Used 2004 Kia Rio Sedan Consumer Reviews

I love my little car.

I enjoy driving it so much that I am going to end up replacing the motor and transmission on it. Even with replacing both of those I will still be only paying a third of what it would cost to buy a new car. Not to mention even with all the maintenance I've had done, The car has never once left me stranded. I've had cars, trucks, and SUV's prior to this car. This was the first time I've ever had this much fun driving though. Finding parking spots, flitting in and out of traffic, great gas mileage, and she's so simple. Those new cars have just too much technology that will distract me while I am driving. I can also foresee a huge expense of having to replace that technology when it goes out.

Good car

Funny the guy that posted the review about the engine 'seizing up' at 81,000 miles. that's normal-you failed to change the timing belt. the timing belt MUST be changed by 65,000 miles on Rio's, or the engine blow. Period. it's a 100% fail rate. Anyway, I live in Phoenix and the air conditioner only works when you're driving. soon as you pause at a light or brake, your air is gone. that said, it's otherwise a perfect car. i love it for its size, so much easier to maneuver i watch macho suv-drivers struggling with their Boats and laugh LOL LMAO

Rio Timing belt problems

I'm tearing down a 2004 Kia Rio with 32000 miles, well cared for, Not Abused, fresh oil change and Fram filter, LOCKED engine, failed timing belt, At first I thought inferior quality belt and poor components, but this is a rugged copy of the Mazda which can run many miles, everything looks great but the belt is hard and not very flexible. Maybe Kia scrimped on this but I really doubt it, seems like a heat problem so I did a closer look. To keep engine noise to an absolute minimum, the hood is heavily insulated as well as a plastic cover plate over the engine, But in addition to that Both fenders and the firewall have a continuous rubber gasket as does most of the front of the hood,

Not bad at all

Ive recently purchased my kia after my nissan gave out. It drives great for me but I have noticed that when i am stopping, it sometimes feels like rippling. The drive is smooth other than that on. The take off isnt great but for a car that will be used between my old car and when i get a brand new one one day, its great. Great fit for my small family.

Friends don't let friends buy KIA's...

bought brand new, had to take to dealership often for brake and clutch issues. Timing belt broke at 57k miles destroying engine, fortunately under warranty. 'NEW' engine gets worse mpg (only 27-30). Stereo eats CD's regularly. Things break and pop off all the time. Alignment issues from day one. On my 3rd engine now that my camshaft snapped in 2 ruining the head and valves. Costs more the fix than anything I've ever owned. Leaves me stranded more often than not. This car is only worth the value of a running engine. I will never buy another KIA.

not bad, really..

Not had the car long, but so far not bad. Good mpg, rides well, comfortable. (I'm 6'4''). bought from private owner who had already had the head and belt done, along with a new clutch. So the hard stuff is done. I use it as a commuter car, and it serves me well. Not bad for me!

Last small car

this car has 80,000 miles on it. It speeds up very slowly and the revs are really high. also going about 70 the cars rpm are at around 4500. this car has no power. next it gets about 26 miles per gallon, but i do hammer it everytime i speed up because the slow acceleration, i probly could get around 35 if i really tried. also i slid into a curb in the winter under 5 mph and the frame bent. that's weak. also if you use this car in the winter the heat is poor. this is not a very smooth ride at high speeds either, but you get what you pay for!

Makes Every Mile Count with a Bit of Fun

For the small entry level price, I've got a large warranty, good performing but small 1.5L motor that returns consistent high 30's MPG. This little car handles very well on the back- county roads I have to drive to get anywhere - unless I creep up to insane speeds that some testers drive to. This car is ALMOST as good as my late, lamented '91 Mazda 323 Hatchback.

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly...

My car is only two months *new*. I have a 4-door sedan, automatic, air- cond., am/fm/cd and the 'upgrade pkg.' but no power windows/doorlocks. A bit hard getting used to NOT having those in a car but I can live without it. There is plenty of interior space for those sitting up front, however, those sitting in back have relatively NO LEG ROOM. Door handles etc. inside are obviously cheap plastic and somewhat ugly though functional. Engine needs more power, especially driving uphill on freeways as well as simply trying to pick up speed to merge onto a freeway or to pass other vehicles. Fuel economy is great! Overall decent and driveable car for the price.

