Kia Rio YB (2016-2026)
VerifiedAlso referred to as: Kia Rio YB 2025 and Kia Rio YB 2027.30 reviews
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Sporty blue Kia Rio YB 1.4 auto – Constantly pinging. And humming. Bought car april 23. Have taken back to Kia number of times refuse to fix problem and have to learn to live with it. Factory problem bad batch. A DUd”! No acceleration when trying to merge into traffic. Quite dangerous. Cosmetically beautiful and sticky in the road but the engine is very poor. Felt ripped off. Paid $27,000 for it brand new.
- +8
A great alternative to a VW Polo, with a longer factory warranty too – When cross-shopping with a German car, you might think the Kia would come out in a hard second place. Well, it’s a little less dramatic than that. Sure, the Polo has a far more conscious use of softer materials to avoid the occupant having to touch as many ‘cheap’ plastics as possible. However, the Kia Rio feels solid both inside and out; no… Read more
odd squeaks or rattles make themselves known when poking around the interior or over coarse sections of road.
What you’re looking at is the top-trim Kia Rio, which is called the GT-Line. The Rio range started off at $21,490 for the base model, and topped out at $27,990 drive away.
For what’s on offer, I believe this was a killer deal for a small hatchback like this.
Combine a plethora of safety features, a very usable infotainment screen, enough space for four adults, a turbocharged inline three-cylinder motor, and some aesthetically pleasing bits of GT-Line trim, and you have an excellent all-round daily driver.
Kia offers a 7-year warranty/unlimited kilometre and a 7-year capped price service period. Over this period, servicing will set you back $3299, again reinforcing the value that Kia is trying to convey by being as transparent as possible about its running costs. However, service intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km, that means coverage for services only extends to 70,000km or 7 years.
If you’re down for listening to a newly released album, it’s not the ideal place to hear the entire depth and range a song has to offer. But, if you’re looking for some speakers to ‘vibe out’ to, these fulfill that job nicely.
Be prepared to turn that audio dial up just a little bit, as road noise can be a little excessive on rough sections of tarmac.
Four disc brakes on all four wheels is a good start - surprisingly, there are some small hatches that still rock drum brakes on the rear.
The brake pedal feel is ideal for daily driving. It’s a little soft if you plan on pushing the Rio like a hot hatch, but it does mean that it’s far too easy to operate in heavy traffic.
The Rio might not look fast on paper, but in some ways, it’s a bit of a riot if you want to exploit every drop of horsepower from this 1.0L three-cylinder petrol motor.
1.0L is pretty small when it comes to engine capacity, yet things can change when you throw a turbocharger into the mix.
Producing 74kW and 172Nm (61.8kW per tonne) versus the VW Polo’s output from its own 1.0L motor of 85kW and 200Nm (73.7kW per tonne) - the Rio has 13kW per tonne less in its total output compared to the Polo.
This is no hot hatch, but it comes close to being called a ‘warm hatch’. What lets down this car is its 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Downshifts (even in manual mode) are just a little too slow, and the delay between stomping on the accelerator and actually moving is frustrating.
This particular 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission is just that little bit too unresponsive when you want to drive a little faster from a standstill. This is especially the case when using the engine start/stop feature at a set of lights.
Moving at regular speeds and around town, there’s a seamless transition between gears. Although, you do have to get used to the more aggressive ‘creep’ this gearbox offers, after releasing the brakes.
Weighing in at a mere 1197kg, the Rio is already a candidate for effortless cornering. Throw on a set of sticky tyres like these Continental ContiSportContacts, and you have a recipe for handling success. Even in slippery conditions, the Rio is predictable and rarely wants to understeer (unless you turn off its safety nannies).
A weighted steering feel helps you avoid any guess work of where the wheels and tyres are pointing. But the amount of feedback is limited if you’re seeking that sort of engagement.
Despite only packing 3 cylinders, the Rio can be a little thirsty on the daily drive.
Combined claimed consumption is 5.3L per 100km, however, I saw figures averaging as high as 9L per 100km. That figure was recorded over 300km of driving through a mix of urban and highway driving.
