If you're looking for a new car that's surprisingly good, check out the new Rio5. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)
Comfortable, inside and out. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)
14-inch wheels, and black mesh are a bit... well, tame. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)

Cheap Tamale

This car rocks! Flat out, it's a great little car and a great option for under $20K. Would I pick it over a Subaru Impreza WRX wagon or a BMW 325i Touring? No. But if I only had $18,000 to spend, I would choose it over a Civic, Yaris, Accent, Corolla, Cobalt/Pursuit, the piggish Caliber and probably even over the Fit. Granted those aren't all directly in the Rio5's line of fire, but they do all come in at under $20,000 and are on my random list of cars under $20K that I would think about buying. It's all got to do with priorities.

Top of the list: Looks

Yes, I'm a shallow "Generation Me" adherent (I don't know which generation that is technically, but I don't really care because I care more about me than whatever global or continental generational grouping I may be a part of), so if it doesn't look good, I probably won't even consider it. Of the previous options, the only vehicle I really wouldn't consider on the basis of styling is a Honda Civic sedan - the coupe is fine, albeit impractical - the rest are okay to appealing, in reverse order (yes, there was a method to that madness, and I'm not even sure if I would seriously consider the new Fit from Honda; despite its overwhelming cleverness, it's really too minivan-ish in its looks and also only so-so when it comes to dynamics).

The Rio5, from its sporty, black mesh grille to the white-chrome trim on its taillights, seems to have a unity of design that says sporty even if it's not--but it is, so that's also a big plus. It has great proportions and seems ready to take on a few ground effects, flashy yellow paint, massive chrome rims and some suspension work to get it back to looking like the fabulous Kia Sport Concept that previewed the Rio5 at the 2004 SEMA show in Las Vegas (See Concept archives: 2004 Kia Sport Concept). The interior, to get back to the concept's level, would take a little more work than is likely worthwhile.

It is decidedly tune-able, but what the Rio5 needs most are some performance upgrades, because the stock look is fine by me. A good planted stance, even on 14-inch alloys does justice to the arcing shape of the roofline, suggestive of coupe raciness, yet not in conflict at all with the hatchback shape and its rooftop spoiler, which draws out the length of car visually. The grey paint scheme is stealthy but stylish, and when I took the Rio5 up to visit my mom for Passover, she stood outside for a couple minutes after a ride around town telling me how much she liked the granite-grey exterior paint job, a colour she is now considering for the trim on her B&B. I wonder if she can get metallic paint for that. Anyhow, if the colour resonates that much with one person, it is bound to find other fans; I had a chance to share my appreciation, even if it was with someone who is not necessarily tapped into the trend-setting world of tuners and street-racer palettes.

Sport model isn't available on the four-door sedan. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)
It may be a bit timid in stock form, but the Rio has some pretty serious potential. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)
Lose shifter and oddly spaced clutch are a bit... well, odd. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)

A Close Second: Cred

If you can show up for an industrial-park version of the TV show Pinks with a car that looks ready to drop a halfshaft on its way out of the blocks and still beat the limited slip differential off the guy willing to ante up his ride, then power to you, but the world of tuning has become increasingly defined by groups like Darknights and events like SCR and Hot Import Daze and Nights, so don't expect to get much credit just for having a beater that can make a dyno light up like one of Blade's UV grenades (sorry, I got sucked into Blade II last night--chalk up one more reference not worth explaining). Then again, a paint job, some stickers and a catalogue skirt kit tacked on with crazy glue will also get you about as much attention as your impressive Snorks sticker collection, so you better have the looks to match the performance and vice versa.

Obviously the Rio5 isn't packing any tuner-crushing horsepower à la SRT-4, but it's got a decent little modern engine that is ripe for some turbocharging. Only the message boards will eventually tell how many cracked blocks (iron block on these Rios) or rocketing pistons the high compression ratios will cause, but surely there are already people out there experimenting (Kia themselves brought several Rios with Borg Warner turbochargers to 2005 SEMA in their experimental Orange Blur and Blue Streak Rios, so it is definitely possible). When a car comes in as cheap as the Rio5, it leaves a nice budget for new headers and exhaust, maybe some stiffer, shorter springs and definitely some wider rubber. With the current horsepower, pretty much everything is suitable, and although the steering is good for basic around town maneuvers, it has something of an adverse reaction to intense autocross maneuvers, mostly because of the power steering's inability to keep up with inputs - I wonder how much a steering upgrade would cost--not something I'd reallywant to tinker with.
Considering that the horsepower comes in at a few ponies over a century ( see specs for details), the easy clutch and long, loose shifter combine to allow you to keep it easily over 5,000 rpm if you're actually trying to get anywhere. Granted, at high revs the engine is hardly symphonic, but it has a nice jigsaw buzz that could become appealing with a richer bass note from a performance exhaust. Okay, when you add up all the shortcomings in the performance department, you're looking at a very expensive list of catalogue parts to really round it into form, but I have no doubt that this car would be a blast to drive if kitted up with some properly installed aftermarket parts. Also, for those of you who don't plan on tuning it, consider that the Rio is the most powerful of all it's currently available subcompact rivals - Nissan's slightly larger Versa comes in at 125 stock, marking the end of Kia/Hyundai's reign.

