Rio wears a well-proportioned, neat styling that would not look out of place on more established brands. Not the most original styling out there, but a pleasing design nonetheless. Rio seems to have aggregated a number of past or existing designs into one, which would then explain the sense of familiarity. Assuming so, credit must still be given for a nice end-product. Not a car you will want to push too hard around bends. Rio is built for transportation, not for its dynamic appeal. This fact is apparent from the vague steering and modest grip levels. The body control is decent by class standards, which are not high, but lacks the agility that class leader Suzuki Swift exhibits. For most though, Rio should do its job fine. Tuned for comfort, Rio delivers a comfortable ride over most surfaces. Refinement scores well too, with little wind and road noise, but engine noise becomes a problem at high rev range. The driving position is fine, but some may find further adjustments restrictive. The steering adjusts only for tilt, while the seat height adjustments are limited. The control layout is impressively ergonomical, except for the fiddly, small stereo buttons. The reverse sensors will come in handy as the rear vision is hampered by the relatively thick rear pillars. Cabin plastics fall below what class leaders are offering. Dash controls and switches are well-fitted together, but the finishing could be better. On the whole, the cabin construction feels solid enough to last for some time. The previous Rio did not perform that well in the 2006 JD Power customer satisfaction surveys. However, if more recent Kia models are any indication, Rio should be reliable. Mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, the 1.4-litre DOHC engine with 94 bhp and 125 Nm produces an adequate on-road performance. Overtaking at highway speeds will require some form of planning though. The maximum 94 bhp comes at 6000 rpm, but we reckon few will want to spend their time hovering at that rpm range, no thanks to the hoarse engine note. Rio sits up there with the best in terms of interior room, but still lags Honda Jazz, which can almost compete with mid-size vehicles. Front and rear occupants enjoy good head- and leg-room. The same can be said for the boot space, which can be further increased through the 60:40 split-folding rear seats. Fuel consumption is economical with the 1.4-litre. Servicing, road tax and insurance should all be reasonable. The key concern would be the potential depreciation. The Kia brand is no Toyota or Honda when it comes to second-hand values, and the brand reputation has not progressed the way Hyundai has thus far. Despite that, we still expect the depreciation to be no more steeper than for a Proton. The small car segment is a crowded one, brimming with talent in the form of Honda City, Honda Jazz, Toyota Vios and Suzuki Swift. All except the Honda Jazz are competitively priced against Kia Rio. With no more than average abilities, and without pricing advantage, Rio will find it hard to steal sales away from the established brands. Basic equipments without the NOVUS package include Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), manual air-conditioner, MP3-CD-Radio player, tilt steering wheel, alarm, carpet mats, luggage net, reverse sensors and 14-inch sports rims. The environment is not as high on Kia's list compared to Japanese or European automakers. A carbon dioxide emission level of 171 g/km for a 1.4-litre engine is not considered efficient. But at least the fuel consumption is respectable by class standards.