Used 2003 Kia Rio Consumer Reviews
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Good Local Commuter Car
MIKE, 04/15/2006
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Have presently 72,000 miles on a 2003 Rio sedan automatic. Gets 35 mpg at 70 - 75 and a/c on. Changed tires at 62,000 miles and went with a 195 series instead of the 165 it came with. Ride is definitely better. Change oil every 5,000 miles. Changed timing belt at 58,000 miles. Problems: front exterior door handles have fallen off at 50,000. Dealer took care of problem immediately. Had air bags deploy at a very low impact. 3 mph. Zero damage to car, hit car in front who didn't go at stop sign. $2,000 for front pair of air bags and front seat belts replaced. Still love car. Would buy another.
What A Honey Of A Car!!
Picky Woman Driver, 04/01/2003
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My "silver chariot" is the sweetest car I have ever owned and I have had plenty cars over the years. I love to park it next to a Saab, Audi or VW sport wagon, for it looks better than all of them. I look at its reflection in store windows and admire it constantly. It drives and handles like a sports car. What a surprise at such an economical cost.
2003 Kia Rio for sale near you
Showing 2 of 2 listings
- Cinco WagonMSRP: $3,499895 mi away
- Base SedanMSRP: $2,9991,864 mi away
my second kia
klg, 04/03/2003
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
this is my second kia, i was very satisfied with my first, which is why i bought another. i like a car that is simple and reliable,i dont need or want added frills, kias are honest cars
Good ride
jcwit, 07/14/2007
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Have only had the car one week, but very happy with it so far. Mileage is in the low 40s, 42 to be exact, with gas prices at 3.00 plus makes it great. Ride is very comfortable and quiet for a small car, much better than our Metro which it replaces. Handling is fantastic, corners great, pick-up is better than average for this small an engine. Improvments?? Can't think of any at this time. So far, glad I bought it.
Great Econo Coach!
BILL, 09/27/2007
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great little cheapie, all I expected was for her to get me from point a to b cheaply, and reliably, and she's definitely filled those requirements. I expected low power due to the engine size but it's more than sufficient on flat roadways. I would not recommend the automatic, in hilly or mountainous conditions, since the computer wants to up and downshift to maintain road speed. I haul a lot and this little wagon just keeps on chuggin', my gas guzzlers stay at home while I drive this one back and forth to work. I doubt you could have found a better car for the price back in 2003.
Build quality
kramer, 10/14/2007
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Overall the car has been reliable, requiring little maintenance. However many smaller items such as door handles, rear hatch handle, wiper arms, and headlight bulbs fail. Also horn no longer works, keyless entry no longer works, and power locks malfunction, indicating poor electrical system.
Just can't beat it!
RSmith, 05/13/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I had to have a car that I could depend on. Although Kia's have had a bad rep, I went with it anyway. The price of the car is so great, and this car has been so dependable so far. I hope by saying this, it doesn't come back to haunt me. The car rides smooth and when on the interstate it's not very noisy, which I love. No problems thus far. Plus the warranty!
A very pleasant surprise
dsrtdwlr, 04/30/2003
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I test drove a Kia Rio Cinco while out with my girlfriend who was looking to buy a car for her daughter. I was so surprised and impressed with the ride, handling and comfort I decided to go back and buy one for myself. The engine is "energetic" and cruises the interstate with no strain at all. The car handles well even when passing the big rigs on the road. Despite the poor reviews on the manual transmission, I found mine to shift smoothly and easily.
Kia=Value
Saab_and_Benz, 01/14/2003
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I recently bought this Kia to use strictly to drive to and from work. With an approximate distance of 140 miles a day roundtrip, the gas milage, warranty and features really caused the purchase. After owning, I love the smooth ride, and extraordinary build quality. This car also has half-decent leg room up front, a real advantage over the others. And so far, it seems that Kia has fixed all of their problems and quality issues!
Fire
jjszabo, 05/21/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my RIO new. Just after 3400 miles, it caught fire. The alternator shorted out (the car is stock with no equipment added by me)and melted two wiring harnesses and some vacuum hoses. The dealership made me jump through many hoops to get the thing repaired. I hade to call KIA customer relations to have a district manager sent to the dealership to approve the repairs. I finally had the car repaired under the warrenty program. Everything seems fine now, Knock on wood! The handling and braking are great. The car is fun to drive. But after the fire, I am paranoid about its reliability.