The key features here are headlined by some carbon fibre look trim, GT-Line badging, a flat bottom steering wheel and an 8-inch touchscreen.
If you’re a sucker for attention to detail, you’ll appreciate how every line and contour extends past the dashboard through to the door inserts. This is better than having completely different interior designs on the door, compared to what's been designed on the dash.
There’s 325L of boot space with all the seats up available. If you fold the 60:40 seats down, you get a whopping 980L of storage in a car the size of a postage stamp, relative to SUVs being sold around this price range.
Cheap new cars are becoming a rare sight in 2022. The price of purchase and running costs are a top priority for a lot of buyers at the moment too.
If you need a comfortable, reliable and safe daily driver, the Kia Rio is certainly a ‘buy’ option.
The VW Polo might appeal to buyers who are more image focused, and who prefer a German manufacturer over a Korean one. However, what I would say is that the feature list, design and 7-year warranty are going to be far more noticeable than the 8kw per tonne difference between the two cars.
The Kia Rio would be my pick out of the two cars at this price point - unless you want to spend more on something like a Polo GTi, for a proper amount of hot hatch power.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
Solid Local Car - 1.4 Engine, Auto, No Turbo – We actually have the PE but that was not listed. We took delivery, brand new, in early 2023. SPEC: 3 out of 5 stars Base model: I never wanted alloys as they mean larger wheels, which will just get scratched on curbs over time for our intended local here there and everywhere key requirements. The larger wheel harsher ride I don't see the… Read more
point of either and our larger tyres will be cheaper (in my experience). I guess some like the look of larger wheels and convince themselves it aids handling but none of this was ever the point of this car, IMO.
I would have appreciated the larger more premium steering wheel of the next model up. I think it also came with LED headlights and heated steering wheel/seats. Living in southern Sydney only the LED (brighter) lights interested me, but I could only have them as part of the next spec up. For it's mainly local use they are hardly missed.
I would have liked lumbar support for longer runs. No biggie but I am a larger guy and I have been in more premium seats. For local shorter runs, they are more than adequate even for me. No one else has noticed (average-sized ladies basically).
DRIVING: 4 out of 5
Overall it's a good car most at home in suburbia, but it's also more than capable of longer journeys.
Driving it around locally it keeps up with the usual traffic very easily and smoothly if you are not heavy (enthusiastic) with your right foot. If you do push it, at all enthusiastically, the engine soon starts to sound a little harsh. The harsh sound also happens if you need to accelerate from say 40KPH to 80KPH, and this time it happens just keeping up with sensible speed traffic. Nothing terrible here and overall you usually forget you are in a budget car.
The automatic shift is very good.
ECONOMY: 5 stars
The claimed economy numbers are not reached, and we don't drive it spiritedly. However, it's as close as I expected in the real world versus what manufacturers claim.
FUEL: 4 out of 5 stars
Kia recommends 91 but I think it likes 95, just seems a bit smoother/less thirsty. Not much in it.
BODYWORK: 2 out 5 stars
Most (99%) will walk past it and never notice a thing. However, with current tech, the panel alignment is shocking if you look closely. Kia agreed with me at the first service but the long and short of it was nothing was ever going to be done. Candidly, a couple of techs said it's well within what is going out and it's not just a problem with this model.
Harsh marking for the bodywork, maybe, but in this day and age I think it's what is deserved.
Paint: 4 out of 5 stars
Solid white and OK. Personally, I think the quality could be smoother but a half reasonable wax and everything shines.
INTERIOR: 5 stars
It's a budget car at base spec, so I never marked it down for no lumbar support. I think that's a strangely unusual thing in this class anyway. Overall the bits you touch feel as premium as you could possibly expect and the bits you don't touch usually work fine.
Android Auto and Apple Car Play in full wireless glory are very appreciated inclusions.
WARRANTY: 5 stars
7 Year Unlimited Kilometre Warranty for our private usage case. We also get Kia roadside assist (8 years) if we let Kia service things. The latter does not look as good as what NRMA offer BUT on a new car, maybe it's enough? The finer details of these need to be read and understood by the end user each time, BUT overall it's a strong selling point, IMO.
