Kia Rio (2011 - 2017) 1.1 CRDi 2 EcoDynamics 5d (2011/61) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They love it. It looks good, has a very nice cabin with plenty of gadgets. Although the harsh ride has been mentioned a lot.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No. Although I really like the feel of cabin, and the look and build quality of the car, the combination of poor fuel economy, a harsh ride and vague steering would put me off buying another Kia.

What are you likely to buy next?

Volkswagen Golf.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£11,495

When did you buy the car?

June 2012

Did you get a good deal and why?

I paid the full asking price.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Primarily for the claimed figure of 74 MPG. The 7 year warranty was another reason, as was the standard equipment.

What was the dealer like?

Friendly and very helpful, with no hard sell tactics. Th servicing costs are extremely good.

What's it like to drive?

Handling when city driving is excellent, the steering is light weight and it has a very impressive turning circle. Handling on windey A or B roads does not inspire confidence though, the car becomes very wallowy and unsettled underfoot. Motorway driving is very refined, the car eats up the miles with ease. Engine noise intrusion into the cabin is negligable, at motorway speed it is still virtually inaudible. The ride is very harsh on all road surface conditions, but particularly when city driving, where even very minor expansion joints and potholes cause jarring thumps through the seats and steering wheel. The gear change is really sharp, it's a real pleasure to run through the gears.

What's it like to park?

Although there is a chunky blind spot at the rear, reverse parallel parking is very easy, the steering is light, and tight spaces are easy to manoeuvre into.

Have you had any problems with the car?

The Rio's claimed fuel economy figure is its single biggest let down. 74 MPG (equating to 700 miles on a tank) has been completely unattainable in my experience. On average, I return 400 miles per tank, with considerate driving, and on an extra-urban cycle it doesn’t generally surpass 55 MPG. The Rio's predecessor was an 8 year old Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi which returned better figures in comparison to the Kia (and on par with the manufacturer’s claimed figures). Considering the ‘Eco’ badge, this has proven to be somewhat infuriating as the healthy fuel saving I had anticipated has not materialised.

What's most practical about your car?

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The electric fold-in door mirrors.