2022 Kia Rio

　　

2022 Kia Rio Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　, rating written byTravis LangnessNews Editor

　　Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the News Editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

　　Every year, the extra-small sedan segment gets a little bit smaller, with automakers dropping subcompact vehicles. The Kia Rio, however, just keeps soldiering on. The 2022 Kia Rio is unchanged from the previous model year, sticking with the same virtues: a low price, small dimensions and a long warranty. Fuel economy is impressive too, as you'd probably expect of such a small car. The EPA estimates that the Rio will return 36 mpg combined, but we easily beat that number during zzdcar' testing.

　　There are a few drawbacks to consider if you're looking at the Rio. Even among extra-small sedans, the Rio is low on cargo space. A telescoping steering wheel isn't available, and the standard seating position is a bit high so some drivers will have a hard time getting comfortable. We'd also skip the base trim level given its meager level of equipment.

　　Since there are so few extra-small sedans left, the list of rivals isn't long, but it includes vehicles such as the Nissan Versa and the Rio's cousin, the Hyundai Accent. If you're on a budget, you might also be interested in extra-small SUVs like the Kia Soul or the Hyundai Kona. For more information about the Rio and how it stacks up in every category from comfort to tech, check out the zzdcar' Expert Rating below.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Below Average

　　7.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.0/10

　　How does the Rio drive? The Rio is underpowered and underwhelming on the road. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine makes just 120 horsepower, and while that's typically enough for city streets, you have to use every single one to get up to speed on the highway. Lane changes and overtakes require more caution than anything else, and gaps that would be easy to exploit in most cars require more thought to slot into thanks to the Rio's prevailing lack of punch. The one saving grace has to be its continuously variable automatic transmission, which is smooth and does a commendable job of exploiting what power the Rio has.

　　Because of the Rio's soft suspension tune and near gripless all-season tires, it's not all that enjoyable to zoom around city streets. The steering is far too eager to recenter itself and has an elastic feel to it. The Rio is a car that's happiest at half speed, and for its target audience, that's likely more than enough.

　　

Comfort

7.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Rio? The Rio's price of entry might be low, but that doesn't mean you're getting something that isn't sophisticated enough to deal with the ruts, lumps and bumps of day-to-day driving. A squishy suspension tune and tall tire sidewalls mean that the Rio rides surprisingly well. It isn't perfect, but the ride is better than you might expect.

　　Unfortunately, we can't stop there. The soft ride is a plus, but wind noise is almost always audible inside the cabin, and even if the suspension is set up for comfort, you do get shocks through the seat while going over bigger bumps. The seat itself is conventionally shaped, but it offers neither above-average support nor comfort. Also the absence of any armrest padding just feels inconsiderate.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below