Posted: Sunday, February 26, 2006. (10:40 PM HST)

2006 Kia Rio: Entry Level with Safety

By Ed Kemper
Honolulu, Hawaii
Courtesy of Aloha Kia

Generation one of the compact Kia Rio was a car with the basics (doors, engines, tires, etc.) with nothing to write home about on the styling front, but it had good pricing and a fabulous warranty.

The new Rio for 2006 still sticks with the low price and great warranty but with some welcome additions.

On the safety front, the standard equipment airbags are everywhere—front, side, and curtains, 6 in all.

Dimensionally, the overall length has stayed the same for the 4 door, but the wheels have been pushed out resulting in a gain of almost 4 inches in the wheelbase thereby adding to the interior volume. Width and height have some measurable increases but not by much.

Although the 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder engine remains the same size, the adding of variable-timing bumps the horsepower rating by 6 units (from 104 to 110). Transmissions remain a 5-speed stick or an optional 4-speed automatic.

With its relatively small size and lightweight, fuel ratings are in the high twenties in the city to the high thirties on the highways depending on equipment and the model.

Speaking of models, there are distinct versions—the classic 4-door sedan and the more unusual looking hatchback logically called the Rio5. The latter is essentially a trunk less version and is shorter and more wagon like in appearance.

The Rio styling statement, at least in the 4-door sedan, is more aggressive, but it still speaks generic 4 door when all is said and done. Fender flairs are more pronounced, the grill is cleaner and more interesting, and the roofline is smoother. Better and different is the Rio5 because it is at least distinctive and dare I say the word "cute".

Pricing has crept up with the base price of the 4 door just topping $11,000, but do not expect much in standard features (other than airbags) with the base model. With much more equipment, the "5" starts at just over $14,000. The Rio comes in two models, the base and LX and the Rio5 has one designated as the SX.

Rio On River Street
Wheels hit the road with an LX four door with the only addition being carpeted floor mats. The sticker started at $13,295 and tapped out at $13,905 with freight added. With the LX, an automatic transmission, A/C, CD player, 8-way driver’s seat, 60/40 folding rear seat, remote trunk and fuel door releases are, among other items, added above the base model.

Interior appointments on the LX belie the price. Contrasting colors of the interior adds to the nice look. Maybe fortunately, there is not the overdone phony looking plastic metal everywhere, but there is a scattering of chrome here and there. The A/C controls are thrust out with easy to use 3 rotary controls. Lacking is an armrest/storage unit between the driver and passenger. Instead there are multiple small closed and open storage pukas and cupholders.

A normal automatic lever with a top gear lock out resides in the center console. A small window in the dash displays the current gear selection. In the good thought department a narrow opening is centered between the stereo and A/C controls to storage parking passes or other small cards.

The 8-way manually adjustable driver’s seat helps make the driver feel very comfortable. Modest side support is found in the front seats.

Rio Rear
No question that the Rio is still a compact even with the wheelbase stretch. In order to accommodate adult rear passengers of almost any size, the front seats have to be moved up. Headroom, however, is more than adequate.

Dual adjustable headrests reside on the top of the rear seats. Pull a handle on either side of the top of the seat and the seat back drops without any further ado.

A modest sized trunk is provided with additional limited storage under the spare cover. Either a key or the lever on the floor by the driver can open the trunk.

Rio Rowing
The redone engine is vibration free and quiet at idle and can be wound up higher on tach than before. But in doing so the classic 4-cylinder noise and vibration is present—not unusual by any means. In normal street traffic the 4 speed automatic works just fine, but with a small powerplant, the transmission needs to downshift to keep things going up the Pali or other steep grades.

The ride is surprisingly pleasant, absorbing road imperfections with ease. The body has a solid feel to it and is reasonably quiet at speed, as long as there are no hills to climb. Cornering is decent given the modest sized tires and wheels.

As indicated earlier, the interior coloring and layout in the LX evokes a more expensive look than the price would indicate. Controls are well marked and quite ease to master. An armrest, however, would be preferred over the multiple open storage bins.

Real Rio
With this Rio redo certainly safety has received a lot of focus with 6 airbags/curtains being standard equipment. Fuel economy remains excellent even with a power increase. Interior appointments look more upscale than the sticker price would dictate even without an armrest. And, of course, it is hard to beat the warranty offered no matter what the price.

High Beams
• Sets the safety standard among the compacts.
• Nice interior given the price.
• Great Kia warranty.

Low Beams
• Sedan styling does not set hearts a flutter, but the Rio5 is more interesting.

Q&A
Q: Sometimes translating into English can be a problem. On the window of the stereo is a warning that is torn off after the car is delivered and in use. This warning is understandable, but phrased differently. (Hint: the antenna on the roof of Rio is adjustable). What is the warning?

A: The tear off label says: "To receive favorable AM/FM radio station: make sure that roof antenna is well stood." You get the point, I guess.

– Ed Kemper is the auto columnist for the Honolulu Star Bulletin and MidWeek, the Weekend. He also hosts Wheels Hawaii TV on Oceanic Cable-Channel 16 in Hawaii, which is shown on Wednesday at 12:30 PM, Thursday at 1:00 PM and 5 PM, Friday at 10:30 PM and 9:30 PM, and Saturday at 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM.

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