Just bought mine today! I got the 2013.

Happy 2012 rio customer. Purchased primarily for my wife to drive to work and school, and it's amazing in that role. Got the EX with conv. package, good price for the options. She actually usues the fancy microsoft media station and bluetooth much more than I would. 5 doors are very nice for versitility. I give them a win on it, real world mpg is close to 40 for how I drive. Would have enjoyed the stick, but the automatic 6 is a nice trans.

@DrivenCarReviews thanks for the reply :-) To answer your question, yes sitting in a car even for 10 seconds without any AC/HVAC would be terrible in Texas. This summer, we had weeks of triple digit heat and add to that high humidity, making for an uncomfortable environment without AC. I am all for engine shutoff in traffic but would hope that there is a way to defeat it. Sitting in Houston Traffic, for example, could mean minutes at a time without AC. Thats very much a deal breaker.

i just bought one yesterday and i love my RIO!!! well actually its for my wife!!! she loves it also!!!

@DrivenCarReviews The fella being interviewed is the manager of Product Planning, not Planing. Thanks so much!!!

Tom - keep up the good work. U are one of the best reviewers out there!

Wow this car has come a long way, checked it out in person and very impressed with quality and build, yet to drive one.

@ormand3000 Off the top of my head I believe the AC shuts down. However, I think I remember them talking about the system is smart enough that if the cabin temp rises more than a few degrees then ISG switches off. Let me ask you this- Would one minute at a light with no AC be that big of a deal in climates like that? I live in Seattle and it isn't an issue for us.

@denisrenelara Yeah, really weird about Texans not using TP, huh? Or maybe it just means I'm away from the Costco in Seattle that lets me borrow their bath tissue. Or both? Maybe it was just the ones I met...

Keep up the good job Tom...you're one of the best reviewers online!

Nice review, purchased an '09 Santa Fe for my wife a year ago. It has been an excellent car with no problems. Still waiting for that Soul review though as that is the car I want. Any chance on a small car comparison? With so many new small cars coming out and fuel definatly not going down. We really need a good selection of quality cars. Again thanks for the hard work, tongue in cheek humor, and great videos!

@ormand3000 Hoo boy, that's tough weather. There's an on/off for ISG, I'll revise the written review that leaves out.

Appreciate the professional review. Not many on this car. Great Job.

@newfanglejr Curious as to what that typo might be...

@skoshy Well, sorry to ruin your routine but I just had to cut some of my work load. Really, I think the Driven versions were always the best. I get to have more fun with them. It's funny that even though I haven't added new content in 5-6 months, it's still very popular on iTunes. Have you signed up on the website? I'm still giving away hats. Just saying...

@DrivenCarReviews, typo = Product "Planing" vs. Planning. Unless there was woodworking involved somewhere.

@NoEcologyNoEconomy I could make some crack about it being the Korean spelling but that would be what everyone would expect. I'll do better next time.

Disappointed with Kia for offering a manual transmission on only the base model. Tried to build a SX model on their site to my specs but no manual. Same story with the Soul. On a recent Car & Driver comparison test, the Hyundai Accent with a manual had much better performance and fuel economy figures than the Rio5 with automatic.

I test drove the Rio a couple of days and I really did like the way it drives. My only complaint is with the A pillar, I feel like forward-front/side visibility suffers because of this.

When the motor stops, the pistons and everything remain in certain position so that once you take ur foot off the brake they can start moving again without needing the starter motor. It's quite a nice idea but some cars have sluggish starts

@mx5hong Yes, you'd think SX would be offered with a manual. Then again, few people are buying them. Sigh...

Just bought mine today 2016 Ex. Great, zippy, smooth riding, gas saving lil car. I like it a lot. :)

QUESTION: So when the car is at a full stop and the engine turns off, the Kia representative mentioned that "bluetooth, rear view camera" work in electric-mode but does AC still work? I know some cars have the AC shut off when it goes in such modes, and that wouldn't work in Austin, much less Houston or other high humidity/hot climates. Great review :-) Did you get a chance to ride Lime Creek Rd?

Great video Tom, keep up the good work!

This car looks really good for a hatch back. I really like the rear view.

the auto show had optima turbo and the rio...very few lined up to test drive rio...they dont know the turbo with the fancy wheels is $30K.

That's great, but how does it stack up against a Ferarri Italia?

