2006 Kia Rio - Use and Toss?
Kia vehicles have managed to make significant strides in quality and durability since being introduced to the US market in 1994. Widely panned by critics as producing cheaply built and cheaply priced models, some Kia models are now performing at average or slightly above. The Kia Rio is not one of these cars, however. Only the extended warranty makes the Rio worth a look otherwise slightly more expensive cars from Toyota are preferable.
With a base MSRP of just $10,735, the Kia Rio is touted as "still the most affordable 4-door sedan in America." Certainly, when it comes to price, the Rio is a winner. Add in standard features such as dual remote mirrors, driver lumbar support seats, and the extended warranty, and the car is a value leader. Of course, air conditioning will cost you extra and don't expect to find any type of radio in the car either unless you pay extra for it. Remember, the emphasis is on value, not equipment.
The Kia is powered by a 1.6L DOHC 16 valve I4 engine paired with a five speed manual transmission. The five passenger sedan produces an anemic 104hp; a four speed automatic transmission is optional.
Various upgrade packages allow consumers to select additional "comfort and convenience" options as well as safety features including four wheel antilock brakes. One almost thinks that a customer would do better purchasing the basic model and then purchasing Kia accessories through a parts wholesaler to maximize the car's value.
The best part of the Rio -- or any Kia car for that matter -- is the extended warranty, one of the best in the industry. Without it, the Rio would be truly forgettable.
Kia's warranty covers the following:
Limited Powertrain: 10 years or 100,000 miles
Limited Basic: 5 years or 60,000 miles
Limited Anti-Perforation: 5 years or 100,000 miles
Roadside Assistance: 5 years / unlimited miles
The Kia Rio serves the purpose of providing cheap, basic transportation. If you drive a lot and need an economical car, then the Rio is worth a look. Just don't think that the car rises to the level of a Toyota, otherwise you will be sorely disappointed. You may get five or six good years out of the car before its value decreases to the point where it simply should be discarded.
By Matthew Keegan
Visit the Blog about kia philadelphiaMazda 5 vs. Kia Rondo - Which is Which?
The two vehicles are stunningly similar. However, they are different right down to the sharp-edged flashing on the glove box door. Seating constitutes the most visible similarity, wherein the Mazda5 has six in a 2+2+2 configuration, while the middle row of Kia has a seventh spot.
Both cars also yield huge flexibility as well as cargo capacity. However, Kia’s headrests in the second row have to be removed first when the middle and third rows flat need to be folded. As regards the cars’ cargo-carrying capacity, Mazda Motor and Kia Motor used different ways to compute the available relative space.
When the third row is moved down, the space produced is almost four times the original. When the centre row is flat, the Rondo is made available up to 73.4 cubic feet. Visually, the Mazda 5 has almost the same space as the Rondo, but its overall height may be slighted affected by its roofline.
As far as accommodations are concerned, both cars have a close fight. Kia has considerably more legroom, knee room and headroom spaces in the third row. The Mazda 5 also has a hard plastic trim piece on the headroom. However, this car has seats that are higher off the floor (270 millimetres compared to the Kia's 230 mm), which makes it quite more comfortable than the other car.
On both cars’ second row, seats are comfortable and can be moved back and forth. When the third row is vacant, the back seat can be moved and the middle-row seats can be pulled forward, which means more stretch-out space.
While the Mazda has few nice touches like a storage bin under the left middle seat and a handy tray/net under the right, Kia counters those with functional roof rails.
Up front, there are minimal differences between the two. The cars’ driving positions are good, visibility is also good (both feature triangular windows at the A-pillar that reduces what would be a bad blind spot) and the entire layouts are logically conceptualized. Both have air conditioning (a $1,100 option on the Mazda5), great audio packages and power locks, windows, mirrors and sunroofs. The only noticeable difference is the manual adjustment for Mazda’s cloth seats and the power adjusters for the Kia's heated leather buckets.
The doors also depict differences. The Rondo comes with four conventionally hinged doors while Mazda 5 is available with sliding rear doors. Therefore, the Mazda is easier to load when one is parked in a tight area. The sliding doors deter access to the third row on the down side due to the eating of the leading edge into the way of entry.
By Kraig Johanssen
