2005 Kia Rio Review
Type:
Pros & Cons
- Small price, big warranty, peppy engine.
- Unrefined handling, five-speed manual's rubbery shift action, mediocre fuel economy.
Other years
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Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2005 Kia Rio.
Most helpful consumer reviews
grinddesigns,09/03/2009
Follow your owners manual like it is a Bible. You must change your engine timing belt at 60,000 miles ! Please do not make the same mistake that I did. If you search the Internet about this you will find 1,000 other people saying this, trust me change that timing belt at 60,000 and you won't be sorry. I never had a problem with this vehicle that was not because of my own negligence. If you change your oil regularly, keep an eye on all of your fluids, and be sure to change the timing belt at 60k, this car will be worth the money. This was my first vehicle and I learned costly lessons from not following the regular maintenance schedule so I advise you to follow most of it to a t.
Phil Hall,10/19/2009
Normally, I would say that this is a nice car, decent (not great) milage, good features, all in all an ok vehicle. But there is one thing you need to make sure of: the timing belt. It says to replace it every 60000 miles, I would replace that far sooner because this is an interference engine--if the belt breaks when the car is running your engine will be shot. As in dead. New car time. This design choice alone must account for the lower Reliability rating. There is no reason whatsoever that a single point of failure should destroy an engine.
Ricky,05/30/2010
I got this little Rio about a month ago and so far I am pretty happy with it. I feel like I got a great deal on the car and the fact the car was going to be better on gas than my old '91 Dakota. While the fuel consumption on this car isn't too bad, I definitely feel like it could be better. The engine is a bit lethargic for highway driving and the car itself does tend to feel a little "unsafe" doing anything over 60 mph. The interior is bigger than what someone would judge it would be by the outside. Handling is pretty precise and it extremely light! Overall, this car seems dependable and practical so far.
wondering13,02/12/2013
my only problem is the rack and pionion (spell check) is having to be redone thank god my dad is a mechanic..but no one can make the 2 lines that the new one doesnt come with..i love this car besides the frustration of getting it fixed. its my only car so its nerve racking...i had a ford taurus and that was a big NO NO...i have spent over 7,000 dollars on it in 3 years..dont buy a taurus..im hoping the kia doesnt need anything else cause im broke.. :( i have replaced a few things but because i wanted to..