OVERALL AFTER 10 MONTHS: 4 out of 5 stars
It's a super versatile little hatch for local work, and it's OK on long runs. It slots into spaces super easily and sits in car parks unobtrusively when not at home. It copes fine with 4 adults but 5 would be a push. The box for a 33cm lawnmower popped in the boot just fine the other day and the seats are 60/40 split if you ever need that - I never needed that for the mower.
No auto-side mirror angle adjustment for reverse parking is about the only thing I actually regularly miss. It's not a big deal but modern small windows have me checking for high curbs more than I Iike to admit. Of course, the mirrors are electric, but it's a touch that would be nice to have. Also, the rear parking camera comes in surprisingly handy for this as well as being generally handy.
Pricing inclusive of the delivery charges was at least transparent. The days of negotiating more on new cars seem over for a while.
It feels like it should provide years of service.
N.B. - Pic with mower (that popped easily into the boot with a bit of space spare) shows it recently waxed and with after-sales tints (darkest / blackest / fully street legal NSW).
Worst car – I got this car on 30/5/2023 and there is an engine pinging noise at low throttle very fuel-thirsty car not recommend at all. Show details
Great little car – I’ve had this car 12mths. It’s a 2021 gt like which I suspect was an ex lease car. As it was 1yr old 49000km. I wasn’t fazed as the warranty is pretty comprehensive. Since purchasing I have added another 35000km, and the car has not missed a beat. No problems, just routine services. The car does have flaws however… delayed/sluggish response at… Read more
times when u need to accelerate out of a spot! Car sometimes holds gear in the auto fir longer than it should making the car rev excessively, and the apple car play cuts out lots. These are things I can live with. Fuel has been excellent, I usually average 5.8 to 6 litres per 100km. This would’ve been a ripper of a small car in a Manual! Im a pretty decent sized guy and I find the car quite comfortable, which I need as i drive a 200km round trip daily for work. Overall even with its flaws I rate it as a good little car.
Brand new Kia Rio - engine pinging noise – The car is less than 5 months old and engine pinging noise at low throttle. DO NOT buy this car as Kia Australia can't find a fix and honour their warranty. Furthermore they have the worst customer service ever Kia saying that the pinging noise won't affect the engine mechanically, what a joke, again di not buy Kia Show details
Kias failed attempt of a hot hatch? – Sucked in by this car by its great looks and great features, I should really have tested it further before I bought one. At 2000 KMs, I had a warning light come on. After a 6 week process through kia servicing, (who were a nightmare to deal with) I finally got it fixed. Sluggish transmission, over revving issues, not changing gear when it should,… Read more
kicking, and slow acceleration, this car isn't exciting. As expected with a 1.0L, 3 Cylinder engine. The standard picanto drives better.
It slammed to a stop in a car park with no one in front of me, jolting me forward.
Would not recommend kia to anyone. I always had my doubts regarding a kia. Wish I never bought it.
I absolutely love my Rio GT – I recently purchased a new Kia Rio GT in Sporty Blue and I absolutely love it! It's fantastic to drive and has excellent engine power, so much so, I often drive the Rio in Eco or Normal mode. If I do need extra power I switch to Sports mode and OMG it's on steroids! I wouldn't say this car is economical on fuel because I'm currently averaging 9.6L… Read more
per 100kms and as I mentioned, 95% of the time I'm driving in eco or normal mode.
The Rio is relatively light on the steering (it varies with each drive mode) but feels well grounded on the road, especially around corners. My previous car had blind spot monitoring so I was worried I'd miss it since the Rio doesn't have it, however, the vast amount of window visibility makes up for it. In the drivers seat, it is very comfortable and an easy car to drive. I love it. My partner has a Nissan Qashqai SUV and has been driving MY Rio more than his car lately (I'll be putting a stop to that!!!).
The Rio is packed with features which I love such as wireless Apple CarPlay (I was told it's wired but it's not), push button wing mirror close/open button (not automatic), fantastic 8" touchscreen Infotainment, rear parking camera/alert sensors and it alerts me when the car ahead is as moved on when stationary at the lights etc..
