A bargain that just beats walking
Mirror brackets broke in one week.
Cassette players ate tapes in two weeks, and I had to replace it.
This little car is great.
It performs well for a compact vehicle with 96HP.
Long rides after about 250 miles get a bit rough.
Any ride after the third service gets a bit rough.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 27th May, 2003
Surprisingly good car for a low price
Haven't had any "real" problems. The plastic mirror covers on the visor mirrors are broken off. I can live with that. Carpet pulled up a little on the front passenger side. I can glue it down.
I've had very good overall experience with this car. It's NEVER been back to the dealer, EVER. Always starts and runs great. Easy to do routine maintenance at home. Very happy that I bought this car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 13th May, 2003
Sucks
Within the first month the lock on the driver's door broke - when locked.
The dealership took four days to repair it - and then, it was only a temporary fix because they didn't have the part.
The clock on the dashboard blinks in time with the turn signal. Service centre said it could be crossed wires, but not really sure.
The transmission went - completely - and the dealership attempted to say my warranty wouldn't cover the replacement because they had no record of me bringing it in for regular service checks. I provided them with the receipts and the service check book - they reluctantly covered the cost. BUT it took 5 days to fix the transmission and the dealership didn't have a courtesy car on site. They further advised that the warranty would only cover the cost of a rental car if the part had to be ordered from Korea. I live in Victoria BC - the part was coming from Toronto ON (almost as far as Korea!)
Then two weeks after the transmission was put in, it started 'jumping' when going from first to second. I really didn't want to have to go back to the dealership (considering the horrible customer service I received), but had to when the 'check engine' light came on.
Again, they wouldn't provide the courtesy car this time, as they said the Manufacture has changed the rules and courtesy cars are only provided for emergency use. Silly me - I thought an unforeseen engine problem would be considered an 'emergency'. But they did offer my partner and I bus passes for the day!
The seats have worn out - now have seat covers.
The lighter has been replaced 3 times.
The cover on the vanity mirror fell off the first month.
The windshield wipers broke in the middle of a thunderstorm driving on a dangerous road, causing me to have to pull over and wait for the rain to stop.
I can't complain about the interior design, as I bought the car knowing it was small.
It's great on gas - that's about it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 13th May, 2003
Good inexpensive car with first model year bugs
The first problem I have encountered with my Kia Rio was the "Check engine" light. After a scheduled oil change, the light came on for no apparent reason. My mechanic believed that the cause of this problem was a faulty oxygen sensor reading. He reset the ECM and it appeared to be fine.
A few months later, after a subsequent oil change, I found that an interior panel on the driver's side had come loose. Presumably, the mechanic caused this problem. At the same time, I think he probably did it inadvertently, which leads me to believe that it was not installed securely. I tried to refasten it, but was unable to do so. The same panel on the passenger side came loose a few months later, again, during a visit to my mechanic for scheduled maintenance. Cleaning the inside of the windshield is done at every one of my visits as a courtesy by my mechanic. It is during this cleaning that I believe the panels have come loose.
In my state, motor vehicles must undergo a safety inspection once a year. At my last inspection, I discovered that my horn did not work, causing my vehicle to be rejected and illegal to operate until the defect is corrected. A local dealer replaced the horn, as it was still covered under my warranty.
My most recent problem involves the car's acceleration in low gears. I took my car to my mechanic and he stated that the probable cause was a leaking valve cover gasket. I needed a tune-up anyway, so I asked him to replace my spark plugs. I then took my car to a local dealer because my car was still under warranty. The dealer verified that the gasket was bad and replaced it for me, charging only a $40 diagnostic fee. In doing the work, the dealer failed to reattach a couple of hoses. This caused the car to idle poorly. I later noticed the problem and reattached the hoses. It now idles well, but the acceleration problem still exists, but to a lesser degree.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 30th April, 2003