@skoshy On the contrary, our family was very attached to our late hamster and Soul is on my wife's short list for her next car. And since I do have a sense of humor, I have to say the hamster commercials are very cool, especially the second one. Nice to know people are staying to the end...

ive always wondered about these start stop things when you take off again, does the starter motor have to crank? that would be quite distracting i assume theyve found a way to restart the engine without the loud clumsy cranking of the initial start

@denisrenelara I was also trying to be funny (though not very effectively I suppose). For some reason Rio's needles just struck me as a bit much. Ryan Douthit, my drive partner felt the same way. They wouldn't be a deal breaker though.

@Logicsupremacy If there was one...

looks fantastic

I wonder how fast SX turbo is

@BB2009LZ Not me. I shoot my own video so that's Evil Twin driving.

Not to worry about the 2nd gen comparison, Tom. I would have taken the Kia over the Merc even back then, if it were a Cinco and not a sedan. (Note: I'm biased, though, as I love my 2002 Rio Cinco, the most comfortable and reliable car I've ever owned in over 40 years of driving.) PS Hamster commercials are annoying, but I still would give the Soul a test drive.

@DrivenCarReviews Great review!

@evoxpisces I have the SX with premium package. I am a big guy ( 6'4" 220 ) and more than enough leg and hip/shoulder room. Actually more leg room than any car in its class. That's my biggest issue with a car. With all the features like push button start, keyless entry, nav, heated seats, back-up camera, moon roof, LED accent lights and so on, no other car for this price can come close. $24'500 with extended warranty 100g's 10 years bumper to bumper. Check out my review on it.

Este carro me parece maravilhoso , pena que não chega no Brasil.

Reminds a bit of Golf but still unique enough

I want this for my first Carr.!

Tom - when you compared the Mercedes CLS550 to the older Kia Rio, your hair was different. You had a military flattop.

@mx5hong I heard kia isn't selling as much manuals anymore becuase there are people who buy manual and don't know how to drive it, then they break the car and blame the company for making a bad car

i wonder how many drivable used cls are available under 20000 dollars...

@skoshy That's an obsession I can support.

Typo at 5:13 - otherwise thanks for the review.

awesome video :)

Shame on you...you ran a stop sign at 4:19!

In Europe you can get the car with an 88 MPG-engine.

@neptoon08 Great! Just saw it! Thanks! =)

لماذا لا يوجد في فلسطين بكثره من الكيا ريو hatchback 2013 بما فوق تحديدا اودي زي ما في الا بشكل قليل جدا ملاحظه كمان ما في 2011 بكثره انا معي 2011 كيا ريو كان زين الاصل برايفت واشكر شركه كيا على جوده هذه السياره انني كنت معي سكودا وكتابيا اصل برايفت وانا مبسوط جدا في هذه السياره كيا ريو عجباك 2011 كل الاحترام لشركه كيا

the rear resembles a seat

This car eats the new Yaris and ugly Versa. I would love to see that Rio-Benz Comparison. Looks like a good laugh! Is there a link?

@DJTEVAdotCOM Uhh just cause they advertise it dosnt mean people wanted it

Kia Soul was successful because they spent a crap load of money on advertisement. Now that the fun is over...the Scion XB is still the original underdog toaster which styling not as outdated as the Soul.

I Like It & I Wanna Get That As An EX! :D

I'll Take It As An EX! :D lol

@2Kriss2Kross i seached up kia rio vs mercedes on youtube and i found the video heres the link watch?v=1zeF46cDUIg

Uh... it was kind of a joke.

LOL, sarcasm and humor are consistently wasted on a percentage of the world's population.

Ron Paul 2012....= NO WW3

aflexproduction

I KNOW!! wtf mAAAnNN!!! its not FAIR!! ITS NOT FAIRR!! WTF!!! maaann!! WTF!11!

aflexproduction xhofh

the interior looks like a minor update to a 1995 Honda Civic

KIA IS DOING WELL BECAUSE THEY KILLED SATURN!

Slow down european worshipper. Any car could be compared to any car. Rio would be on my short list just because its price and what it offers for that price, especially regardles what kind it is, if it is against an over priced car called Mercedes.

Странный хетчбэк.

1st :-)

I thoguht they got rid of this model. I would never buy a KIA...screams out "cheap Korean car!"

kia soul is extremely ugly, i would not drive that ugly car.

WTF!!! KIA IN THE PAST WAS A SHIT CAR YEAH OK ILL GIVE YOU THAT, BUT WHO THE **** COMPARES A CAR TO A MERCEDES CLS?!?!?!?!? thats almost a super luxury car. its not fair to compare cars to mercedes it just doesn't make sense! compare it to a car thats competitive in its own market. if i was struggling with the decision to choose between one of two cars that are in the league of a mercedes cls, i don't think kia rio would be on my short list.. compare a kia with a hyundai, or toyota or honda.