GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

5 reasons to buy a 2013 Rio 5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV572WsY9sQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1 reason not to buy a Kia Rio 5: Cars.com shows Zero (0) cars available in USA, and only 12 2012's. (according from my search). For some reason, I also can not get the Kia website to work? Are these things selling like hot cakes?
chiadog

They're available up here. Lots to choose from. Maybe check a specific dealers website.

OOPS! Found them. Cars.Com lists the hatchbacks along with the sedans under Kia Rio, Not under Kia Rio 5.
Thanks Star!
Has anyone driven one of these? I test drove a new Rio sedan in 2005? and it was the noisiest little buzz-bomb I had ever driven, tons worse than my old Fiat 128.
chiadog

Hyundai/Kia really tightened things up in 2012+. I tried a 2012 Accent and it was pretty comparable to Corolla/Civic whereas previous years it was clearly a cheap, loud knockoff.

Rayven01 wrote:Hyundai/Kia really tightened things up in 2012+. I tried a 2012 Accent and it was pretty comparable to Corolla/Civic whereas previous years it was clearly a cheap, loud knockoff.

I drive one of those last gen ones.. The build quality on it was very good, but yes the materials are cheap. Not the quietest car, but actually less noisy than the Vibe. Quite reliable but the cheapness of some pieces, especially suspension, really became evident as the miles racked up. There's no power and the automatic transmission stinks. 7 years later it's been the least problematic car out of all I have owned so I can't really complain.

The 2012+ are very nice cars, better than the previous generation in every way imaginable except for cup holder count (I have 7 in mine. ) Decent mileage, a good amount of room (and a trunk that's larger than many compacts,) plenty of power for its class. And over on the Hyundai board, there are very few complaints or problems with them. I wouldn't mind an upgrade to the new model but I desperately want out of subcompactland.

My old roommate bought a fairly well decked out '12 Rio sedan a while back.. He drives about 80 miles a day round trip for work and is a volunteer firefighter, so his cars take some abuse. He's quite pleased with the Rio, only thing he complained to me about was the cost of tire replacements.

The 2005 Kia Rio I tested was a manual transmission and I was pretty sure that a lot of the noise was from the transmission. It reminded me of a Muncie "rockcrusher".
chiadog

The 00-05 Rio was what it was a cheap car(it was the cheapest on the market at the time) Not really reliable as I worked at Win Kelly Chevy when it owned a Isuzu and Kia franchise and some of those Rio's would come off the truck with bad engines or trans

But this Rio could be excused as up till 2010 most folks were ether buying them because that was all that they could afford or wanted nothing else but fuel economy. It was not till recently that car companies realized that there was a demand for quality small cars

the 06-11 was more refined but still not anything to write home about, just a cheap reasonably reliable car

The 2012 is a wonderful car. Is it as refined as my 2005 LeSabre? No but it is very comfy and spirited to drive. One of my neighbors daughters went from a 1990's Maxima to a 2012 Rio5 after completing college and getting a good job and she loves it. It seems like a bigger car then it really is. I know my XB is bigger but the Rio seems more roomy in the inside.

Kia and Hyundai have stepped up their game and I will admit I am looking to Kia or Hyundai for my next new car after I dump the XB. I will never buy another Toyota again

Hey journeyforce,
Thanks for the info. I am also impressed with the strides the Korean's have made their cars. I will definitely test drive the Kia when looking for my next car.
chiadog