2003 Kia Rio Consumer Discussions

Kia Rio Electrical issues

• 2003 kia rio

  Written by: andytina on Feb 8, 2012 5:47:31 PM

  03 kia rio it will start and run but then once it is warm and you shut it down it wont start again until it has cooled off again. Its like there is a constant draw on the starting system. So far we have checked the following battery it is showing 12.7 amps not running and 13.7amps running changed the cooling fan sensor, fan will not run any ideas or anyone ... Read More

Kia Rio MPG-Real World Numbers

• New to the Rio dimension.

  Written by: iamninja41 on Sep 2, 2008 10:41:51 PM

  I traded in my 2003 Chevy Impala on sunday for a 2007 Kia Rio. I was on the "ehhhh" side about getting a car that small, but i am 20, dont have any kids, and needed better gas milege. So the kia was the cheapest (money wise) and easiest way to go. Turns out i love the car. It is actually pretty comfy, and drives extremely well. I am still getting ... Read More

Kia Rio5

• sknipster...

  Written by: iluvmysephia1 on Apr 12, 2006 12:59:43 PM

  I'm thinking you could buy seats from a 2004 or 2005 Rio Cinco and they would fit your 2003 Kia Rio Cinco. You could call a Kia dealer to ask them that specific question and then see about ordering the seats if they do. Shouldn't be that large of a project, but it sounds like it's worth doing for your driving comfort. It also sounds like one I'd attempt to do ... Read More

• Re: 2003 Kia Rio Cinco [corbeka]

  Written by: chuck1959 on Apr 8, 2006 3:34:27 PM

  Oh, due to the car being so low, I finally lost the plate that was under the car - I assume to keep moisture and dirt out of the engine? Does anyone know why the car is so low in the front? I have to be careful or the front hits. Is there a way to make it higher?I have a 2004.

• Re: 2003 Kia Rio Cinco [sknipster]

  Written by: corbeka on Apr 8, 2006 10:08:31 AM

  Been trying to answer but my computer doesn't like this site????You got a good deal on your Kia. You paid 1/2 of what I paid for the same car new. I've only had to change oil and filters. The window did fall into the door and had to be repaired but that was at no charge. Wish you well with your Kia. Oh, due to the car being so low, I ... Read More

• 2003 Kia Rio Cinco

  Written by: sknipster on Apr 7, 2006 10:18:53 AM

  I just bought an 2003 cinco, w/18186 miles on it for 6900, it has A/C, Stereo, CD, auto trans,, seems to be in very very good condition... I figured by now, people who have the 03 should have all the problems figured out and what to watch for...any insight on this,,, was that a decent price?? thank you

New Kia Rio Owners - Give Us Your Report

• Kia Rio5 AC

  Written by: riomike on Mar 16, 2006 8:16:19 PM

  The Rio5 AC is awesome. I live in Miami where even in the winter temps are in the 80's. I use AC all day long and this is my sixth Kia. It gets so cold on level one that I rarely max it out. I know 2 people that bought '06 Rio LX and 1 other guy that bought Rio5. So far all of us are very impressed. It's hard to ... Read More

Kia Rio

• Re: Kia Rio Named Most Improved New Car for 2006 by Autobytel [chuck1959]

  Written by: allfiredup on Dec 31, 2005 11:49:28 PM

  I looked on a previous post and see that you mentioned a 2004 Rio Cinco. From what I can find, it doesn't look like they break out the Cinco from the Rio sedan. Total 2004 sales for the Rio was 38,518 vs. 41,285 in 2003. I actually found these numbers on the Kia website. Here's the link- http://www.kia.com/010405.php

Low End Sedans (under $16k)

• zodiak2004...

  Written by: iluvmysephia1 on Oct 13, 2005 1:01:04 PM

  nope, I just love talking about lower-end cars and SUV's. I'm not replacing my '01 Kia Sportage 4x4, it's running like a champ and it's really a question mark to me if a 2001 Toyota RAV4 or 2001 Honda CRV would have been as reliable. I paid $17,045 for my Sportage 4x4 and feel that I have received more than that amount back already. The small SUV has gotten me out ... Read More

• low end sedans

  Written by: jojomonkeyboy on Aug 9, 2004 1:13:07 PM

  I ended up purchasing a Toyota Echo - I compared, Kia Rio, Ford Focus, Saturn Ion. I liked the Saturn Ion the best, as far as the ride, and its clutch. But I wanted a reliable car with a proven history and the Ion was new and didn't have a history. Consumer reports rated the 2003 Echo high on reliability. I drove the Kia Rio and didn't like the ride, or ... Read More

Kia Rio Electrical issues

• Electrical System Failure?