I was considering the Hyundai i30 but they're common as mud and I am so glad I went with the Rio GT. It looks modern and sporty.
Engine Pinging on a brand New 2020 car – Bought a new KIA Rio bought in September 2020 and the engine is pinging. I have read how others have the same problem and KIA won't or can't do anything about it, so it could be a factory problem. Please reach out we need to do something! Show details
Car could be so good with a few tweaks – For me this car is a love hate relationship. The rear camera lines are not accurate so I'd use a combo of mirrors and camera. The fuel economy is so far off the manufacturers claim of 6.2L per 100km. Try 9.8L/100. As for acceleration...Don't even think about pulling into that gap unless you put it into manual mode and go past 4000rpm. You'll find… Read more
yourself turning off the AC at times as it saps what little power and torque there is. I think most of this is due to the 4 speed auto. The 1.4L motor should be a 1.6L like the 2005 Rios. This lets the whole car down. Besides that its easy to park, interior and exterior look nice, infotainment is good, boot is a good size and rear leg room is good. I love how it looks but not how it performs. The switch gear on steering wheel also feels a bit cheap.
Don’t buy this car – The car was running fine for the first 2 months. This was purchased new in October 2020. The engine overheats when air con is on. Apple car play always cuts out. It’s been towed to Kia twice in a month. Now the car over revs on take off before it hits its gear and also will not reverse. Got towed to Kia again, been there for 3 days without … Read more
resolution so far. I will never buy a Kia again. As a contractor I am losing income everyday I’m not on the road and this will eventually cost me more than what the car is worth. I will be exercising my rights for a full refund or a brand new car. Unacceptable for a new vehicle.
I want my money back – Nicely packaged little car, big on features. One of the selling points of this car was the wireless apple car play, the problem is that it does not work. Brand new out of the factory, on the way home from the dealer and it failed. The only feature of the infotainment system that works regularly is the radio. Then there is the cruise control,… Read more
works most of the time, but randomly it will not turn on, you just have to wait till your next drive for cruise control. Another feature is the lane keeping assist, sometimes this works perfectly, other times it is a fight. It will try its hardest to steer you out of your lane! The irony is that if you let it, the lane alert will sound, warning you of lane departure :(
Fantastic little car – We brought our Rio two months ago. So far I am completely impressed by every part of the car. Though yes she occasionally struggles up hills until the gears kick in yet at other times she takes off like a rocket. The car is roomy and super quite and extremely fuel efficient. In two months I've only put 40 dollars in her and yet have driven it… Read more
regularly. The interior is comfortable and I like that it does not have all the gadgets and Gizmo's because I get to enjoy the drive rather then pressing buttons. Yet it has the right amount. Has a great sound system and a fantastic air-conditioning. It can be a little heavy on old or well worn roads. But that does not bother me at all. It is spacious inside and I have never felt cramped in. I feel good when I drive as I always know I'm protected by the 7 year warranty and fixed servicing. She handles great on the road and Motorways. The car is so easy to park. And slip by others when there is limited space to pass.I am very impressed and would recommend them to anyone wanting a reliable and efficient car who don't care for all the glitz and gadgets. Though the car has plenty.
Find out how Kia Rio YB compares to other Hatchbacks
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Compact cute car! – I bought this as my first new car. It drives well and I can park it in the tightest spots! The only issue is that the windscreen wipers don’t cover the whole screen! Show details
Love this car – Easy to drive, Apple car play is simply the best, so user friendly. Easy to make calls when driving, use the maps, listen to podcasts etc. Only downside is the car doesn't have a lot of go. Great for zipping around metro areas, not that great going up hill or on the road. Show details
Underpowered piece of crap – Got it as a loan car when my car is due for a new airbag. The automatic one is a piece of crap you need to use manual mode if you want better pickup on hill. The fuel consumption is terrible as well. I would say at least Toyota Echo and Daihatsu Sirion are better than that. Show details
Economical easy to drive haven’t had any issues in 2 yrs of purchasing the vehicle – Lease the vehicle For work purposes Daily use When the vehicle is due for service it gets done ASAP Yes last service I was informed the left shocker was faulty so fixed 2 weeks later Show details
I love my little car BUT – I have a 2018 Automatic Hatch. Bought brand new. Great features, great on the fuel but my only disappointment would be the engine noise. A couple months in, noticed a loud ticking noise at idle and also speeds between 15 - 40 driving slowly eg 50km road with roundabout. there was a loud rattling noise, people travelling with me asked about it… Read more
so it wasn't my imagination. Sometimes very loud. I took it to Kia who couldn't diagnostically find anything wrong with it but their research showed other buyers had had the same problem and they suggested using 95 or higher fuel. So yes the high fuel worked but annoyed that I should have to get the higher fuel. It's a brand new car and shouldn't make such obvious engine noises. So.... disappointed on this point. Also sometimes, after accelerating a little then taking foot off a bit it does surge.
