2004 Kia Rio - Surprisingly reliable.
This car is great for those who are new to car buying or those who don't have a lot of money for a car. When I bought this car, I was just looking for a car. Although my desire was a different brand that I much preferred but could not afford at that time. I went in to this purchase with both positive and negative feelings -- I'm getting a car, but it's not the one I want. After some time driving, I have changed the way I think about this brand. It is surprisingly a very reliable car. It also gets good gas mileage, probably because it's a lighter car, but with the way gas prices were fluctuating and often getting higher than necessary, saving on gas is exceptional. I have never had a problem with this car with exception of one recall that I wasn't even aware of, nor did I even have... (more)
This car is great for those who are new to car buying or those who don't have a lot of money for a car. When I bought this car, I was just looking for a car. Although my desire was a different brand that I much preferred but could not afford at that time. I went in to this purchase with both positive and negative feelings -- I'm getting a car, but it's not the one I want. After some time driving, I have changed the way I think about this brand. It is surprisingly a very reliable car. It also gets good gas mileage, probably because it's a lighter car, but with the way gas prices were fluctuating and often getting higher than necessary, saving on gas is exceptional. I have never had a problem with this car with exception of one recall that I wasn't even aware of, nor did I even have a problem with the part being recalled -- not a major issue, simply something to do with the electronic window, if I remember correctly. In the time I've had this car, I've only had to do regular maintenance, and one time only had to get a new ignition part and an O2 sensor. Everything else on this car runs well, despite it now having over 150,000 miles. This has been the least expensive car I've ever owned due to the fact that as long as I do the maintenance recommended on time, it keeps running very well. I have been surprised by this brand, and while I still love that other brand, I won't hesitate to check this brand out again when I go shopping for a new car in the future.
I've moved a lot and one place that I used to live was in Maine. I moved to Maine in that car, and all went well. But the most memorable was right after I moved, because it was Memorial Day weekend, and no one would be around to look at applications. I decided to take the dogs to Acadia National Park that was about an hour away. It was a cloudy day, so already I was very happy as I love to ... (more)
I've moved a lot and one place that I used to live was in Maine. I moved to Maine in that car, and all went well. But the most memorable was right after I moved, because it was Memorial Day weekend, and no one would be around to look at applications. I decided to take the dogs to Acadia National Park that was about an hour away. It was a cloudy day, so already I was very happy as I love to set out on cloudy, gray, rainy, or even stormy days. I got the dogs in the car and set out. The car handled the hills in Maine relatively well. On a few, I had to accelerate beyond the speed limit while going down the hill to be able to make it up the next hill without going way under the limit. No cops -- worked out well. We got to Acadia, and you can drive through the park. We did for awhile, just going along, slowly enjoying the scenery. The dogs were anxious to get out and explore the woods, so after awhile, I pulled in to a parking area and took them out. But it was enjoyable because I had a car that I could rely on. I was able to just sit back and enjoy. My car got me to Maine, which is where I wanted to be. It got me to the park, which is a place I wanted to go...my car made all of this possible. This car has brought me plenty of opportunities that I would not have had at the time, otherwise, and not once has it let me down. Not once have I ever had to worry about anything with this car...so yes, when I moved and took the 3-day weekend to simply relax and enjoy my new digs, this car made it possible to be able to totally relax and be happy.
Reliable - no break downs or issues. It gets good gas mileage, comparable to another brand that I used to own that had a larger tank. It's smaller and easier to get in to spaces that I could not previously. It's easy to clean the snow off of the top because I can actually reach the top of the car. It has more room than one might think. I moved across the country in this car and was surprised at how much I could fit into the trunk and back seat. It looks small, but there's a lot of space.
Reliable - no break downs or issues. It gets good gas mileage, comparable to another brand that I used to own that had a larger tank. It's smaller and easier to get in to spaces that I could not previously. It's easy to clean the snow off of the top because I can actually reach the top of the car. It has more room than one might think. I moved across the country in this car and was surprised at how much I could fit into the trunk and back seat. It looks small, but there's a lot of space.
It's light - which admittedly makes me worry if I get into an accident, I will I have the same level of protection as I did in a heavier car. I do not like the bubble look, as I call it. While I understand that makes a car more efficient, I prefer the square, boxy look of cars of the past. It's plain Jane nothing fancy - no GPS, no moon roof, no Bluetooth, etc.
It's light - which admittedly makes me worry if I get into an accident, I will I have the same level of protection as I did in a heavier car. I do not like the bubble look, as I call it. While I understand that makes a car more efficient, I prefer the square, boxy look of cars of the past. It's plain Jane nothing fancy - no GPS, no moon roof, no Bluetooth, etc.