Great little car

I bought my Rio used, had all servicing done. Still under warranty. Had this car on a 1k trip last month. Got anywhere from 29 to 33 mpg. Had no problems at all. I have just had 60 k service done, new timing belt, etc. This must be done on time for 4 cylinder engines. This Rio is very reliable, uses no oil, is easy to park, has an adjustable driver’s seat (helps on long trips). Best thing about this car is the warranty. It is much longer than US cars and the service department never gives me a hard time. Better yet is gas mileage.

Good car for price

The car costs just under 10,000. I use it almost completly on the highway, and I have been getting on average 40 mpg. Not the most powerful car, but it will get up to highway speeds just as well as any other car with a 4 cylinder engine. The interior has plenty of little things that don't seem to matter until you have them. It has cup holders you can actually use for more than a can. I'm 6'2" and I fit comfortably inside the car without hitting my head. The gearshift could be set a little farther back though. I have to move my leg when shifting in the low gears. Overall, for the price, and for the amount I save on fuel, it is a great car for the money.

Rio

It's been great so far! Milage, comfort, design, all very good.I've owned concordes and intrepids that had the luxury upgrades that seem to have more problems AND the warranty was not as good!

Buying a used Rio

I recently bought a used 2004 Rio. Overall it handles beautifully on Highway and city driving, 45 MPH is ideal. On the freeway it is a rough. I live on a hill and it feels like I am driving over ripples when I hit the brakes to slow down. It is a little alarming at first, it feels like a flat tire. I do like the car, it looks nice also and can be found relatively cheap used and with low miles.

WORST CAR EVER

My Kia Rio has kicked the bucket at 177k after a crap load of problems. I replaced everything under the sun in the cooling system. 2 new radiators. headlights, tail-lights. Drivers door doesn't lock. Two windows wont go down. I had a transmission fluid leak which was a pain in the butt breaking down every 20 min. New alternator belt. Brake fluid leak. and 2 bad oxygen sensors caused a horrible shaking. I HATE THIS CAR. EVERYTIME I GOT IT FIXED, something else went wrong.!!! NEVER AGAIN KIA. NEVERRRRR AGAIN !!!

Try and find a part

After 50,000 miles the timing belt blew. Spent two weeks trying to track down a cylinder head under $900. Every Rio in the junk yard was in there for the same reason. Warranty void because I didn't replace the timing belt at 50,000 miles. Don't buy a Kia! Don't buy a Kia!

Kia Rio - TIMING BELT FAILURE low miles!

Original owners of a 2004 Kia Rio with 10/100000k warranty, the other morning the car died at intersection. Had it towed to the dealer who says the Timing belt broke. The car has less than 60k, and is just barely 6 years old, and the timing belt is not covered under warranty. Now we have a lawn ornament because while Kia admits to a poor design in those 1.6L belts, they are sorry for our luck. Needs new engine! Recommend replacing belt at 5yrs or 60k

Sturdy, tough, utilitarian little car

Love it. Bought it used at 36,000 miles. Now at 125,000. I'm obviously not a heavy driver, and I mostly use it for neighborhood errands, but it's been perfect for that. I got the model with no frills, no cutesy electric gadgets, and that was a great decision. I've had very little add on repair expense, just stuff that you'd expect to wear out over drive time. Had a big dog for years, who would ride comfortable ensconced in the hatch area. I would absolutely buy it again, but I'm hoping it keeps on for a while longer.

No Complaints here

I bought my Rio in March of 2004 and I love it to bits. I have no complaints and I think I will always own a KIA. They have impressed me with there service and I love my car.

Worth for the price car

This car NOT OKia

Extremely disappointed in the car, have made 7 trips to the dealer for warranty service on a wind noise, door handle operation, transmission has been replaced twice within 24,000 miles and the car is way underpowered and loses speed rapidly when going up any even slight incline. God forbid you are running the air conditioner as it sucks the remaining horsepower right out of the engine and the engine runs extremely rough with the A/C compressor engaged. Great that there is a 100,000 mile warranty, but believe me you have to use it all the time! Dealership service mechanics are also incompetent.

Just so you know

For the cost, I love this car, it does what I need it to do, get me to and from places.

