Used 2009 Kia Rio Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2009 Rio, so we've included reviews for other years of the Rio since its last redesign.
Be carefull of the brakes!
smith3425, 09/14/2011
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
3 of 10 people found this review helpful
Be very careful of the brakes. I had to slam on my breaks for the first time after 2 years of owning the car. Another car pulled in front of me and stopped and when I hit the brakes the card just slid. I had no control of the car at all. My children and I slid across 3 lanes of oncoming traffic and right off the road nearly getting hit several times. After the breaks lock there is no controlling the car at all. Ever since I have been terrified to even drive the speed limit for fear that I will have to hit the brakes. If you are concerned about buying a car with top notch safety features this is not the one for you!
Great, reliable and economical car.
Randall K, 12/14/2019
2008 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
This car has a good reputation for being a great car.
OK, for what it is.
Bill, 10/19/2009
2009 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I can find not fault with the build quality. Thinngs shut and reveal gaps are very exact. The motor in 5th gear turns much higher than I would envision for the torque and horsepower required. Needs a 6th gear.
Rio rocks!
oldsubguy, 06/03/2008
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
After trading in my 15 MPG American "Tank", I am well pleased with my Rio! The difference in gas price alone amounted to over $200/Mo. which is a good portion of the payment. Nimble, sure, and attractive lines (IN my opinion). I could not be more pleased. I like the fact that I did not have to pay for a useless car alarm either. (I think we quit listening to them about a year after they came out). No bloody power this or that to break either and I can reach the passenger window crank without causing a crash on the freeway
improvements
varmit2, 07/06/2008
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
just bought this car, i had previously bought a 2002 model for my daughter to attend college, never drove hers' much, hers lasted so well, that i decided to buy one for myself, I am overall pleased with mine so far, but motor is a bit noisy when accelerated moderately, and suspension is a bit choppy at times , have just got 800 miles on mine so far, but it getting right at 35 mpg and this beats my dodge ram 1500 14 mpg to death. I believe that i can get used to the Kia small quirks.
Keen on Kia
Garret, 07/04/2008
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I just recently bought this vehicle as my daily commuter to work and school in an effort to save on gas and help the environment. I'm very pleased with my purchase. The car drives very well for what it is and the motor is surprisingly efficient. The only change that I made is I replaced the air filter with a K&N unit. Would recommend this vehicle to others.
Great car!
LoveMyRio!, 08/21/2008
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my Rio to use as a commuter car to/from work. I wasn't sure I would like it but when I test drove it, I was pleasantly surprised. After 2 months, I just hit 3000 miles and I usually get 33-35 mpg. but did get 38.3 last week on a 3 hr. trip!! I love the way the car handles and it is so much fun to drive. Love the way the rear seats fold down too, so much room. Also, love the way they laid out the instrument panel/radio. Very easy to reach and use, much more than any other car I have owned. I LOVE this car and look forward to it lasting a long time. Highly recommend it!
Love my Rio
Mike K, 01/27/2009
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
So when my 2000 Hyundai Elantra finally had enough and overheated (after 160k miles by the way), I planned on replacing her with a new Accent but luckily shopped Kia before buying it. Same engine, parent company and warranty, but I preferred the more mature styling of my Rio over the somewhat prepubescent look of the Accent. Anyhow, I bought the extended bumper-to-bumper warranty for 10 years and couldn't be happier. My first tank got me 33 mpg and it'll keep improving up to around 5000 miles. Ok, so it's not the fastest ride out there, but it always gets there smoothly and surely. I also like that not everyone's driving it, and that it looks like a mini-lexus if you squint hard enough!
Very happy owner!
BVF925, 03/24/2009
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We bought our 5-speed Rio brand-new in August 2008 to replace a gas hog of a truck for commuting over 50 miles a day. The average mpg is 38!Who needs a hybrid? The Rio is surprisingly roomy, comfy, fun to drive, smooth ride, good looking, and the best warranty around. This may seem trivial, but the cup holders with the rubbery grips are the best! Other than a small squeak near the sun visor that has since disappeared, it is flawless. It's a little noisy at highway speeds though. I would totally buy another one in a minute.
Perfect
ct, new york, 05/16/2009
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Replaced a 02 Hyundai Elantra manual which would have cost too much to fix. I am pleased on how far Kia has come. The car surpasses so many of the past vehicles that I have owned inc my 00 civic. Get the power package, worth the money. No problems on the highway, road noise is low. I love driving my Kia in Bright Blue and passing everyone else, kinda obnoxious and saving gas at the same time.
