2020 Kia Rio review
Kia Rio highlights
Customer rating
Pros
- Attractive cabin
- Standard seven-inch touchscreen and smartphone connectivity
- Fuel economy
Cons
- Sedan has a smallish trunk
- Limited passing power
- Base trim lacks driver-assist features
Mileage (EPA estimate)
33 city, 41 highway, 36 combined
Pricing for current inventory
(no current inventory)
Shop with your budget in mind
The Kia Rio is a budget-friendly sedan and hatch
For the 2020 model year, the Kia Rio subcompact sedan and hatchback are fitted with a new 120-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission. While it’s down 10 horsepower compared to the Rio’s previous powertrain, the 1.6-liter is more fuel-efficient in both city and highway driving. That makes the Rio more competitive in terms of its mpg when faced against rival small cars like the Honda Fit, Chevrolet Sonic, and Toyota Yaris.
The cabin of the Rio won’t win any design awards, though it’s nicely built and there’s enough stretch-out space for adults in the second row. Cargo volume is in larger supply in the hatchback, where you’ll find more than 17 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat. Every 2020 Rio now also comes with a seven-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. The sedan can be had in two trim levels, the base LX or upmarket S. Choosing the hatchback narrows your choice down to only the S trim.
That’s not a bad thing, considering it’s the level where Kia adds driver-assist features like automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning.
All Kia Rio years
What is new for the 2020 Kia Rio?
- Rio trims have been upgraded with Smart Key as standard equipment this year.
- The LX trim now comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard equipment.
2020 Kia Rio trims
LX:
- 120-hp, 112-lb-ft of torque 1.6L
- Power Mirrors
- Rear View Camera
- Cloth Seats
- Rear Defroster
- Side Airbags
- Overhead Airbags
- Traction Control
- Automatic Transmission
S:
- Includes all features available on the LX
- Smart Key
- Cruise Control
- View our Kia Rio S inventory
Kia Rio photos
5 reasons to buy the 2020 Kia Rio
What We Like
Highly affordable: Money matters, especially when you’re looking for a low-priced vehicle. The Rio sedan and hatchback are kind to your car shopping budget, and the fuel-sipping engine is equally gentle in terms of refueling bills.
Upmarket cabin: Look around the interior of the Rio and you’d be surprised how much energy has been spent making the cabin appear solid and classy. It’s not a Bentley, sure, but the quality of the materials is appreciated.
Standard tech touches: The fact the Rio now comes standard with a highly intuitive seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto could earn it a place on many car shopping lists. Smartphone connectivity is more important than horsepower for many car buyers.
What Needs Improvement
Lacks many active driver-assist features: Moving up to the S trim gets you automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, but that’s it. The Rio’s lack of additional driver aids—like blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning—is a missed opportunity.
Shop with your budget in mind
Ratings & reliability
RepairPal gave the Kia Rio an overall reliability rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks Kia Rio 10th out of 27 among Subcompact Cars.
View RepairPal's full rating of the Kia RioKia Rio features and specs
LX 2WD 4D Sedan
Standard Features
- ABS Brakes
- Air Conditioning
- AM/FM Stereo
- Android Auto
- Apple CarPlay
- Automatic Transmission
- Auxiliary Audio Input
- Bluetooth Technology
- Cloth Seats
- Overhead Airbags
- Power Locks
- Power Mirrors
- Power Windows
- Rear Defroster
- Rear View Camera
- Side Airbags
- Traction Control
- Cloth Seats
- Parking Sensors
- Rear View Camera
Drive Wheels
Front Wheel Drive (2WD)
Engine size
1.6L
Horsepower
120
Torque (ft-lbs)
112
Engine type
Gas
Fuel capacity
11.9
Wheelbase
101.6"
Overall length
172.6"
Width
67.9"
Height
57.1"
Leg room
F 42.1"/R 33.5"
Head room
F 38.9"/R 37.4"
Front tires
P185/65TR15
Rear tires
P185/65TR15
Seating capacity
5
Transmission
Automatic
2020 Kia Rio FAQ
The 2020 Kia Rio is available in multiple trims, each with its own estimated fuel economy, here are the EPA estimates for each trim:
- LX: 33 MPG City and 41 MPG Highway
- S: 33 MPG City and 41 MPG Highway
The Kia Rio received a rating of 4 out of 5 stars from RepairPal, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks the Kia Rio as 9 out of 27 among Subcompact Car
The 2020 Kia Rio has received an average 2.3 out of 5 stars from our customers. If you're in the market for a 2020 Kia Rio, check out reviews from customers just like you. 2020 Kia Rio Reviews.
Here is what's new for the 2020 Kia Rio:
- Smart Key
- Android Auto
- Apple CarPlay
Research other vehicles
We hope you found this information helpful. This content is intended to inform and is not meant to indicate that a particular vehicle is currently available or recommended for you.
Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.
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