Finilly Got It--Wish I Never Did

It took me 2 years to save up, but I finally purchased me a new car. I bought a 2004 Kia Rio. Mine is red. This car is alright, but it doesn't work too well, and they have been trying to fix it. I can't keep paying for repairs, I don't have a whole lot of money. This thing is decent looking, but I think the interior is crappy. It is really cheap and plasticity looking. They need to make them look fanicer, like one of them BMW er Merecedes or somethihgn.

Enough Car for the Road

My only beef is that if you happen to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a burned out tail light, and eager to replace it before you get back on the highway, don't rely on the owner's manual for proper instructions to replace it. Even the dealer's tech had difficulty. The company needs to send every owner an addendum that truly instructs on how to replace a tail light. Otherwise you will be one frustrated driver and prone to a police stop. The existing manual has only two instructions. The second one is "Carefully remove the tail light assembly from the body." Duh!

Excellent Car

I love my new 2004 Rio. It is fun to drive and very comfortable. I like it also because with the rising gas prices it still doesn't cost much to fill up the tank. My car get's good gas milelage. I like the way it looks and even though it may look small it is very roomy.It also has a good stereo with a cd player. It is a very smooth driving car at a good price and I woudn't trade it for any other car.

I love my 2004 Rio

I just want to start off by saying that I previously owned a 2002 Kia Rio Cinco, I bought the car at 73,000 miles at 81,000 THE ENGINE SEIZED up I was so angry because I still owed $5000 on the car. I contacted Parker Toyota and to make the longs story short they wrote off the balance on that car and got me into my 2004 Kia Rio with only 13,000 miles. I have had awsome luck on this car granted I have only put 9,000 miles on it in 13 months, but it has never let me down. It drives great in the snowy conditions and gets great gas mileage. I have not experienced any problems when using the AC and let me tell you I live in Eastern Washington and we get a little bit of ALL the weather conditions.

KRio04

I bought a new Kia Rio 4 door automatic. So far so good.

I will never own a Kia again...

Overall, this car lives up to it's reputation; you get what you pay for. The good aspects of this car are: decent fuel economy and clutch (in a 5-speed manual) is easy to engage. However, in this case, the cons significantly out weigh the pros. Performance wise, this car lacks any kind of power. You have to put the gas pedal to the floor just to merge onto the highway. The exterior of the vehicle is weak; it's extremely easy to dent and can be done with a fierce shove with the palm of your hand. As for the interior build, this car is a complete nightmare, believe me.

rio

great car runs great great controol comfortbale to sit in as a driver or passanger.

My little bug

I think my Kia Rio is a pretty neat, reliable car. If I had a son or daughter I'd feel safe in giving it to either of them for a 19th birthday. It has never given me any mechanical problems to deal with and the gas mileage is pretty good too. However, I think I will trade it in on a Toyota Prius at the end of this year, if I don't buy a new home.

We Love Our Kia Rio

We bought our Kia Rio after doing a lot of reaserch, we wanted a car that had great fuel economy, was not very expensive, had 4 doors, and an alarm system. We found it all with the Kia Rio. We are very happy with the purchase. The warranty is excellent (100,000 to include everything but preventative maintnance.) We have roadside assistance that came with the car. The preventative maintnance is very good. We only have to change the oil every 6000 miles. Overall, we are very happy with our choice, it is a great first car for a family who is just starting out.

New car

I recently purchased a 2003 leftover, I was leary at first because the Kia company has not been around for long but I am VERY happy with the Rio. Its small but has lots of room, Its sporty and the fuel economy is incredible!

never own another

I've had my Kia for a few months now. The car has no take off. It ran at 4000 rpm going 65 mph then it dropped all 16 valves and blew the pistons into pieces

Good Commuter Car, Got it a Great Price

I got my 2004 Rio last month. I was looking for a commuter car to drive about 20-30 minutes on the highway to work. So far I am pleased with the car. It was manual transmission (the automatic drove horrible) and manual windows, locks, no ABS, no stereo. Overall, I am happy with the car as a commuter car. I probably would not have bought this car but for the price I paid, it was definitely worth it.

You would be surprised, pleasantly

I am thoroughly pleased with my 2004 Kia Rio. It has so many features that I never would have expected in a car costing 13000.00 fully equipped. An Excellent value and very comfortable to drive.

