Kia

Rio

Compact Cars · model years 2001 to 2023

See all 42 Rio trims All Kia cars

The verdict

Best year: 2023. complaints: 12, below this model's typical 23; recalls: 0, below this model's typical 1.

Worst year: 2001. complaints: 223, about 4.9x this model's typical 46; recalls: 3, about 3x this model's typical 1.

Year by year

Year by year summary for the Kia Rio
Year	Trims	MPG	HP	Fuel cost	Recalls	Complaints	Investigations	TSBs	Top complaints
2001	2Gas	25.5	no data	$2,450	3	223	0	no data	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 16%, AIR BAGS 10%, WHEELS 10%
complaints: 223, about 4.9x this model's typical 46 recalls: 3, about 3x this model's typical 1 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 12 complaints reporting a fire: 14 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2002	2Gas	25	no data	$2,500	1	128	0	no data	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 24%, AIR BAGS 13%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 11%
complaints: 128, about 2.8x this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 27 complaints reporting a fire: 6 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2003	2Gas	25.5	no data	$2,450	3	74	0	no data	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 19%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15%, POWER TRAIN 12%
complaints: 74, about 1.6x this model's typical 46 recalls: 3, about 3x this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 7 complaints reporting a fire: 2 Score: 10 of 100, where higher is better.
2004	2Gas	24.5	no data	$2,550	2	38	0	no data	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 23%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9%, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 9%
complaints: 38, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 2, about 2x this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 2 complaints reporting a fire: 2 Score: 46 of 100, where higher is better.
2005	2Gas	24.5	no data	$2,550	1	37	0	no data	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 26%, ENGINE 11%, AIR BAGS 9%
complaints: 37, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 8 complaints reporting a fire: 4 Score: 45 of 100, where higher is better.
2006	2Gas	29	no data	$2,150	1	74	0	no data	AIR BAGS 57%, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 7%, STEERING 5%
complaints: 74, about 1.6x this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 14 Score: 42 of 100, where higher is better.
2007	2Gas	29	no data	$2,150	1	46	0	no data	AIR BAGS 33%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 8%
complaints: 46, in line with this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 44 of 100, where higher is better.
2008	2Gas	29	no data	$2,150	1	46	0	no data	AIR BAGS 47%, ENGINE 5%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 5%
complaints: 46, in line with this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 10 Score: 60 of 100, where higher is better.
2009	2Gas	30	no data	$2,100	0	39	0	no data	AIR BAGS 32%, ENGINE 13%, SEATS 8%
complaints: 39, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 Score: 76 of 100, where higher is better.
2010	2Gas	30.5	110	$2,050	0	26	0	35	AIR BAGS 32%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%, ENGINE 11%
complaints: 26, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 8 Score: 78 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 2.9 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2011	2Gas	30	110	$2,100	0	24	0	50	ENGINE 22%, AIR BAGS 16%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16%
complaints: 24, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 3 Score: 84 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 2.7 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2012	2Gas	31.5	138	$1,975	1	54	2 (1 open)	117	ENGINE 32%, AIR BAGS 16%, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 9%
complaints: 54, above this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 complaints reporting a fire: 9 NHTSA advised parking the 2012 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 23 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 1.3 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2013	2Gas	31.5	no data	$1,975	1	153	2 (1 open)	127	ENGINE 24%, AIR BAGS 16%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12%
complaints: 153, about 3.3x this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 8 complaints reporting a fire: 18 NHTSA advised parking the 2013 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 1.7 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2014	2Gas	30	138	$2,100	1	52	2 (1 open)	97	ENGINE 32%, AIR BAGS 9%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 9%
complaints: 52, above this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 complaints reporting a fire: 8 NHTSA advised parking the 2014 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 24 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 2.6 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2015	2Gas	30	138	$2,100	1	52	2 (1 open)	96	ENGINE 33%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 13%
complaints: 52, above this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 11 complaints reporting a fire: 10 NHTSA advised parking the 2015 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 17 of 100, where higher is better.
2016	2Gas	30.5	138	$2,050	2	77	1 (1 open)	86	ENGINE 35%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 11%
complaints: 77, about 1.7x this model's typical 46 recalls: 2, about 2x this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 5 complaints reporting a fire: 5 NHTSA advised parking the 2016 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2017	2Gas	30.5	138	$2,050	2	31	1 (1 open)	63	ENGINE 30%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 16%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16%
complaints: 31, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 2, about 2x this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 complaints reporting a fire: 6 NHTSA advised parking the 2017 model year outdoors over fire risk open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 13 of 100, where higher is better.
2018	2Gas	32	130	$1,950	1	28	0	68	ENGINE 36%, AIR BAGS 12%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12%
complaints: 28, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 complaints reporting a fire: 2 Score: 70 of 100, where higher is better.
2019	2Gas	32	130	$1,950	1	22	0	58	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 26%, ENGINE 19%, AIR BAGS 10%
complaints: 22, below this model's typical 46 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 69 of 100, where higher is better.
2020	1Gas	36	120	$1,750	1	27	0	65	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13%, ENGINE 13%
complaints: 27, above this model's typical 23 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 complaints reporting a fire: 5 Score: 29 of 100, where higher is better.
2021	1Gas	36	120	$1,750	2	15	0	57	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 27%, STEERING 18%, SERVICE BRAKES 14%
complaints: 15, below this model's typical 23 recalls: 2, about 2x this model's typical 1 Score: 55 of 100, where higher is better.
2022	1Gas	36	120	$1,750	1	11	0	20	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20%, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 13%, SERVICE BRAKES 13%
complaints: 11, below this model's typical 23 recalls: 1, in line with this model's typical 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 Score: 77 of 100, where higher is better.
2023	1Gas	36	120	$1,750	0	12	0	19	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 25%, ENGINE 15%, STEERING 15%
complaints: 12, below this model's typical 23 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 1 Score: 87 of 100, where higher is better.

How the numbers moved

Combined MPG, median2001: 25.5 to 2023: 36

Owner complaints2001: 223 to 2023: 12

How we score each year

We compare each year of the Kia Rio to the model's own typical numbers, not to other cars. A year reads solid when its recalls, owner complaints, and federal investigations sit at or below what is typical for this model, mixed when some of those numbers run above typical, and avoid when they run far above it. Deaths, reported fires, and an NHTSA advisory to park outside count against a year no matter what this model's baseline looks like.

A year is scored only when NHTSA has both complaint and recall counts for it. Complaint data often lags for the newest years, so a recent year can read not enough data even while its recall count already shows in the table. When the history is too thin, we say not enough data instead of guessing. Service bulletins are routine maintenance guidance from the manufacturer and do not lower a year's score.

Scores run 0 to 100, higher is better. Recall, complaint, and investigation figures come from NHTSA records. Fuel economy, fuel cost, and horsepower figures come from the EPA, shown as the median across the year's trims.

Information is gathered on a best-effort basis from public sources, may be incomplete or out of date, and is not purchasing or financial advice. Verify with the manufacturer or dealer before buying.