  Written by: genebrewer on Nov 9, 2003 10:38:14 AM

  My wife was driving her 2003 Kia Rio Cinco yesterday afternoon when it suddenly died. She had only traveled about 10 miles, and it was still daylight. She said the car lost all electrical power (no lights, would not turn over, nothing). She said she tried it several times and was about to give up when suddenly, it turned over and started. I looked for anything obvious (loose battery cables, wires, ... Read More

Low End Sedans (under $16k)

• Speaking of companies extending a helping hand to other companies to

  Written by: iluvmysephia1 on Nov 28, 2002 8:23:27 AM

  save them: the Kia America CEO cringes when people say Kia is *a division of Hyundai*. Kia is not a division of Hyundai. Kia is Kia. Hyundai is Hyundai. Hyundai OWNS 51% of Kia Motors and stepped up to the plate when Kia was flirting with bankruptcy. They operate independently from each other but, and it's a significant but, they see the need for cost sharing like all car companies these ... Read More

Kia Rio5

• 2003 KIA RIO RX-V conv pkg

  Written by: bigmusclepaul on Nov 20, 2002 8:35:00 PM

  Hey everyone, I'm considering buying a new 2003 Kia Rio RX-V conv. package (different from the 2002 models). Looks like a good deal at $16,150 CDN (5 sp., a/c, pw, pdl, pm, cd, alloys, roof rack), and Kia of Burnaby (Vancouver Metro area)is throwing in 5 years scheduled maintenance (oil changes, brakes, exhaust, tune-ups, even wiper blades) to match the warranty. I'm jumping from a 2001 Volvo S60 (lost it - ... Read More

Low End Sedans (under $16k)

• Ownership costs

  Written by: majorthomecho on Nov 14, 2002 12:32:44 PM

  Yes, there is more to ownership costs than what your car's resale value is. The biggest day to day ownership cost is gasoline usage, but we already know where the 2003 Echo is in the low end lineup. It leads the pack. I went to fueleconomy.gov and did a comparison between the 2003 Echo, the 2003 Kia Rio, and the 2003 Hyundai Accent. Using the amount of miles my 2001 Echo ... Read More

Kia Rio5

• 02 Rio Cinco questions

  Written by: deluxekitty101 on May 23, 2002 5:45:52 PM

  How can I find out what company actually manufactures the engines and auto-transaxles in the 2002 Rio Cinco? Or to rephrase can anyone here tell me who manufatures the above, Sephias and others are not a Kia product is what many have told me .I came to ask that question but now I see the 03 will be a 1.6 litre engine? So the 2002 Cinco is a one year only ... Read More

• 2003 Kia Rio changes.

  Written by: revka on Apr 4, 2002 5:46:35 AM

  Here's some information from Edmunds' coverage of the 2002 New York Auto Show: 2003 Kia Rio, by John DiPietro. Thanks for your comments. Revka Host Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards

• Restyled Rio Cinco

  Written by: netranger4 on Mar 28, 2002 9:27:58 PM

  An article in the auto.com web page announced that Kia had taken off the wraps on the 2003 Rio Sedan and Cinco Wagon. It sure will be interesting to see what they've done with the car.

Low End Sedans (under $16k)

• Fresh meat

  Written by: backy on Oct 12, 2001 3:57:27 PM

  Yes, I think we need fresh meat. For example, the 2002 Spectra sedan, the 2002 Protege DX with the 2.0L engine, the Focus ZX5, the 2003 Corolla (not too far off now), the Rio Cinco, the Cavalier/Sunfire with the EcoTech engine, the "fixed" 2002 Civic, inquiries from prospective buyers looking for advice, whether Daewoo will survive, whether the US and Japanese automakers will throw in the towel on low-end cars to ... Read More

• In case you missed it (and other thoughts).

  Written by: majorthomecho on Sep 22, 2001 9:45:35 AM

  Iluv, I posted this question before, but you were evidently gone on a vacation so I will ask again. What do you think about Hyundai which owns Kia (that great leader of car design) "basing" the looks of the next gen Tiburon (the one due to be sold as a 2003) on old Toyota sporty cars (the Supra and the Celica)? I will report what my roommate's sister thinks about her ... Read More

• 2002 low-end summary

  Written by: backy on Sep 8, 2001 4:44:10 PM

  Just got my October Car & Driver with a (sparse) review of the 2002 cars. The bad news, for us here on this forum, is that not much is happening in the low-end market next year. For some reason (profits, maybe?) the automakers are concentrating on the more expensive cars, and trucks. For those of you w/o access to this mag, here's the details (with editorial commentary, of course): * Chevy: ... Read More

• The buffalo-job continues.....................

  Written by: iluvmysephia1 on Jul 24, 2001 10:13:51 PM

  as long as there are subjects, dumb wannabe car magazines like Clodsumer Retorts will continue to rake in American bucks. Like I've said before, Kia is supposedly the newcomer in America but they have the fat veterans Toyota beat BIG time in styling. Mazda too. If Protege is the best styling Mazda can come up with in a smaller 4-door sedan, there probably is something then to the fact that the ... Read More