Kia Rio hatchback - Interior & comfort
The Kia Rio interior is let down by some scratchy plastics but standard equipment levels are good
Kia Rio dashboard
The outgoing Rio felt dated inside and the latest dashboard design is a marked improvement. A seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system was fitted to our 3 trim test car; it looked good and was responsive to use. There are buttons to control the air-conditioning and media systems, but Kia has avoided cluttering the dashboard excessively.
Although the interior looks smart, it doesn’t really feel as high-quality or as plush as that of rivals such as the Volkswagen Polo. There are some hard, scratchy plastics on the doors and certain parts of the dash, which detract from an otherwise spacious and attractive design. The driving position is good, making it easy to get comfortable behind the wheel.
Equipment
The Rio is available in three trim levels, named simply 1, 2 and 3. The entry-level 1 grade includes air-conditioning, front electric windows, a 3.8-inch infotainment display, Bluetooth, LED daytime running lights and 60:40 split-folding rear seats.
Kia expects most buyers to go for 2 trim, so this has the greatest choice of engines, as well as extras like 15-inch alloy wheels, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, electric windows all round, electrically folding, adjustable and heated door mirrors, a DAB radio, a five-inch colour display, an upgraded stereo and a reversing camera, plus rear parking sensors, USB ports and cruise control.
Range-topping 3 cars feature 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic air-conditioning, black faux-leather upholstery, a seven-inch touchscreen sat-nav system, heated seats and steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers and tinted windows. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity is available from the 2 trim level model upwards to the range-topping GT-Line S model.
A First Edition model was available for a limited time and was initially the only way you could get the 118bhp 1.0-litre engine. It comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, stainless-steel pedals, black and red faux leather upholstery and LED rear lights.