2004 Kia Rio - Fuel Efficient and Practical Sedan
I got the 2004 Kia Rio sedan new with a manual transmission and none of the upgrades. This meant manual steering and no AC, but I never use AC because where I live is a reasonable temperature and there are advantages to manual steering like improved high speed handling, slightly better fuel economy and less maintenance. I installed my own sound system, which made more sense to me because I knew what I wanted and am a mechanic so I could easily install it. Even without the head unit, the car still came with all the speakers in the doors and the wiring harness, so the radio/CD player was plug and play. I never missed the AC, though when parallel parking the manual steering could become a pain. While I still maintain that it's worth the trade off if the only options are manual or power, I... (more)
I got the 2004 Kia Rio sedan new with a manual transmission and none of the upgrades. This meant manual steering and no AC, but I never use AC because where I live is a reasonable temperature and there are advantages to manual steering like improved high speed handling, slightly better fuel economy and less maintenance. I installed my own sound system, which made more sense to me because I knew what I wanted and am a mechanic so I could easily install it. Even without the head unit, the car still came with all the speakers in the doors and the wiring harness, so the radio/CD player was plug and play. I never missed the AC, though when parallel parking the manual steering could become a pain. While I still maintain that it's worth the trade off if the only options are manual or power, I prefer variable assist which gives you full power assist at low speeds for parking and less assist on the highway when stiffer steering is preferential. Unfortunately this vehicle doesn't offer variable steering as an option.
This car is remarkably durable. The only warranty work I had to have performed was one axle when the CV boot came apart and a dome light and heater switch that were poorly made and the plastic broke quickly with regular use. The interior is very basic and the back seat is more appropriate for children or cargo than adults, but there is a good amount of trunk room and I never have trouble getting what I need packed in the car for transport. The 1.6L four cylinder engine is surprisingly powerful when paired with the 5 speed manual transmission, though I have driven the automatic with power steering and AC and that model is notably underpowered for merging and passing on higher speed roads. The car is very cost effective to purchase and drive, however. With an initial cost around $10,000 and gas mileage that by my tracking exceeded the reported data (I always got over 30 mpg, even when city driving), I am thrilled with the value of this very practical vehicle. It may not be the most fun or stylish sedan on the road, but it certainly makes sense for a daily driver as it is easy on the environment and the wallet.
I use this vehicle for to and from work and any time I have to go a long distance because of the fantastic gas mileage. I can't say that it is a fun story, but it is certainly memorable when your transportation costs are cut nearly in half and you have that extra money to spend on other things. With such excellent cost savings this car has allowed me to purchase other things that I enjoy the e... (more)
I use this vehicle for to and from work and any time I have to go a long distance because of the fantastic gas mileage. I can't say that it is a fun story, but it is certainly memorable when your transportation costs are cut nearly in half and you have that extra money to spend on other things. With such excellent cost savings this car has allowed me to purchase other things that I enjoy the entire time I've owned it rather than dumping that money into the gas tank.
This vehicle is not expensive to buy and gets excellent gas mileage, so it is a fantastic value for the money. Maintenance is low cost as it uses all conventional fluids and I haven't had any major issues, so the only additional out of pocket costs have been routine maintenance and wear items such as brakes. In addition to the great value, the cargo room is surprisingly ample for a subcompact sedan and when equipped with a manual transmission power and acceleration are better than expected as well.
This vehicle is not expensive to buy and gets excellent gas mileage, so it is a fantastic value for the money. Maintenance is low cost as it uses all conventional fluids and I haven't had any major issues, so the only additional out of pocket costs have been routine maintenance and wear items such as brakes. In addition to the great value, the cargo room is surprisingly ample for a subcompact sedan and when equipped with a manual transmission power and acceleration are better than expected as well.
This vehicle is not the pinnacle of style. The interior and body are very plain and the interior is very cheaply made, so a lot of small plastic items like the dome light and the heater blower switch broke easily. This doesn't bother me very much because I just look to a vehicle to get me from point to point, but for someone that prefers creature comforts and likes to give their vehicle a personal flair, this isn't the best choice. It also is not a great car for poor weather driving, particularly with the stock tires. After buying some better tires, I was able to get decent rain handling, ... (more)
This vehicle is not the pinnacle of style. The interior and body are very plain and the interior is very cheaply made, so a lot of small plastic items like the dome light and the heater blower switch broke easily. This doesn't bother me very much because I just look to a vehicle to get me from point to point, but for someone that prefers creature comforts and likes to give their vehicle a personal flair, this isn't the best choice. It also is not a great car for poor weather driving, particularly with the stock tires. After buying some better tires, I was able to get decent rain handling, but nothing will make this a good snow and ice vehicle.
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