression of tasteful quality, and backs that impression out as you live with the car.

 

Back-to-back test drives with the competition highlighted various areas that the others came up short – clunky or missing center console bins, chintzy HVAC knobs, cheap plastic, sloppy assembly … all issues this Kia avoids. Crisply lit gauges and a widely available backup camera are further premium touches. Lower-end models include a few downgraded interior materials, losing for instance the rubbery soft-touch dashboard. 

 

Ergonomics are also refreshingly straightforward. Simple buttons and knobs operate major controls, and everything is within easy reach to be used without demanding concentration. Kia's Uvo system includes voice controls, but using the buttons is quicker for most functions. 

 

The Rio's front seats are roomy, comfortable and well-shaped, if not as coddling as a Chevrolet Sonic's. The rear is tighter than some competitors, but two adults will fit with minimal fuss. 

 

Kia boasts an impressive 50 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded, but real-life utility doesn't back up that specification. The rear seat doesn't fold either flush or flat with the cargo floor – loose carpeting partially covers the ledge between the floor and the folded seatback – and there' s a high lip over which you must load and unload cargo, over the high rear bumper. The Rio's styling cuts into space behind the rear seat, and also leaves a large over-the-shoulder blind spot. 

 

The Rio is also available as a four-door sedan. 

 

 

Unlike the slightly larger Kia Soul, the Rio doesn't feel like anything but a subcompact car. The interior volume and seating position – larger and higher in the Soul – are in line with the class norm in this Rio. 

 

But it does distance itself from most other vehicles at this size and price for the thoroughly quality feel of its interior, while also impressing for its fuel economy. It's not the roomiest small car, and it's far from the sportiest, but it's a solid overall subcompact that challenges the notion that subcompacts feel cheap. 

 

 

Vehicle tested: 2012 Kia Rio

Vehicle base price (MSRP): $13,600

Versions tested: EX, SX

Version base prices (MSRP): $16,500, $17,700

Vehicle prices as tested (MSRP): $18,525, $18,545

Vehicle price as comparable (MSRP)*: $18,345

Estimated transaction price as comparable**:  $17,606

Test vehicles provided by: Kia of Waldorf of Waldorf, Md.; Kia Motors America

 

Length: 159.3 inches 

Width: 67.7 inches 

Height: 57.3 inches

Wheelbase: 101.2 inches

Weight: 2,483 pounds 

Cargo volume behind rear seat: 15.0 cubic feet

Cargo volume with rear seat folded: 49.8 cubic feet

Turning circle: 33.4 feet 

Engine: 1.6-liter I4 with 138 horsepower 

Transmission (as tested): 6-speed automatic 

EPA city mileage: 30 miles per gallon 

EPA highway mileage: 40 miles per gallon 

EPA combined mileage: 33 miles per gallon

Observed mileage during test: 31.9 miles per gallon

Assembly location: South Korea

For more information: Kia website