I started to take driving lessons as soon as I was seventeen. Unfortunately I had a accident which prevented me from continuing, I didn't have any lessons for a few months and then when I turned eighteen I decided to book my test. I failed my test first time, simply due to nerves, I passed on my second attempt. The day I passed I was off driving, my parents gave an old wreck, a Volvo 340, older than I was. After driving this for nearly a year I decided it was time to get a new car. I got a loan for £5,000.00 from the AA and went car shopping. I wanted a car that had quite low mileage, wasn't too old and was relatively cheap.
I live in Cornwall and our car dealerships are quite limited. When I set off I thought I wanted a salon shaped car, something like the
Rover 45 or
Vauxhall Astra. I looked at a 45 and soon realised that although it looked nice on the outside the interior was quite cheap looking, covered in walnut dash and plastic
accessories. It really wasn't the car I thought it was and it wasn't the car for me. I also looked at an
Astra, a nice car, a far superior interior to the 45, but for the money I had it would have been an older car than I really wanted. Then, my boyfriend's dad suggested that I tried our local
Kia Garage. I took my boyfriend and had a look, my eye was immediately caught by the Rio they had on display, it was cheap, it was only two years old and it looked nice from all angles.
I took the car for a test drive, the staff were wonderfully helpful. They simply gave me the keys and explained the indicators and wipers were on the other sides than the way I was used to in the Volvo. They put on the special plates and off I went. I had driven quite a few cars but when I got in to this one I felt so comfortable and it was honestly the smoothest drive of my life. I went back to look at the Astra and took that for a test drive but I didn't want to become a girl racer and I knew the Rio was the car for me. I paid for the car that day, the price they had advertised was £4,495, I managed to haggle them down to £3,800 which included a service before I picked it up but meant I had to get my own tax.
I picked the car up several days later, it was sparkling and I felt so proud of it. None of my friends or neighbours had a car this new or as smart looking. I could hardly bear to
drive it, I was desperate to keep it looking clean and tidy but this is me and everyone knew it wouldn't happen. I gave up and now I drive it everywhere, well I did until my boyfriend passed his test and now we go out in his car and mine is only used for work. I have to say, after the Volvo this was a big step up as my Rio has
power steering and
alloy wheels.
So, onto those all important details, I should also add that the model I have is an LE.
The Kia Rio looks rather like an estate even though it is actually a hatchback. The car looks every large from the outside though I have to say it is not that spacious. When I drive (I am 5' 4") there is plenty of space behind me for back seat passengers but when my boyfriend drives (he is 6' 4") there is really no space in the back.
The boot protrudes a lot and there is a lot of space with several additional storage compartments in the sides. The boot has a roller shelf rather than a parcel shelf which is another reason it seems like an estate.
My Kia Rio is silver with black
door handles, it also available in the atrocious gold colour shown by Ciao, red and blue. The new Rio is also available in
black, white and urban grey. The interior of the car is all grey, with many different shades.
When I bought my Rio there was a CD player already fitted, this was a Sony and was very good, but unfortunately it wouldn't play my mp3 CD's. My parents had bought me a CD player to go in the Volvo but it didn't fit, so this was ideal, unfortunately when we installed it two of the wires needed to be changed over so that it would remember the settings. I still haven't got around to sorting this problem out but it would be very simple, Vauxhalls also experience this problem. My boyfriend has the CD player from this car in his Vauxhall Vectra and it remembers all the settings.
My Rio also has electric front windows, I think the LS has all electric windows. The car also has all the features you would expect such as driver and passenger airbags. Two drink holders in the central console area.
I was pleased with the driver's seat in this car. You can move the seat back and forward as with most cars, but you can also move the front or back of the seat up or down. The seat also has a lumbar support which can be increased or decreased using a mechanism on the side of the seat. To tilt the chair there is a lever instead of the usual rolling device, you simply pull the lever up and then push back against it until you are comfortable, then let go.
One thing that really annoys me about my Rio is that if you start the ignition without putting your seatbelt on an alarm goes off, however this is on a timer. I don't think this is a particularly practical idea, a lot of the main stream cars have alarms which continue until you belt up. If you leave the key in the ignition with the door open the alarm constantly goes off, this is practical. The alarm is also activated when the lights are left on.
The car came with a factory fitted alarm and immobiliser, I don't know much about these as neither have ever been tested since I've owned this car.
The fuel tank in this car is quite small at 40 litres but to be honest it does not need a larger tank, because the engine is small. From full I can get around 300 miles which includes some town driving, I reckon I must get around 40 miles to the gallon.
If you are thinking of getting one of these cars you may also like to know that the tax will cost you £77.00 for six months or £135.00 for twelve months. The Rio is in insurance group 3, well, can you really see a boy racer having one of these? I had my first independent policy on this car, as a 19 year old female, fully comprehensive cover cost me just under £700.00 a year, I didn't think this was too bad. I then added my 20 year old boyfriend for £149.
00 a year.
When I bought this car I had the additional benefit of nearly one year's warranty (three years when bought from new) and also
RAC cover for nearly one year (again total three years from new).
When my car needed its first MOT, I spoke to the Kia garage, I wanted to get the car serviced at the same time. The Kia garage wanted to charge me about £400.00 for the MOT and service. I thought this was a bit expensive, I had it done elsewhere for half the price. So, although the cars are cheap, the after sales services can be quite expensive.
Model: Kia Rio
Engine type: Four-cylinder, 1343cc
Power: 80bhp @ 5500rpm
Torque: 86 lb ft @ 3000rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual,
front-wheel drive
Fuel: 42.8mpg
CO2: 157g/km
Top speed: 103mph
Acceleration: 0 to 62mph: 14.2sec
Although the acknowledged top speed is 103mph, I have done about 110mph, this was quite nerve racking, as the speedo only goes up to 120mph.
Kia Technical Hotline UK 09050 50 50 60 Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm
Special Service Tools
Telephone: 01922 702200
Fax: 01922 702201
e-mail: uk_sales@sptools.co.ukKia have recently re-released the Rio with a new shape, more like the
Picanto.
The website for the new model Rio can be found at -
http://www.kia.co.uk/riohome.asp
One of the problems I have found with this car is that it is so light that you can really throw it about on the road without noticing or meaning to. I have found myself taking a few corners a bit too quickly but never got into any trouble. The other problem I have found with this car is that it can sometimes be reluctant to accelerate up inclines, as opposed to hills, due to the torque. This is probably because I am too keen to get away and accelerate too hard?! I sometimes look at the shape of this car and think that it is rather odd, mostly I don't even think about it. I have not really encountered any problems in the year I have driving this car. The only thing I can really complain about, which is not to do with the car, is that I have two huge dents on the passenger side, one in each door. I think this may have been due to slightly lower quality.
The best things about this car is of course the price, the space and the handling. I still think that this car is the smoothest ride I have ever driven, the brakes are also still quite sensitive as the car has only on 30,000 miles. I love driving a car that responds instantly to every twitch. I think this could be quote a cheap and reliable family car, but as I don't have a family, I can't really comment.
I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for a reliable budget car. I think Kia are getting better and better, this car is like most mainstream cars, the things you lose with makes like Kia are the things like quality of the
sound system. As long as you look after these cars they are quiet and reliable. I think this is more of a girl's car than for blokes, although it is large, it's not spacious enough in the back, no connetations meant. I have found that most people don't think very highly of Kia, the funny thing is people who do have Kias think they are good. I would suggest taking a risk on a Kia, you'll soon learn to love them.
Hope to have helped
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Her name is Rio 
Very thorough reiew