Road Test: 2022 Kia Rio S 5-door Hatchback

Basic Transportation Kicked-up a Notch

The 2022 Kia Rio S is a small car with much going for it. Excellent fuel economy, nice styling, low price and an excellent warranty. If you are looking for a compact sedan or a five-door hatchback, the Rio is a must for your consideration list.

Drivetrain

The front-wheel drive 2022 Kia Rio is powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine with multi-port injection, good for 120 horsepower and 112 pound-feet of torque, mated to an intelligent variable transmission (iVT). This combination delivers EPA fuel economy numbers of 33 mpg city/41 highway/36 combined. Kia’s iVT is a continuously variable transmission with intelligence that adapts shifts for improved performance and fuel economy.

In 180 miles driving through Southern California we averaged a combined 37.7 mpg. As a test, part of those miles were driven with the cruise control set at 65 mph where we averaged 44 mpg, and at 60 mph resulting in 51.4 mpg. If the Rio is driven lightly, as intended, surpassing the EPA numbers is easy. Fuel economy numbers reported by Clean Fleet Report are non-scientific and represent the reviewer’s driving experience using the dash gauge computer. Your numbers may differ.

Driving Experience: On the Road

The 1.6L four-cylinder and CVT is not a fast combination, but it gets the job done with 0-60 times around nine seconds. When the engine is winding-out at the highest rpms it can be bit noisy. The zippy linier acceleration helps the Rio get around town, but the low horsepower and torque have their upside limits.

The suspension set-up for the 2,765-pound Rio had electric power steering that was precise, 15-inch alloy wheels shod with 185/65 Michelin ProContact tires, front MacPherson struts, a coupled rear Torsion Beam axle and shock absorbers at both ends. Road feedback was good, with the Rio handling surprisingly firm and flat in slow-to-medium tight cornering, but there is some body roll when pushed hard. It can be considered nimble and composed, but not sporty. Road cracks, imperfections and bumps were muted, and there was little tire noise.

Stopping was straight from the 11-inch front vented discs and eight-inch rear solid discs that were assisted by the four-wheel anti-lock braking system, traction control and electronic stability control.

Driving Experience: Exterior

Launched in 2018, the Kia Rio had a front end restyling last year (2021) with a new bumper and redesigned grille intakes, a narrow black grille with tasteful chrome accents and, on the S trim level, LED head lights. The crisp lines and smooth surfaces give the Rio a contemporary look, with the hatchback we drove getting a shark fin antenna and a small spoiler over the rear window. The eight-spoke, bright with gray insert alloy wheels, complimented and completed the look.

Driving Experience: Interior

Clean Fleet Report tested the Kia Rio S five-door with standard equipment that included power windows, door locks and heated outside mirrors. Also on the S were wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and an 8.0-inch color screen housing the rear view camera and the four-speaker plus two tweeter sound system with AM/FM. SiriusXM comes with a 90-day free trial.

The well put together cabin is simple and clean with easy-to-find and read controls. Cruise control, telephone and audio controls are housed on the steering wheel, while a welcome feature of on/off/volume and channel selection radio knobs were on the dash. Hard plastic surfaces dominated, but they had a nice texture, so it all worked very well. The automatic temperature control wheels were a different size than those of the radio, which may not seem like a big thing, but it is when reaching for these very different controls in the dark or if you are wearing gloves.

The Rio can seat three adults in the rear, but it is tight, so for longer trips two adults would be more comfortable where they could take advantage of the fold-down arm rest with cup holders. I had a six-foot-one associate sit in the driver’s seat and, when positioned, had him climb into the back to check leg, knee and head room. The Rio accommodated my friend with room to spare.

Storage with the rear seat up is an okay 14.4 cubic feet, but expands nicely to 32.8 cubic feet with the 60/40 rear setback folded flat. Our guess is most people will keep the rear seats folded and take advantage of the extra cargo room.

Other nice interior features are tilt steering wheel, multiple cup holders, carpeted floor mats, front center console with slide-adjustable arm rest, map lights and a 12-volt accessory outlet up front. The USB ports, front and rear, were a nice touch.

Safety and Convenience

The 2022 Rio comes with safety and convenience features including dual front, dual front seat-mounted side, and dual full-length side curtain air bags, smart key with push button start, remote keyless entry, tire pressure monitoring system, hill start assist and a rear occupant alert. The UVO telematics allows for remote setting of the climate control, locking and unlocking the doors, Find My Car, and other convenience features.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not rated the 2022, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2021 Rio a “Good” rating for crash worthiness.

Pricing and Warranties

The base price for the 2022 Kia Rio S 5-door is $16,790. Adding the mandatory $995 destination charge the MSRP is $17,785. Clean Fleet Report’s Rio S 5-door with the $995 destination charge and $2,215 in options, came to $20,200.

The 2022 Kia Rio comes with these warranties:

• Powertrain – 10 years/100,000 miles
• Basic – Five years/60,000 miles
• Roadside Assistance – Five years/60,000 miles
• Anti-Perforation – Five years/100,000 miles

Observations: 2021 Kia Rio S 5-door Hatchback

Kia calls it a five-door. We like hatchbacks because that describes the body style better. Hatchbacks have appeal because the fifth door and good cargo space make for a versatile car. The 2022 Kia Rio S ups the equation with superb fuel economy, a roomy cabin, and an excellent warranty.

This well-built small car should not be considered “cheap” as some people see that as meaning poorly built. This is not the case with the Rio S. When nicely optioned, the Rio S comes in right around $20,000, making it more like a great value.

The Rio S is fun-to-drive and, with the $1,800 Technology Package that includes a long list of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), makes for a safe car.

All the way around, Kia has a competitive entry in the compact hatchback category and is one you should take a long look at if a small car is on your shopping list.

Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all new stories and vehicle reviews.

Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Kia.

More Compact Competition

Road Test: 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid

Road Test: 2022 Honda Civic

Road Test: 2020 Honda Insight Hybrid

Flash Drive: 2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid

Road Test: 2020 Mazda3 Haatchback

Flash Drive: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta

Road Test: 2018 Subaru Impreza

First Drive: 2016 Nissan Sentra

Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.