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Kia Rio Hatchback (2005-2011) running costs and reliability

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Running costs rating: 4.5 out of 54.5

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

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Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 39 - 62 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

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Whether you’re buying new or used, the Rio is good value for money, plus it is cheap to run. All the engines are economical, but the diesel is especially so, returning 63mpg. Insurance ratings are low with most models group 4 or 5, although the CRDI Sport is group 6 and the petrol variant group 7. Servicing is good value at Kia dealerships and parts are generally affordable.

The Rio performs pretty well on the eco front, with similar emissions to other similar sized cars. The CRDi engine is the cleanest. It emits 121g/km of CO2, however in 2008 this was tweaked to 119g/km making it cheaper to tax. Economy is excellent with the diesel able to average 63mpg while the 1.4-litre manages an impressive 46mpg.

Kia has a strong reputation for reliability and all the engines in the Rio have been used in several other Kia models. However, unlike many other Kia models, the Rio originally only came with a three-year warranty. This was changed in January 2010 when a seven-year warranty was introduced as standard on all new Kia models.