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Used 2022 Kia Rio Sedan Consumer Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
7 reviews

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    4 out of 5 stars

    One of the most economical non-hybrids available

    Brent, 03/13/2022
    2022 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
    70 of 72 people found this review helpful

    I'll start by stating that I live in Los Angeles County. The quality of roads around this massive metropolitan area ranges from very good to pretty poor (meaning pothole-ridden and full of large cracks). If you live in an area with constantly terrible roads, you may find the suspension tuning to not be soft enough for the constant beating, but I suspect that 90% of buyers will be plenty content with the suspension...certainly more so than its larger cousin, the Kia Forte with its very choppy suspension tuning over even modestly bad pavement. Overall, the suspension tuning and ride comfort is decent to good; certainly better than the thrifty price tag would suggest. It might be a little too firm for some over *really* bad pavement due to the front strut/torsion beam rear setup, but the car *does* remain composed and well-controlled at all times. If pavement conditions are fair to good, you'll find this vehicle to be quite comfortable for both city trips and long journeys. Fuel economy is where this vehicle really shines; it is fantastic for a non-hybrid. Official EPA ratings are 33 city/41 highway, but I've been consistently averaging 34-35 city/43-46 highway. DO NOTE that your fuel economy gauge in the insturmentation cluster may read something higher than what you'll actually get at the pump (a weird oversight by Kia). Mine constantly displays 36-39 in the city and 45-50 on the highway, which is 1-3 MPG too generous over real-world fuel economy. My driving style is generally leisurely but I will punch it a bit, here and there. 70-75 MPH on the freeways; sometimes closer to 80 MPH, and there are a decent number of hills in my area. Some folks may be concerned about the CVT's performance, but the CVT in the Rio and the Forte uses a chain instead of a rubber belt. Unlike most CVT's, there's no weird lag, awkward pulling sensations or delays with acceleration throughout the power band...very consistent and predictable power. Acceleration is solid and if you really need the extra power, you can either switch the transmission to sport mode and/or manually shift the simulated fake gears to quickly get up to highway speeds. Honestly, I cannot really tell the difference between Kia's CVT (IVT as they call it) and a traditional automatic transmission. While you won't be beating anyone in a 0-60 race, you'll certainly have more than enough power to keep up with both city and freeway traffic without having to floor the accelerator. Front seat room is quite generous for a subcompact and comparable to that of a large compact. Front seats are on the slightly firmer side but are still pretty supportive and comfortable for most. Thanks to an outward-shaped design of the interior door panels, Kia was able to crank out a few centimeters of space to make the cabin feel just a bit more spacious. Rear-seat leg, shoulder and head room is ample for 2 adults sitting behind 6 foot adults, but 3 adults in the rear is a very tight squeeze. Despite the narrow wheelbase, the car feels surprisingly composed at highway speeds, with fairly precise on-center steering accuracy and none of the constant overcorrecting that has plagued many subcompacts on longer road-trips on the freeway. Steering feel is a bit numb, but the accuracy is certainly there; you know exactly what your wheels are doing and is what you want in a city commuter or long-distance cruiser. Ergonomics are excellent; the controls are well-placed, easy to use and quite intuitive with old-school knobs, switches and buttons. Gauges are easy to read and attractive. The 8 inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play works great, and the 6 speaker sound quality is quite good for what is supposed to be a budget system. The rear camera quality is quite clear on the infotainment display. The trunk will fit 2 large suitcases and another carry-on with enough room to spare for extras. Really, Kia is almost doing a public service by offering a composed, refined, fuel-saving car that has good driving dynamics, looks attractive enough and is roomier inside than some larger compacts for what is a total bargain these days, then backing it up with their 100,000 mile powertrain/60,000 mile comprehensive warranty.

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    5 out of 5 stars

    2022 Kia Rio

    FCampbell, 12/22/2021
    2022 Kia Rio S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
    34 of 35 people found this review helpful

    I love this little vehicle. I had a 2007 Kia Rio and this one has all the bells and whistles that I always wanted that one to have. Very comfortable and loaded with fun features. Best car on the market for the money. 45 mpg so far, not too bad.

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    5 out of 5 stars

    Best compact for the buck

    Dan Lee, 03/28/2022
    2022 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
    15 of 15 people found this review helpful

    I have a 2010 Rio LX and it was day and light difference. The 2022 Rio LX is also the base model but much roomier than my old one. Driving stability is significantly better and even better gas mileage at 36-41 mpg. I don't need any extra option so at $17225 MSRP it is quite low in today's inflated car market. I actually went to see a used 2020 Kia with 53k miles at another dealer they asked $16500 which is crazy to me.

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    5 out of 5 stars

    Love my rio

    Jennifer , 09/29/2022
    updated 01/30/2023
    2022 Kia Rio LX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
    5 of 5 people found this review helpful

    Nice reliable car good on the freeway and i made a few trips always get 55 mpg on the highway comfortable good on gas the transmission feels smooth driving it handles great on the highway not much wind noise and the engine is not loud I’ve had this car for 9 months I got this car in the base lx trim it does not have cruise control but I don’t care because I don’t like cruise but a impressive car for $17k this is like the ultimate car I’ve had from driving basic cars of the 33 years of driving and yes this is my first brand new car I bought update the car is still doing great at 6,000 miles still drives great and transmission still shifts smoothly I would highly recommend the 2022 kia rio or 2023 kia rio and if your looking in the used car market and looking get the 2020 rio i had a 2020 kia rio as my rental car in my trip to Los Angeles and the 2020 rio did great but it has a different facelift and a smaller infotainment screen update January 22 I got a 2023 Kia rio s in currant I still have my 22 lx both cars are great January 26 I just putted 7,000 miles on my 22 rio lx still doing great I putted 550 miles on my 23 rio s I hope both of my Rio continue to be reliable as the mileage increases on both of them

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    5 out of 5 stars

    Wonderful car

    Shania Peters, 02/11/2022
    2022 Kia Rio S 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
    9 of 11 people found this review helpful

    Great on gas. This is the first new car I bought and I absolutely love it.

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