Kia Rio review

The driver’s seat has plenty of adjustment, and, factor in the extensive rake and reach steering wheel movement and you should find it easy to get comfy, no matter what your shape. 

Adjustable lumbar support isn’t available, but this omission isn’t uncommon in small cars. The gearstick falls easily to hand and all the main controls are well positioned and easy to operate on the go.

Thanks to relatively slim front pillars, forward visibility is good, even when pulling out of awkward junctions. You also get a good view out of the side windows, due to a window line that stays quite level along the length of the car, instead of sweeping upward like it does on some rivals. 

The rear view is less impressive – the rear window is rounded at the sides and the rear pillars are broad, making reversing tricky. Thankfully, all bar base ‘1’ models get reversing sensors and a rear-view camera as standard.

Base models have Bluetooth phone connectivity and a small 3.8in monochrome infotainment display that we suspect will be hard to read on the move. On all other trims, this is upgraded to a 7.0in colour touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It's clear and easy to use with logical menus. '3' and GT-Line S trim add Kia Connected Services, which provides sat nav and local information on demand. 

Every Rio has a DAB radio with USB and aux connections in the front, with '2' and up adding rear seat USB charging, too.

With value being such a big part of the Rio’s mission, it’s no surprise that you won’t find acres of soft-touch materials or premium trim pieces. With the exception of a soft dash pad, all of the interior plastics are hard to the touch.

Although there’s nothing wrong with such durable materials, the door trims look slightly cheap with their scratchy, shiny finish. The Skoda Fabia proves that even the hard stuff can still look appealing. That said, it certainly feels built to last and the switches feel nicely damped when you operate them.