EXCELLENT FOR THE $$$
CF, 05/22/2009
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had my Rio since Aug '08 and have 17k, and cannot complain at all. I love this solid little car. I driven them all and this one exceeds the civic and elantra's of past. the warranty is excellent compared to the competition. This car is roomy for the size. The trunk has space in it. No complaints, just a little big car for the price with a warranty to back it.
Hard Riding
SURPRISED, 06/12/2009
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
After reading the reviews, I am beginning to think the factory forgot struts & shocks on my car. It could be Pennsylvania roads though. My Kia only has 8,000 miles on it, but it rides like a buck board. My 2002 Prism, 103,000 miles outrides it by far. The brakes grab when cold & the delay from reverse to drive is slow. I don't like the cupholders between the seats. They are much more useful located by dashboard. No cup holders in backseat. The window washers only spray a third of the way up the windshield. The gas milage isn't bad...should improve as the car is broke in. Overall, I am looking to trade it in on a smoother ride and I am glad I still have my Chevy Prism.
Being intelligent helps
Big John, 06/19/2009
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
You don't have to be stupid to buy anything else, but it helps. 100K warranty, low initial price, 35 miles to a gallon endlessly on regular. Smooth ride, great seats with lumbar support, a/c, at, pw/dl, tilt wheel, am/fm/cd/st, spacious trunk, arm rest, power hook-ups, ample head room in back seat for six footers. All this for around $13K. Are you kidding me? Why buy anything else? This is my 6th Rio in 8 years. I still own four of them and all except this one have over 120,000 miles on them and still run strong, use zero oil and get 35 mpg HW. I change the oil myself at 5,000 mile intervals, religiously. Routine maintenance essential. Nobody builds a better car at these prices.
Kia Rio 2008
roger, 10/24/2009
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 LX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love my KIA Rio. It gets 34 mpg. It is fun to drive. Warranty is great. It is the best car for the price.
Great Commuter Car for the Money
kyatty, 11/26/2009
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 LX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I was in the market to get to and from work everyday and wanted to keep my costs down. I had only owned Japanese cars, with one exception of a GMC pickup that was a big mistake. I was a little unsure about the KIA, but after nearly 2 years I'm glad I took the plunge. This little car is just what I needed. The fuel economy is quite good, but could be improved. It's surprisingly fun to drive. It's far roomier than you would expect from its dimesions. I've never had a single problem with this car --just regularly scheduled maintenance. Sure, I get the occasional odd look from other attorneys when they see me in my little Rio5, but I could care less.
STILL GOING AND SURPRISING
cf, 02/09/2010
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
An Update. My '08 Rio is coming up on 39k. I drive all highway and still am impressed on the way in which the car handles, except in snow well go figure. Nothing major, all regular maintence so far. The car is a little trooper. round trip I drive 140 miles, reason i bought the lil sipper. The car has all I need. I have noticed what others are saying about the slow shift with the automatic transmissions, especially when the car is cold, which in the northeast is common. I am not worried yet about it. I tell you the car takes a beating and is holding up, I am hoping for long too. I am rough on the cars I drive so I hope to have it a few more years in this one.
Just what I needed!
J.L., 02/15/2010
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I'm really happy with this car. I've had it almost two years, and I'm still enjoying it. The only thing I'd ask Kia to improve would be the height of the arm rest - it's too low. I feel very safe in my car. It's even comfortable on ten-hour vacation trips! The interior is nice, and easy to clean - great for people with kids. It really is easy to park. I'd be happy buy another one.
My other car is a Rio...
Big John, 03/20/2010
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've been sold on Kia since 2001. Always a long distance runner, I need a car with better than average MPG and durability. The other things don't really matter. I want some money in my pocket after the bills are paid. Before 2001 I was driving a 1970 Pontiac Catalina for 15 years. It ran great until my nit-wit son took it for a spin. He spun out and drove it into a tree. It had huge miles on it. The Catalina averaged 18 MPG. All my Rio's average 35. It doesn't take long for the savings to pay for the car. Essentially I am driving a new car for free. The 2001 made a lot of noise but so does a Harley. You don't get wet in a Rio. A 2008 much quieter. I also own an '01, '03, and '06.
A good dependable ride!
RossM, 04/05/2010
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 LX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this as my first "new" car and I like this little buggy. I am a sales rep and so am on the road a lot, it handles well and is fun to drive. It is pretty good on gas. I would say average for a car this size. I put a huge ski box on the roof and it gets a bit worse of course. I use it in the winter around Alberta/BC with good winter tires and its great, plowed through 1 foot of snow on mountain roads more then once. I have taken it on logging roads for hundreds of km, driven it to California, Vancouver Island and more. It feels like a Honda or Toyota in terms of build quality, pretty solid. Shifts nice. Looks Euro. A great car.
