2001 Kia Rio Review
2001 Kia Rio Review





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Used Rio for sale
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Unbeatable price, peppy engine, decent build quality relative to price point, inoffensive styling, great warranty package.
Cons
- Ultra-light curb weight could equate to substandard crash protection, power windows and door locks unavailable at any price, cruise control is MIA from the option list.
What’s new
With a base MSRP that makes it the least expensive car in America, the roomy little Rio is a peppy 96-horsepower entry-level sedan. While the design and materials used on this car are nothing to write home about, build quality is impressively tight. And Kia's new Long Haul Warranty Program offers the added security of a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, along with impressive levels of bumper-to-bumper and roadside assistance coverage.
Edmunds says
This is America's cheapest car. If you're low on ducats and are absolutely addicted to that new-car smell, the Rio should do well by you.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2001 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.12 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$149/mo for Rio Base
Rio Base
vs
$168/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
Kia is determined to get a tenacious hold on the econo-car market, and with the introduction of the appealingly inexpensive Rio, along with the company's impressive new Long Haul Warranty Program, it may well be on its way to doing just that.
The Rio's 1.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder, the only engine available and charged with motivating less than 2,300 pounds, is surprisingly peppy, providing quick acceleration from a stop as well as adequate passing power on highways. Over 75 mph, the engine serenades the driver with an incessant whine, but maintains speed quite well. The optional four-speed automatic tranny has an overdrive-off button to avoid gear searching in the hills.
The wedge-shaped exterior design of the Rio is inoffensively generic, which, as Kia notes, means "your friends won't give you a hard time when you show up in [the Rio]." The interior is solidly screwed together, although the materials used reflect the bargain-basement price of this subcompact sedan. Hard plastics and cheesy upholstery abound, but rattles and squeaks are kept to a minimum within the cabin. Outside, the Rio boasts upscale-looking clear lens headlights and, with the reasonably priced upgrade package, wheel covers and bodyside moldings. Snazzy alloy wheels are available as an inexpensive independent option, and you can get a nifty spoiler for the deck lid, too.
Antilock brakes are not standard equipment, but you can get them as an option. Air conditioning, which works beautifully without hampering engine power too much, is also on the a la carte menu. For tunes, you can choose either a cassette player or a CD player, but you can't get both.
The inside of this thrifty sedan is logically and simply laid-out. Radio controls are conveniently placed above the climate switchgear, although the latter are set a little too low in the center stack for optimum ergonomic operation. Buttons and switches are all big enough and easy to find and use, and the front seats are comfy, but lack lumbar support. The rear seat feels like a park bench, but interior room is pretty impressive for a vehicle of this size, measuring more than even Toyota's relatively spacious Echo, according to Kia. One accoutrement of which Kia is especially proud is the driver seat fold-down armrest, but it's pretty much useless with the stick shift, and in fact impedes arm movement somewhat even in the folded-up position.
The Rio behaves well on the road, with a tight suspension that keeps body roll to a minimum, but communicates irregularities in the tarmac directly to the driver. The power rack-and-pinion steering is tight and accurate for a vehicle at this price point, but a lack of overall refinement is apparent in the vibration through the gas pedal and shifter.
The Rio competes with the Hyundai Accent, the Daewoo Lanos and the Toyota Echo, while being cheaper than all three and still displaying solid build quality. It's definitely worth checking out, if you're low on funds. And if you're willing to wait until the summer of 2001, you can have the Rio Wagon (well, it's more of a five-door hatchback), which will become the lowest priced small wagon on the market. You can expect to pay a small premium for the wagon over the sedan.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2001 Kia Rio.
5 star(31%)
4 star(28%)
3 star(19%)
2 star(14%)
1 star(8%)
64 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
2.63 out of 5 stars
Good first car
rio888, 09/01/2010
2001 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl 5M)
I bought it used with 98,000 miles. Now it has 138,000. I have driven it across the country and back, with no porblems and good gas mileage Mine gets in the low 30's city, and high 30's highway. It doesnt have much power, put it still runs good at 80 mph, and topped it out at 116. If you don't mind an odd looking car, then get it. It dont have ac or power steering, but its small and not … hard to steer, and ac is overated.
2.13 out of 5 stars
Careful
Tiago Moraes, 05/10/2008
2001 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl 5M)
When I bought my Rio it was clean, I mean clean like new, you could still smell that new car smell in it, the other owner took such a good care of it and I was very exited to have a car that was so new, so I drove it to work and home and one day when I parked the car at work a piston broke off and that was the end of the car, for no reason or now warning signs a piston broke and now I … have to change the whole engine. Kia won't cover it (of course) now I have a car that looks new but doesn't run, it has only 60,000 miles and all three mechanics told me it was garbage, so be careful and listen to what people have to say.
3.13 out of 5 stars
Love my Little Car
Taclivin, 10/28/2010
2001 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl 4A)
This little car has been a great one. No issues with regular oil changes, tires, and brakes. It is a tiny car and really only fits the driver comfortably. Kids in the back have absolutely NO leg room,and if you have a passenger next to you be prepared to be close...really close.This little car never did me any wrong, and with had no frills, there was never anything extra to break. It was … my daily commuter. The heater in this car works amazingly! Cold start to fully thawed in 5min flat! After ten years it has began to rattle itself to death. To the point where I no longer want to drive on the freeway. I have no interest in getting my little beater fixed, just gonna drive it till it dies.
1 out of 5 stars
Worst car ever made!!!!!!
Cindy1106, 05/20/2002
2001 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl 5M)
This is the worst car I have ever had.
I have had to replace the transmission
twice. I had to replace the master
cylinder, airbag, brakes and the
control modulator. Now the car kis
constantly stalling and the Kia dealer
mechanics cant even tell me whats wrong
with it. If you want a reliable cheap
car, save yourself plenty of headaches
and buy and hyundai or toyota.
2001 Rio Highlights
Base MSRP | $8,895 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 26 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $149/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver3 / 5Passenger3 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintAcceptable
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