Great car for the money.
buddy1970, 05/31/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great car for the money,if you are just looking for basic transportation.
Very surprised with this car
Trawick, 06/08/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My younger sister bought one at the beginning of 2003. Although hers is the Spectra, she has raved on how she loves it. Since I drive about 100 + miles per day, I was using tons of gas on my Toyota Tacoma. Since I've got this car, I've actually hit 40 mpg several times. With 3000 miles on it, I am very impressed. So impressed we bought two more. One for my other younger sister and one for my sister- in-law.
FIRE
JJSZABO, 06/13/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My 2003 RIO caught fire 3 months from purchase. Dealership found that the alternator shorted out. Fixed with some hassle from KIA. I still like it though.
3rd Kia
JDcar guy, 06/18/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I was pleased to have purchased my 3rd Kia the other day. I purchased a used 97 Kia Sephia first, liked it so well that when we were ready to buy a new car we purchased a 2002 Kia Rio. 33,000 miles later, I needed a seperate car and bought an additional 2003 Kia Rio. These cars are really reliable, and a blast to drive. And the monthly payments are a breeze compared to what some of my friends are paying for their cars. You know what? My Kia's get me everywhere I want to go in comfort and style.
my experience
Laila, 07/09/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
it is a good car have took it all around
A Flimsy Car
MichaelZ, 02/16/2024
updated 02/18/2025
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
UPDATE: I still think the 03 Rio Cinco was a flimsy car! And I am still driving my 99 Toyota Camry - just made a 120 mile round trip as it completes about 280K miles! And it starts in -10F temps, kept outside! I had the 2003 Rio Cinco Wagon. Right off the bat, the AC leaked flooded and ruined the blower. After a new blower, it still flooded inside. After a dealer run-around, I found the problem was the tiny outlet hole that quickly clogged with leaves and debri. All the dealer did was punch a screw driver though the debris and charged me an hour of labor! I fixed the problem myself by putting a smaller hose through the opening making it impossible to clog. Also, right from the start, the car would misfire in wet weather! Shortly after the warranty expired, the front tire nearly fell off due to suspension/steering parts failing - this car could not handle the rough roads (like other cars we have can). The brake proportioning valve went - $350 kaching! The AC went - $450 kaching! (Or bake your brains out as the vent would produce 100F fresh air). More suspension problems - $300 kaching! Timing belt failure at 150K - $1500 kaching! Wheels constantly knocked out of align at the slightest bumps a tires wearing out and even blowing out at 10k miles or less. The shifter would not even move as the linkage was on the underside of the car exposed to the elements so we replaced that. And the clutch went out! Finally, my son who I gave the car to for college abandoned it 6 years ago and then it would not even start so it was pushed to where it could be towed for scrap. A poorly built and engineered car all the way around. And for comparison, we still drive around a 1999 Toyota Camry that endures the same harsh weather and road conditions!
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That Engine Don't Burn Straight
Denise Vosburgh, 06/21/2016
2003 Kia Rio Cinco 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Timing belt has built in obsolescence making Engine seizure almost guaranteed. Should be check at 30K, replaced every 60K. Edmunds does not offer any real guarantees and does not apparently do the repair work recommended by the manufacturer. Lemon! YOU ARE ALMOST GUARANTEED ONE HEADACHE AFTER ANOTHER.
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- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
good little car
altimax9091, 02/16/2012
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
i replaced the timing belt and water pump at 60k ...a lot of people don't know ...right now has 92k ..its been reliable ..really good in gas since its standar ..power windows terrible ..don`t work ..but i don`t care as long the a/c, heater works ..very cheap to fix , parts etc ..and looks easy , my friend has a rio that has 140k and still running strong
The Kia Rio is a Great Deal
KellyAnn, 10/23/2003
2003 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
As a commuter college student purchasing a new car, I chose the Kia Rio for its affordable price, outstanding warranty, and dependability. I'm terrible at parallel parking, so I chose the Rio for its small size. However, the car is actually quite spacious, and even my father, who stands 6'4", commented on how much leg room he had while riding in my back seat.