As it is, the Rio5 is a blast to drive simply because it is such a light, tossable vehicle and the only thing on my need list is slightly sharper steering that displays quicker response to input - forget feedback, just give the steering heftier weight or go back to manual steering - I really miss manual steering (hey, if it's good enough for the Lotus Elise...). Then again, the power steering aids on this rack& pinion setup (not to mention small size and turning radius) do help it maneuver into parking spots and through lots with microcar efficiency, so look forward to easy parking.

It's surprising to find such good, supportive seats (and good looking seats) in such an affordable car. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)
As the top of the line model, EX Sport comes with plenty of equipment. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)
Plenty of airbags, but no ABS. Not even as an option. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)

Final priority: Good seats, Good equipment

With all the aftermarket modifications I've suggested up to now, you'd think I'd have mentioned some Sparco seats, but I thought the seats that come with the Rio5's EX Sport package were fabulous. Between the black mesh over red inserts and the perfectly positioned right armrest, everything suited me to a tee. The design was sporty, with a touch of bolstering, but they were easily up to the task of a two-hour road trip with no fatigue, thanks in part to eight-way adjustability, and every time I opened the door and saw the red stitching over the black bolster trim, which matches the door trim as well, I wanted to jump in and take off in a squeal of burning rubber. That's where a nice turbocharger sure would come in handy.

Thankfully, it didn't end with the sporty seats, although they were easily my favourite aspect of the interior. My EX Sport tester added an extra pair of speakers, for a total of six, hooked up to a basic AM/FM CD head unit covered in a satin-metal effect plastic. Other added conveniences included power windows, remote keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, as well metal pedals with rubber inserts, fog lights and 14-inch alloy wheels. That may seem like a short list, but it's the icing on the cake that already serves up air conditioning, engine immobilizer, tilt steering wheel and seat heaters. Okay, it's not a Lexus, but you get all that for $16,295, absolutely embarrassing much of the competition that won't even give you power door locks or a/c at that price.

Of course, it's not all roses and sunshine coming out the Rio5's hatchback, there is also a big sacrifice on the part of Kia to bring the Rio in at an appealing price point. While front and side airbags are standard, no curtains are available for second row passengers, and ABS brakes, traction control and stability control are nowhere to be found, not even on the options list. It's not entirely unsafe though, as the NHTSA awards it four stars for driver and five stars for front passenger plus three stars for rear passengers in their crash tests.

The lack of even such a basic technology such as ABS is a little disconcerting, although it's something I, personally, feel I could live without, which is why the Kia is probably the number one car on my under $20K list. It's not perfect, not by a longshot, but it's cheap enough to leave me an allowance to raise it to that next level of imperfection... at least until I can afford a Porsche. It's got the looks, it covers all the basic features I'm looking for and it's affordable enough that I would actually be able to invest in the modifications that I see as a priority, allowing me to get it as hot as I need it to be on my budget.

Specifications (Rio5):

  • Price Range (MSRP): $13,995 - $17,295
  • Price as Tested (MSRP): $16,295
  • Body Type: 5-door, 5-seat hatchback
  • Layout: front engine, FWD
  • Engine: 110 hp, 107 lb-ft of torque, 1.6L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
  • Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt. 4-spd. Auto)
  • Brakes (front/rear): disc/drum
  • Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 3,990 / 1,695 / 1,470 / 2,500 mm (157.1 / 66.7 / 57.9 / 98.4 in)
  • Curb Weight: 1,114.5 kg (2,457 lbs)
  • Tires: 185/65R14
  • Capacity (seats up/down): 447 / 1,405 L (15.8 / 49.6 cu ft)
  • Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 7.4 / 6.2 L/100 km
  • Warranty (mo/km): 60/100,000 comprehensive
  • Competitors: Chevrolet Aveo, Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa, Pontiac Wave, Suzuki Sprint+, Toyota Yaris
  • Website: www.kia.ca