2002 Kia Rio review from North America

Windshield

Unexplainable rattling

Bad transmission

Airbag light going on and off

Some nasty smell when the car was running

Broken seats!

My friend bought a KIA Rio in 11/2002. At first it was a perfect car! She was happy with it, her Rio was the first new car she ever owned! We went all over town in her new car. Then things started happening.

The first was she let a friend drive it to Neveda. While driving through the desert the windshield crack. No rock ever hit it, it just cracked. So she had it replaced.

Then it started making a rattle sound so she took it in, got the oil changed, and got it checked out. They said it was fine, but a few miles down the road it started rattling again. The rattling comes and goes. The dealership said "There is nothing wrong with it!"

Then her air bag light would come on then go off. It started shifting funny.

In the last few months it had developed the most nastiest smell, like rotten eggs! We knew it wasn't coming from the inside. She had the car detailed and still it smelled. But it only smelled when the car was running.

But the thing that got us both wondering was last week. My friend was driving her KIA Rio and I was in the front passenger seat, when we were struck from behind, in a hit and run. While we were waiting to be taken to the hospital, because of neck and back pain, we noticed our seats had broke!! The impact and because the car was so light (in other words cheap) from the point of impact rippled a dent all along the passenger side. So the firemen had to rip the car door open to get to me! The car maybe cute and at first fun to drive, but cute and fun don't add up to safety! So my friend is also looking to do a class action suit!