Like sleep deprivation and water boarding, it's rumored that a five-hour road trip in a Kia Rio is on the CIA's list of effective harsh interrogation techniques.
When the original Rio hit the market in 2001, the above would have been believable. The Rio was the cheapest car on the market, and it drove like it. Rickshaw and hitchhiking were more favorable modes of transport.
Things are different now. After five years, Kia has completely redesigned the Rio for 2006 and the new Rio is certainly better than its predecessor. Changes include a revised suspension, a stronger engine, a more spacious interior and six standard airbags. There's even a new model, the 2006 Kia Rio5 hatchback, which replaces the poorly named Rio Cinco wagon.
To find out if the changes make the Rio a car you want to drive, or if the Rio Road Trip is still an effective weapon in the war on terror, we decided to drive this Sunset Orange Rio5 five hours from Los Angeles to San Jose.
Come along for the ride, if you dare.
First impressions
The original Rio looked as cheap as it was — no style, no distinctive lines, no nothing. As we load up our Rio5, we notice its flared wheel arches and flush grille that blends nicely into the hood and headlights. Even the standard 15-inch wheels have a clean five-spoke design.
One reason the Rio5 doesn't look so cheap is because it isn't. All Rio5 hatchbacks come in the top-of-the-line SX trim level while the Rio sedan is offered in less expensive base and LX trims. The base price for the Rio5 with an automatic transmission is $14,350, and ours tops out at $15,960 with options.
All Rio5s get basic equipment like air conditioning, a CD stereo and a 60/40-split-folding rear seat along with a few upgrades over the sedan like a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever and metallic interior trim. Front, side seat and side curtain airbags are also standard on all models. Our options include antilock brakes ($400), floor mats ($70) and the optional Power Package ($600) which adds electric mirrors, windows and locks with remote keyless entry.
Loading up
Longer and taller than its predecessor, the Rio5 won't be cramped for the 300-mile trip, at least not up front. A 3.5-inch-longer wheelbase gives the Rio 42.8 inches of legroom for the driver, the most in its class. The driver seat also comes standard with height and lumbar adjustments and a fold-down armrest. Passenger room in back is tighter, with slightly less leg- and headroom than the Scion xA.
Our only size problem crops up when we try to toss a golf bag into the cargo bay. It won't fit even though the 2006 Rio is almost an inch wider than the previous version. With 15.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, the Rio has twice the luggage room of the Chevrolet Aveo. We angle the bag a little, it falls into place and we pile on another suitcase with room to spare.
After settling in we notice how much better the interior looks and feels compared to the previous Rio. It's still mostly gray colors throughout, but this time the dash is a darker shade that contrasts with a light-colored headliner and medium gray door and seat trim. Metallic trim on the stereo and steering wheel further brighten things up.
Hitting the road
Topping off the 11.9-gallon tank doesn't take long, and with EPA ratings of 29 city and 38 highway we should make it to San Jose with a few gallons to spare.
Developing 110 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque, the Rio's new 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine matches or beats both the xA and Aveo in both categories. It's matched to either a five-speed manual or, as in our test car, a four-speed automatic.
We flat-foot it getting onto the freeway and there's a swell of noise and vibration but not a lot of push from the seat. The leisurely feel of its acceleration is later confirmed by an 11.5-second 0-to-60 run at the test track which is nearly a second slower than its Chevy and Scion competitors.
Shifts from the automatic are reasonably quick and an on/off button for the overdrive gear makes it easy to drop to 3rd for climbing long grades. We make use of it often and find ourselves maneuvering through traffic with ease. There's no ignoring the engine noise at full throttle, but when the transmission drops into top gear on the flat sections the cabin gets surprisingly quiet with little road or wind noise.
The long haul
After a hundred miles or so we've found a couple of this Rio's ergonomic shortcomings. The driver seat becomes uncomfortable after about an hour and no amount of fiddling with its numerous adjustments helps.
Then we pick up a 32-ounce soda at a rest stop and find that although it technically fits the shallow cupholder it's too wobbly to trust without holding it. The absence of a center console is another odd design flaw, but the foldable armrest works fine in its place and a well-placed storage tray in front of the shifter gives us a place to keep a cell phone within reach.
Handling the highway
Gusty winds don't bother the Rio5 much considering its small size. It feels well planted and cruises calmly at 75 mph. The steering has a convenient dead spot on-center that makes plowing down the interstate a mindless chore. If it had cruise control the car wouldn't need us at all.
There are a few winding roads along the way and the front-wheel-drive Rio handles them well. Steering feel off center is good and an antisway bar up front keeps body roll well under control. A fast 64.5-mph slalom time at the test track confirms the Rio's ability to handle itself at the limit.
Four-wheel antilock disc brakes helped it turn in an even more impressive number in the 60-to-0 brake test. At 122 feet the Rio stopped as quickly as some sport sedans that cost three times as much. When you're not laying into them with full force, the pedal feels progressive and easy to modulate.
Ride quality over broken roadways isn't quite as impressive. It's jittery and unrefined with a little too much clunking from the suspension. Hit a big pothole and it shudders through the cabin with a thud.
Delivered to the destination
After five hours behind the wheel we arrive with a new opinion of the Rio. It cruises quietly, has plenty of room and a simple interior design that works well and looks good. The seats could have been more comfortable, but there aren't many cars for this price that don't get stiff after a few hours.
We burned a little more than 10 gallons of gas for an average of 28.5 miles per gallon. Not the number it promised but respectable given how hard we pushed it along the way.
At nearly $16,000, this Rio5 was a little more expensive than we expected. You can get the Chevrolet Aveo or the Scion xA for less, but if we had to go another 300 miles we would prefer to drive the Rio5. The Rio road trip is torturous no more.