My thoughts

I only have 400 miles on it so far. It is a little slow and the seats are real firm. Not really a complaint because I did not expect a great deal from a car in this price range. I bought it to get to and from work. It gets much better MPG than my other car which is a main reason for the purchase. So far I am quite happy with the car.

Rio review

The exterior styling is more appealing than most small cars in this class - the interior is nicely appointed for a budget-priced vehicle. The ride is quite controlled and overall is comfortable to drive. It's not a luxury performance car, but then I didn't expect it to be. I've driven mine (2003) 13,000 miles and have been very satisfied. No problems.

great buy

This is a great car for what you pay for it. For what you spend on gas a year, it will pay itself off in 3 years. At 4.55 a gal I pay $32 to fill it up. I get 40 mpg hwy and 32 city. I have 43,000 mile and runs great. Dependable and reliable. There is one thing that is flawed with it design when you drive it make a noise when your on the h. W it whistles when the wind hits it at a certain direction. The A.C. kind of sucks but the climate here in the bay area is nice and cool.

Great car

its a great car for the money i havent had any problems with mine yet and i plan on fixing it up.

the review

It is the worst

04 Rio

I bought this car a week ago and just love to drive it, the only thing my vehicle doesn't have is the power locks and I am used to them from my old car.

This is the greatest economy car!

My husband and I purchased the Rio so he could commute to work. Well this has been the greatest little car we have ever bought! It has good pick up and go! And ever since the price of gas has gone up this car has been a dream. We don't even worry about ths gas anymore because it cut the amount we spend on gas in half. I'm thinking of switching my SUV to buy another KIA product. They are such great cars, I never thought I would be saying that. I used to just love Nissans and Toyotas now, I find myself leaning more towards KIAs.

My thoughts on Kia Rio

It's fun to drive, but seems to use more fuel than I expected.

The Princess and the Pea

The suspension system is very poor, you feel every bump on the highway and every crack in the road. Otherwise, I am very happy with the car.

Kia Rio -Very Good Value

Love to drive this car. In over a year and a half have had two very minor repairs. Drives and rides like a small, but not tiny, car and gives a pleasing roar if pushed. Suspension, brakes, and power are more than adequate. It is delivering 32-38 mpg on the road at aggressive to gentle driving Overall average is just shy of 30 mpg with a lot of sub-zero winter city driving. The base Rio at $8,000, when discounted, is a better deal even with its undeserved steep depreciation. I had low expectations of a car at this price. However by my experience the Rio is a very solid well put together machine, which delivers more than just basic transportation.

embarressed to be seen in it

the paint is chipping I don't want to be seen in my rio, I was proud at first untill the paint started to leave white spots

owener

great little car. excellent for a towing behind motorhome. plenty of pep.great mileage- 31-35 mpg. a fun little car to drive. no problems since new.

Kia: A good little car

A cute little car that has a suprisingly peppy engine. Great big warranty for a low vehicle price. Comfortable interior especially the front, back is adequate for adults but much better for children. Expanded leg room in the front( more than I had in my Mazda MPV). My gas mileage averages 24 city and 30 highway. Overall great value for the price.

2004 Kia Rio

This automobile is a car drivers dream come true. has a exellent gas milage and a great interior and exterior the 2004 kia rio is a very riliable car.

Great Car

I love the Kia Rio. I also own a Kia Sentra and am very very pleased with it. I see no problems with the pick-up and I get excellent gas mileage. It may be the lowest price sedan on the market but it is definitely the best buy on the market. I have previously owned vehicles that were quite expensive and feel that Kia is being misjudged. It is an allover great car. I plan to buy another for my daughter.

Worse car ever

I bought this car in january of 06, it ran fine until june the following year where just randomly the engine died so i spent 3k to get it fixed then on top of that i had the cooling motor die the brakes have been replaced a few times already, and now even after the newer engine its still giving me problems. I am scared to get into my car and drive it every day in fear of it breaking down on me. Also, as others have mentioned, the AC sucks all the power out of the car so in the hot summer you can't always have it on. I feel bad for those i see who just bought a kia rio and are driving it around. Plus the resale value goes down a couple grand right off the lot. it's not worth it at all!!