Used 2012 Kia Rio 5-Door Sedan Review & Ratings

Kia Motors lived for many years in the shadow of their much larger competitors in the car market in South Korea. However, they moved very much into the limelight a number of years ago when Hyundai purchased a controlling interest in the company. Today Kia produce cars that are capable of competing in the global market, especially in the lower to medium compact sector.

Since its revival, Kia's flagship model has been the Rio Sedan which has been around for a few years now in different styles and formats. Undoubtedly, the most popular version is the five door saloon with the latest version launched in 2010. This model continues to dominate a large share of the market thanks to its crisp design, solid construction and elegant trim finish..

The exterior of the Kia Rio has set the reviewers humming in appreciation, with its exotically rounded lines set off by an aggressively styled front end, complemented by oversized headlamps inset in chrome, accompanied by inset sidelights and matt black grille. To complete the overall effect, the Sedan's sides continue that slight bulging look over the doors, while rear end boasts a matching rear bumper

The 2012 Kia Rio 5-door Sedan is a much-improved version of its predecessor versions. The starting price of the Rio 5-door is lower than previous versions, beginning at $14,700. The car offers 1.6, 138 horsepower, four liter cylinder engine with six speed manual transmission or six speed automatic. This offers an impressive fuel economy of 30-mpg city and 40-mpg highway.

The 2012 version is also one of the first vehicles of its kind to offer ISG technology. ISG technology helps reduce consumption of fuel and improves mileage by stopping the engine when the vehicle is stopped and re-starting the engine when the vehicle begins again.

The handling and ride quality of the 5-door is superior due to the lightweight design and the well-built suspension system. Also, at high speeds, the car feels stable yet sporty. The transmission is an improvement from earlier models and makes quick and smooth gear shifts.

The interior of the 5-door has a modern appeal to it and is comfortable. There is ample room for passengers and a large cargo space for storage.