Used Kia Rio cars for sale or finance at 10.9% APR

Sitting between the Kia Picanto and Ceed, the Rio is a five-door hatchback with some smart detailing, such as its ‘tiger nose’ grille. It’s been on sale since 2016 and was facelifted in 2020. Lower-powered versions offer cheap insurance and basic transport needs, while higher-spec cars add goodies to make long journeys more enjoyable.

The Kia Rio is marginally longer than a Ford Fiesta and Citroen C3 but, at just over four metres long, it should still be very easy to park. To take the stress out of parking and manoeuvring, all but the base-spec car come with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The Rio’s 325-litre boot is pretty good for a car of this size, comfortably beating the Fiesta and i20.

Headroom is also commendable, while you’ll only struggle for legroom if you’re sitting behind a really tall driver. This is still quite a small car, after all, and compared to its rivals the Rio isn’t too bad.

The Rio comes with a couple of petrol engine choices – usually a non-turbocharged entry-level engine and then a turbocharged version that’s a bit more suited to higher speeds. A manual gearbox is standard on all engines.

Yes. In fact, the Rio is one of the most compelling small hatchbacks on sale and well worth considering if you're shopping in this class. The car's design, quality and ergonomics are already strong, but it's the cabin space that's a real stand out – there's a very impressive amount of room for passengers, even in the back. That's not something most small hatches can achieve.

Compared to the average car, you shouldn't have to pay too much to replace parts on your Kia. Of course, breaking something like the engine is going to be more expensive than pranging a wheel, for example, but replacement bills shouldn't be too high if something fails.

On paper, the Rio's scores in reliability surveys are about average. In practice, it's one of the simpler cars Kia builds so has fewer things that can go wrong.

Kia as a brand tends to score better in reliability surveys and you can take some confidence in the fact the company offers an excellent seven-year factory warranty on its cars.

You can add an extended warranty to your Rio that provides even more coverage after the manufacturer's warranty has expired.

Yes, the Rio would make a great choice as a first car. Standing in its favour is the car's low insurance groups – most models sit between groups 5 and 8, and no version is rated above a 10. That means your premiums as a new driver should be comparatively affordable.

Plus, the added reassurance of Kia's seven-year factory warranty means you're insulated in the event you suffer an unexpected mechanical or electrical failure.