Amazing little car – Bought my Kia brand new and the features that I got with the car make it one of the most affordable small cars on the market with the most features. Only 4 speed with auto so can get a little slow at times, but overall a smooth and quiet drive with lots of comfort Show details
Love This Hatchback Car – The most compact and reliable car I ever had. I got brand new my car from the dealership and since then I haven't had any issue. Just minor changes as any other car. I used my car on a daily bases. Very economic in petrol, wear works perfectly. Space and comfort is great. I have used many time to make my move outs and surprise everything fits (except the mattress and bed frame) Highly recommended model and brand! Show details
Great to drive – Our Kia Rio is a great sized car for us. We are able to use it as and when we like, small enough to park but large enough to take friends or family with us. Cheap to run and we love being able to play our music via the radio as well as having the ability of Bluetooth. Show details
so far so good – I bought my Kia about 1.5 years ago. I am generally happy but don't drive so much (only 4000 kms) so far so it is more a little runner around in Sydney. One of the things I noticed is that after 2 minor accidents (me not at fault) one damage to the back and one to the side the car looked pretty badly damaged so I am wondering what it would be to… Read more
be involved in a 'major' accident and whether I survived. It is just like everything, the parts are from very cheap material. I can see that with my tires, they constantly need to be pumped up (low on air) which seems unreasonable only after such a short time. That makes me think that they used really cheap material. I wish I could have them replaced with better quality tires. Time will tell in the longer run how I am going....
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Great fuel sufficiently, nice to drive – Purchased this to replace i20 which Was written off in hit and run. Great to drive, park and teach my teenagers to drive in. Use it to go to work every day and for any travel requiring 5 or less passengers. Only have to fill up once and week even with all that travel. Service every 6 months or when necessary. No problems at all with this vehicle. Show details
This is my pride and joy! – My little grey Kia Rio is my absolute world. Being my first car, it’s driven a lot. Everywhere I go I get compliments on how nice my car looks. Driving my car is a dream, it’s smooth on all roads and road noise is minimal. I love the heaviness of the car, the steering wheel, gears, closing the doors etc. it feels solid - I feel like I’m in a safe and really high quality car. Show details
Super easy to drive – I bought a manual SLi 2013 model brand new and have found it very easy to drive, a full tank of fuel is around $45, handles well and is generally a very reliable car. I have noticed my gas in the boot hydraulics wore out very quickly and tires on my model are quite expensive to buy (low profile) but other than that, very good little car. Show details
Love my just right car – I love that I have 4 cylinder especially since I have heavy foot and get speeding tickets. It drives smooth and quite. I have a basic one the one with the window u have to manually hold on and roll up or down lol but still love her. Will get a kia optima as soon as I pay her half off Show details
Good car for a first time driver – The new generation Kia Rio handles well, the drive is smooth and comfortable. Outside noise levels are greatly reduced. Only major issue is the effort it requires to drive up steep inclines - it really struggles and you find it hard to go faster than 45 km/hr. The internal technology is great, especially the rear view camera - great view and… Read more
range. The phone connectable app for apple or android phones is very handy - no need for a GPS, just use google maps. Touch screen works quite well. Good legroom in the front for a small car. A little tight for 4 people but it can cope if required. One bug that needs to be ironed out is the change in levels of volume of the radio. When you get in and turn the car on the volume increases and then reverts back to the volume level you have set. this is extremely annoying. To date I have had no other issues, good reliability, but it is early days. Good 7 year warranty and fixed service every 15,000 kms and reasonably fuel efficient, even in inner city driving.