Nice, a no frills but great on gas car.
rkkeller, 04/07/2010
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my Rio as I needed an inexpensive but good on gas car. I was not expecting a lot but I really like it and glad I bought it. It is fun to drive and handles well but it can be slowish at times. The interior is really roomy for a small car and its way bigger on the inside than you might think. I have a Jeep Cherokee and the Rio has way more front seat room and better seats too. The radio with single CD and 4 speaker setup sounds nice and is just loud enough if you want to turn it up. It might not be loud enough for some though but for me its fine.
Great little car!
roger, 04/29/2010
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 LX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had my Kia Rio for two years and I am very happy with it. The price was great. I get 30-34 mpg. I drive it daily 50 miles to work and back and like it fine. I have also driven it to Florida and several times (2,000 miles round trip) and it was comfortable. I have had no mechanical problems at all. It is a great little car for the price and with the back seat down has lots of room to haul stuff. Yes, I would buy another Kia.
Wished I had purchased one sooner. . .
Todd Finch, 03/12/2008
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 LX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
It's roomy enough for four adults, very fun to drive around town, and gets a whopping average 35 miles per gallon (50% highway, 50% city driving.) It's very pleasant at all speeds (never taken it over 80 mpg). What an amazing value! I wish I had purchased a car like this sooner. I listed "Performance" as only a 7 because it's not designed to be a race car. It's a 4-cylinder, therefore performance should be a little sub- par. That said, I've never had a problem keeping pace at a light, or going uphill.
Amazing little car
bootsncigars, 04/04/2008
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased this vehicle to replace my not so fuel effecient 07 Tuarus.. My first impression was, solid, tight, peppy though not powerful. I enjoy the 6 speaker stereo and power package with heated outside mirrors. Since Cruis control is not an option, I did some research and found a great kit and had it professionally installed, case closed. I'm figuring Im averaging around 27 mixed city and hiway. I haven't taken a long trip yet but hope to get 35 as the sticker says. I had those gawd awful skinny Kumho tires replaced immediately with some more aggressive BF Goodrich T/As. What a difference in handling, BTW, I'm 6 ft 2 in and it has plenty of room for comfortable driving positions..
Great little car
John, 04/13/2008
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 SX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I was worried at first, having made the transition from a full-size 4x4 to a sub-compact, but all is well especially at the pump. I average 3-500 mi. a week and this great little car gets 29 in rush hour, and 33+ on the open road. I like manual transmissions and it was pretty hard to find the one I wanted. This little car has some spunk and I really enjoy driving it around. Seats are nice and the controls are well placed.
New Kia Rio
mathewslw, 05/12/2008
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We traded a Ford F-150 because of rising fuel cost. What a difference. We bought a fairly basic automatic transmission model. So far we have been very satisfied. Great price too.
Better than I expected
Aaron Salinas Jr, 05/15/2008
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 LX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought the car for my wife to drive to work and save money in gas. Best thing I ever did we went from 12 to 14 miles to the gallon in the city to 26 to 28 to the gallon in the city. We cut our gas bill from $75 to $30 per week. I cannot wait to get it on the highway to see how many miles I can get. I also bought the car because I am not a small guy and when I first sat in the Rio I was able to get in and out with out hitting my head on the roof. The space was also a factor and the Rio was a perfect size for wife and me. The interior has enough space to place the 3 kids in the back seat and stuff in the trunk.
Great car and soon to be very popular
Kay C. Johnson, 05/13/2008
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 SX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This car has great get up and go! The gas mileage is a wonderful improvement over what I was driving. I've been told it will improve after the first 5000 miles, but already I'm getting 32 mpg around town, so I am quite happy with it. My mom drove it and she is used to bigger cars liked its handling, but said she couldn't ride in it on a long trip. She bought an Optima and loves it. She and I both have more leg room than you could ever want, its very surprising. My dad is 6'4 and he couldn't believe it. I got Automatic with power pkg and I couldn't ask for more for the price just under 15,000.
Hurray Kia
chris b, 05/19/2008
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 SX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased this vehicle as I was in need of a commuter car (I drive 200 mile/day). I also own a Sorento and Have been very happy with it. There is plenty of room even in the back seat (my wife is nearly 6 ft and she felt comfortable in the back with our two kids). After driving most of the competition, I just had to go with kia again. For the money there is none better.
Great Budget Car
good budget car, 06/28/2009
2009 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My Kia Rio has so far been excelent as far as a purchased car. The car is a bit cheeply made. One of the few problems I experienced was when I bought my car it had a bad fuel pump but it was resolved by my dealer. The car is overall very quiet on the highway no real complaints. As far as gas with the economy the way it is Kia's are the way to go. It makes about 30 to the highway however I have experienced up to 40 to the highway. I am a college student it fits my needs as far as room.
great car
wafa, 08/26/2009
2009 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I'm so happy with my kia rio, I love it roomy, quite, and great gas saver
Best little grocery-getter ever!
