Kia Rio hatchback (2011-2017) - Reliability & safety

The Kia Rio has done well in our reliability surveys

Carbuyer Rating

3.7 out of 5

Owners Rating
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Reliability & safety Rating

4.1 out of 5

A long warranty, an impressive list of safety equipment and a top-five finish in a leading customer satisfaction survey make the Kia Rio a seriously tempting proposition for private buyers and company car drivers alike.

Kia Rio reliability

The Rio’s build quality isn’t quite up to VW Polo standards of fit and finish – the door handles feel a little flimsy, for example – but under the skin, it’s a solid car. Its seven-year/100,000-mile warranty is one of the longest on the market and demonstrates Kia’s faith in its product.

The Rio came 71st out of 150 cars in our 2016 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, with an impressive 22nd-place finish for reliability.

Safety

The Kia Rio was awarded a five-star rating by Euro NCAP – an improvement on the previous model’s four-star rating. The new model’s result included an impressive 92% score for adult occupant protection. Standard safety equipment includes electronic stability control, emergency braking assistance, seatbelt pre-tensioners and twin front, side and curtain airbags. The high-mounted brake light also flashes during emergency braking to warn following drivers.

Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

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