Pros and cons – in this new generation of Kia Rio it has an obvious extra element of incorporating touch screen with google maps compatibility. The app you use to connect your phone is Android Auto, which can be both a pain and/or a blessing. Firstly, it's great how you can command with a call of a button for your android auto to "Call mum", "play music", etc.… Read more
However, sometimes the app malfunctions and you can't operate google maps on your car when you are in power saving mode. I used to drive the previous generation of Kia Rio, and I like how the new one has a wider legroom/space, how there is an extra USB port for people at the backseat to charge their phone, how the windscreen doesn't rattle unlike the older Kia Rio, how it has a reverse camera and guide, how you can set the light to turn on automatically, and lastly, how well this car removes noise pollution from the outside.
However, I don't like how loud the indicator is when you want to signal left/right, and how hard it is to move up a steep hill that you can only go 40km/hr max even if you are flooring it.
Overall, nice comfortable car but not for someone who can't operate new technology.
Real World Review of the New 2017 Kia Rio Manual – So we have owned our New model Kia Rio for about four months now and we have done some real driving in it and have just ticked over 9000 kms, our most recent trip was to Nowra from Brisbane and back for the Christmas holidays to see family. Now there is a lot to like about this new Rio but also a lot to dislike as well and I'm not sure the likes… Read more
outweigh the dislikes but here goes.
We bought this because we wanted a small reasonably priced car and the new Rio caught our eye. Ours is the base model in white because its a manual and the 2 models above it don't come it manual. Lets start with the good.
Pro's.
Great new styling Inside and Out
Very comfortable to sit in and drive for long periods of time as we did ( I have a bad back and knees )
Very spacious interior and boot space, much better than Mazda 2 and Yaris
Soaks up the road and bumps very nicely
6 speed manual is fantastic. Keeps the rpms nice and low at high speeds
Fuel economy is really really good on the highway cycle. 2 adults and 2 kids and a full boot over 2500 kms with A/C on is remained steady at 5.3 L, around town is around 7.2L.
Very cold A/C which you want on those hot days
USB charging in front and rear
Large infotainment screen with GPS if you plug your phone in, could almost be considered a con
7 year warranty
Ok the bad and theres a big lump of it
Cons
The 1.4 engine is complete CRAP. Potatoes have more power than this engine and for most people this will turn them away. Around town you have to up it in every gear to get anywhere so its screaming at you and on the highway you cant pass anyone as it doesn't have the power especially roads where you have to cross onto the other side of the road, you can forget about doing that. On hills OMG so bad, not even hills, any sort of incline and the power is wiped off and you lose 30 kms an hour in the blink of an eye and you have to go down gears and have it scream it at you. This is a real disappointment from Kia. The heart and soul of the car and its rubbish, I have the manual, I can't imagine how bad the Auto must be
No manual in the 2 better models
Has a few annoying squeaks and rattles that I have to take back to Kia to get sorted
Base model is with out any real gadgets and tech if you like that sort of thing
No stand alone GPS, must plug your phone in
Factory tyres are loud
Not the best handling around corners and you must slow right down
Not great on the highway cycle, you have to keep making tiny adjustments to your steering to keep it on the straight and narrow, very annoying considering I have just done 2500 kms and most of it highway
Stereo not real flash sounding
Cheap plastic interior
Ok so there is my take on the New Kia Rio. Only gets 3 stars, some might give it less. Kia have done well in the Looks and Styling and comfort to ride in of this new model and really really let it down with its garbage engine and poor handling, the most important things of all. Shame really. I hope they can fix this in the future because if they don't I won't be buying another one.
Best car I’ve purchased – Drive performance is excellent, so efficient with petrol. Drives extremely smooth and no hassles getting from A to B. Car is so cute and sporty, and I would highly recommend it for a first car or even if you like a small car. Looks good, and the interior tops it. Show details
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It is now July 2021 and the fault still remains, no news from Kia. The dealer and Kia Australia no longer answer my emails. I hate driving this car!