When the original Rio hit the market in 2001, the above would have been believable. The Rio was the cheapest car on the market, and it drove like it. Rickshaw and hitchhiking were more favorable modes of transport.
Things are different now. After five years, Kia has completely redesigned the Rio for 2006 and the new Rio is certainly better than its predecessor. Changes include a revised suspension, a stronger engine, a more spacious interior and six standard airbags. There's even a new model, the 2006 Kia Rio5 hatchback, which replaces the poorly named Rio Cinco wagon.
To find out if the changes make the Rio a car you want to drive, or if the Rio Road Trip is still an effective weapon in the war on terror, we decided to drive this Sunset Orange Rio5 five hours from Los Angeles to San Jose.
Come along for the ride, if you dare.
First impressions
The original Rio looked as cheap as it was — no style, no distinctive lines, no nothing. As we load up our Rio5, we notice its flared wheel arches and flush grille that blends nicely into the hood and headlights. Even the standard 15-inch wheels have a clean five-spoke design.
One reason the Rio5 doesn't look so cheap is because it isn't. All Rio5 hatchbacks come in the top-of-the-line SX trim level while the Rio sedan is offered in less expensive base and LX trims. The base price for the Rio5 with an automatic transmission is $14,350, and ours tops out at $15,960 with options.
All Rio5s get basic equipment like air conditioning, a CD stereo and a 60/40-split-folding rear seat along with a few upgrades over the sedan like a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever and metallic interior trim. Front, side seat and side curtain airbags are also standard on all models. Our options include antilock brakes ($400), floor mats ($70) and the optional Power Package ($600) which adds electric mirrors, windows and locks with remote keyless entry.
Loading up
Longer and taller than its predecessor, the Rio5 won't be cramped for the 300-mile trip, at least not up front. A 3.5-inch-longer wheelbase gives the Rio 42.8 inches of legroom for the driver, the most in its class. The driver seat also comes standard with height and lumbar adjustments and a fold-down armrest. Passenger room in back is tighter, with slightly less leg- and headroom than the Scion xA.
Our only size problem crops up when we try to toss a golf bag into the cargo bay. It won't fit even though the 2006 Rio is almost an inch wider than the previous version. With 15.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, the Rio has twice the luggage room of the Chevrolet Aveo. We angle the bag a little, it falls into place and we pile on another suitcase with room to spare.
After settling in we notice how much better the interior looks and feels compared to the previous Rio. It's still mostly gray colors throughout, but this time the dash is a darker shade that contrasts with a light-colored headliner and medium gray door and seat trim. Metallic trim on the stereo and steering wheel further brighten things up.
Hitting the road
Topping off the 11.9-gallon tank doesn't take long, and with EPA ratings of 29 city and 38 highway we should make it to San Jose with a few gallons to spare.
Developing 110 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque, the Rio's new 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine matches or beats both the xA and Aveo in both categories. It's matched to either a five-speed manual or, as in our test car, a four-speed automatic.
We flat-foot it getting onto the freeway and there's a swell of noise and vibration but not a lot of push from the seat. The leisurely feel of its acceleration is later confirmed by an 11.5-second 0-to-60 run at the test track which is nearly a second slower than its Chevy and Scion competitors.
Shifts from the automatic are reasonably quick and an on/off button for the overdrive gear makes it easy to drop to 3rd for climbing long grades. We make use of it often and find ourselves maneuvering through traffic with ease. There's no ignoring the engine noise at full throttle, but when the transmission drops into top gear on the flat sections the cabin gets surprisingly quiet with little road or wind noise.
The long haul
After a hundred miles or so we've found a couple of this Rio's ergonomic shortcomings. The driver seat becomes uncomfortable after about an hour and no amount of fiddling with its numerous adjustments helps.
Then we pick up a 32-ounce soda at a rest stop and find that although it technically fits the shallow cupholder it's too wobbly to trust without holding it. The absence of a center console is another odd design flaw, but the foldable armrest works fine in its place and a well-placed storage tray in front of the shifter gives us a place to keep a cell phone within reach.
Handling the highway
Gusty winds don't bother the Rio5 much considering its small size. It feels well planted and cruises calmly at 75 mph. The steering has a convenient dead spot on-center that makes plowing down the interstate a mindless chore. If it had cruise control the car wouldn't need us at all.
There are a few winding roads along the way and the front-wheel-drive Rio handles them well. Steering feel off center is good and an antisway bar up front keeps body roll well under control. A fast 64.5-mph slalom time at the test track confirms the Rio's ability to handle itself at the limit.
Four-wheel antilock disc brakes helped it turn in an even more impressive number in the 60-to-0 brake test. At 122 feet the Rio stopped as quickly as some sport sedans that cost three times as much. When you're not laying into them with full force, the pedal feels progressive and easy to modulate.
Ride quality over broken roadways isn't quite as impressive. It's jittery and unrefined with a little too much clunking from the suspension. Hit a big pothole and it shudders through the cabin with a thud.
Delivered to the destination
After five hours behind the wheel we arrive with a new opinion of the Rio. It cruises quietly, has plenty of room and a simple interior design that works well and looks good. The seats could have been more comfortable, but there aren't many cars for this price that don't get stiff after a few hours.
We burned a little more than 10 gallons of gas for an average of 28.5 miles per gallon. Not the number it promised but respectable given how hard we pushed it along the way.
At nearly $16,000, this Rio5 was a little more expensive than we expected. You can get the Chevrolet Aveo or the Scion xA for less, but if we had to go another 300 miles we would prefer to drive the Rio5. The Rio road trip is torturous no more.
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