Kia Rio
Registered from 2001 to 2023.
About this model
The Kia Rio is a subcompact car manufactured by Kia from 1999 to 2023. It was discontinued due to declining popularity and broader economic factors. Body styles have included a three and five-door hatchback and four-door sedan, equipped with inline-four gasoline and diesel engines, and front-wheel drive.
From the Wikipedia article Kia Rio, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it stands out against its peers
- Hydraulic: more complaints than 97% of 2013 cars — 14% of its 153 complaints, where an ordinary 2013 car has 1%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- ENGINE — 28 owners reported this, 3 involving a fire
- AIR BAGS — 22 owners reported this, 3 involving a crash
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC — 18 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 7 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
- STEERING — 5 owners reported this
- AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — 3 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
- SERVICE BRAKES — 3 owners reported this
- VISIBILITY/WIPER — 3 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 2 owners reported this
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 2 owners reported this
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
- SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
- STEERING,AIR BAGS — 2 owners reported this
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
Crash test
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | Optional |
| Lane departure warning | Optional |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 120 hp · 1156 kg · 2580 mm wheelbase · 6.5 L/100km (EPA) · 7.4 L/100km city · 5.7 motorway · Hatch, 5-door |
| 2022 | 120 hp · 1156 kg · 2580 mm wheelbase · 6.5 L/100km (EPA) · 7.1 L/100km city · 5.7 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2021 | 120 hp · 1156 kg · 2580 mm wheelbase · 6.5 L/100km (EPA) · 7.1 L/100km city · 5.7 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2020 | 120 hp · 1156 kg · 2580 mm wheelbase · 6.5 L/100km (EPA) · 7.1 L/100km city · 5.7 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2019 | 130 hp · 1156 kg · 2580 mm wheelbase · 7.4 L/100km (EPA) · 8.4 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2018 | 130 hp · 1201 kg · 2580 mm wheelbase · 7.4 L/100km (EPA) · 8.4 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2017 | 138 hp · 1131 kg · 2570 mm wheelbase · 7.6 L/100km (EPA) · 8.7 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2016 | 138 hp · 1131 kg · 2570 mm wheelbase · 7.6 L/100km (EPA) · 8.7 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2015 | 138 hp · 1131 kg · 2570 mm wheelbase · 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 8.7 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2014 | 138 hp · 1167 kg · 2570 mm wheelbase · 7.8 L/100km (EPA) · 8.7 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2013 | 138 hp · 1126 kg · 2570 mm wheelbase · 7.4 L/100km (EPA) · 8.1 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
| 2012 | 138 hp · 1179 kg · 2570 mm wheelbase · 7.6 L/100km (EPA) · 8.4 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Sedan, 5-door |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
77% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.
21V622000
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
21V936000
Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 11, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC223.
22V304000
Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC235.
23V594000
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.
23V652000
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Regulator investigations
Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
Audit query, opened November 2023, still open.
Engine Fires
Engineering analysis, opened December 2021, closed February 2024.
Steel wheel fracture
Engineering analysis, opened July 2004, closed April 2005.
Steel wheel fracture
Preliminary evaluation, opened March 2004, closed July 2004.
Fuel rail leakage
Engineering analysis, opened August 2003, closed April 2004.
Engine compartment fires
Preliminary evaluation, opened April 2003, closed August 2003.
Air bag non deploy
Engineering analysis, opened July 2002, closed July 2003.
Air bag non-deployment frontal crash
Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2002, closed July 2002.
What the maker told its dealers
Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.
Kia filed 19 bulletins about the 2023 Rio.
- Electrical system: 9
- Power train: 4
- Engine and engine cooling: 2
- Structure: 2
- Back over prevention: 1
- Fuel system, diesel: 1
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable… · June 2026
- PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The… · December 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar… · April 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that… · March 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0/AVN5WSOFTWARE UPDATE (SA569) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin… · January 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0V/AVN5W SOFTWARE UPDATE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black… · December 2024
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0V/AVN5W SOFTWARE UPDATE - This bulletin provides information to update the software on Display Audio 2.0 (D2V) and 5th Generation AVN Wide (AVN5W) head… · July 2024
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IVT OIL PRESSURE SENSOR REPLACEMENT: This bulletin provides information to replace the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) Oil Pressure Sensor (OPS) on some… · July 2024
11 more.
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.