Dea, 01/24/2024
2009 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love this little car, I have been driving it since 2010, I am the 2nd owner, my dad was the 1st, he had an injury and could't drive with the tight steering any more (our base model is no power-steering) It's a very basic no-frills car but is a pleasure to drive, park, and ride in. Getting parts /fixing is almost never a problem, but the 4 tires can be hard to get sometimes, make sure you keep an extra timing belt on hand in the higher miles (trust me here). Gas mileage is an absolute dream! and so appreciated with the work this car has to do; its the kid, school. work. grocery transporter, has taken long 1800 mile vacation drives. and towed a 4x6 trailer. I love it and would buy another of the exact same if I could, the next owner will be my son for his 1st car at 230k miles.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
I will cry if something happens to this car
Kat, 03/12/2024
2009 Kia Rio 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My 2009 manual Rio is amazing. I call her golf cart because of her small stature. I bought her off facebook marketplace 4 years ago for $1500 at 112,000 miles it just needed a new starter and the radio/AC didn’t work. It also came with an imprint of a road sign on the hood but that just added to the charm! I couldn’t afford much after I graduated highschool, so if it needed any expensive repairs I would’ve been SOL. Luckily my little Rio has been so good to me. I commute a good amount with college/work so I’ve put 40k miles on her since. Gas mileage is so good with this car, it has a little tank but MPG is good enough that it doesn’t really matter. It’s basically the size of a golf cart so you can park just about anywhere and maneuver really easy. The lights are automatic which is incredibly helpful for a airhead ADHD sufferer like me. The interior is definitely small, but as a smaller woman I can see and fit better this way. If you are a big boned individual you may not feel the same. When driving faster than 60 the engine is loud. At about 70mph she starts yellin because she’s sitting at 4RPM. But my girl isn’t a track star, she has 110 horsepower so it isn’t built to go fast n furious. The cloth seats are pretty awful if you don’t have AC, your car WILL smell like swass. I bought washable pleather seat covers tho so that isn’t a problem for me (anymore). I also replaced the broken radio with a fancy bluetooth one for like $100. It helps to know a local redneck who will install it for a case of beer. He didn’t complain about it so I’m assuming it wasn’t that hard. She handles okay in the snow/ice I think. I live in Wisconsin/Minnesota so I KNOW snow. I make sure I have good tires though because that significantly makes a difference. The only problem would be if you go in the ditch you will not be able to get out because she is not strong. But just don’t go in and you’ll be fine lol. This car burns oil, after about 2-3k miles there's only a smidge left on the dipstick. But that’s around the time you need an oil change anyway so I don’t really mind. I’ve had to replace the clutch at 130k but I learned stick on this car so I was not very nice at first! At about 150k my starter needed to be replaced again and I had to replace a wheel bearing. My transmission will probably need to be replaced at some point, she grinds when downshifting to 3rd gear but I just don’t downshift to third anymore so problem is solved for now as far as I’m concerned! I will definitely have to replace the timing belt at some point as well. You’re supposed to at like 90k but I severely doubt the last owner did that. I’m poor so I’ll deal with that when the time comes. All in all I love this car. It’s the first thing I’ve ever truly owned, and she has never left me stranded. I’m emotionally attached to this car, it’s been with me through it all. I will be keeping it alive as long as mechanically possible. When it goes I will be very upset, I may even host the first ever car funeral. May golf cart live forever. If you are a broke highschool/college/lost early 20s aged person, I highly recommend getting your own golf cart.
Rio5 SX Wagon
Giancarlo, 06/05/2008
2008 Kia Rio Rio5 SX 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I traded in my Hyundai Tucson for a car I could use for my working commute. Rio5 SX was a straightforward choice. The car is compact but surprisingly comfortable and spacious. The engine is up to the task considering is a 1.6 L and the car is very fun to drive. In my first tank of gas I've got a good 33 mpg in mix condition (traffic/highway) typical in a commute scenario. Very, very satisfied with this choice that I recommend to anybody in need of a good, reliable commuting car.
I Love my Car!
Misty, 09/29/2008
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I got my Rio at the first of March. I love it while all my friends drive big SUVs and complain about the gas prices, my family of 5 fits in my car just fine and were able to take a vacation this summer while my friends stayed at home. I get 38 miles a gallon! Thank you KIA
Dependable gas saver
Jordan Cunningham , 04/02/2023
2008 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Money sense is the car is a good little car but it is kind of small especially when you have two kids.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value