Test drive Kia Rio 3 doors since 2012 hatchback

The unity of opposites

No, this is not Rio de Janeiro, as Ostap Bender said, the playful and passionate name of Rio does not fit with the appearance of a modest low -iority. However, they buy it for other advantages. The main thing, perhaps, is the price: about 11 thousand dollars for a new one, albeit collected in Russia, but a foreign car. Hatchbacks are much more popular than sedan: they look more harmonious and take more. And they are almost the same.
With age, Rio loses very little in price (about 10% a year) affects the cheapness of service and spare parts. Future owners are also attracted by warranty conditions: since 2003 it has been increased to 5 years or 120 thousand km. But in general, a successful car has not yet got rid of some diseases, and not all flaws are eliminated under warranty. True, in some places it is possible to lay the straw, because in Russia this car is already the fifth year, and the experience has been accumulated considerable.
The engine asks the belt
For a Russian buyer, the issue of engine choice is not worth it: only one and a half -liter Kia Rio go from the assembly conveyor. The only serious illness of these motors to the offensive is banal: the timing belts cannot withstand 80 thousand km released by the manufacturer. They sometimes break, without passing 60 thousand. Note that the repair of the motor in this case does not fall under the guarantee: it does not apply to the timing belt. Therefore, it is reasonable to reduce the interval of the replacement of the belt to 50 thousand km in many services do so. The videos are changed as necessary, usually to 100 thousand km (with a second replacement of the belt). There are no other problems with the engine; Single failures mainly happen in the warranty period, so they eliminate them for free.
Candles separate article of expenses of Russians. In Rio, they serve an average of 10 thousand km from that to now. The instruction prescribes the 95th gasoline, but also the 92nd adds for Rio is quite rich in additives.
The low front overhang and the aluminum tray immediately suggest the need for strong steel engine protection. It really needs it, and most of all the corrugation (sylphon) of the release system. This is the lowest point of the front line, it is the most tender.
Take care of the clutch
For the most accurate drivers, it serves up to 80 thousand km (this is almost a record!), The teapots manage to burn it in a matter of weeks. The warranty on the node is solid 3 years or 100 thousand km, but its conditions do not include natural wear and violations of operation rules.
The root of all operational troubles is a miscalculation in ergonomics: the moment of turning on the adhesion on the pedal is practically not felt. An experienced driver, guided by ear, will quickly adapt. Inexperienced in two accounts will fall over the overlays. The first sign of trouble is the appearance of an effort on the pedal. This means that the grease of the guide squeezing bearing has already fried. If in the same manner to go further, the effort on the pedals will become, as on ZIL-130. The final stage of closing the clutch: the pedal cannot be squeezed with both legs. Replacing the drive cable, of course, does not give results. It happens that not only overlays are split, but also a basket, and the metal even melts in places. Often, along with ahead of schedule, the clutch has to be changed both with fragments or overheated flywheel.
But gearboxes, both mechanics and automatic, work almost without complaints. Single cases of warranty repairs of the ICD were associated with the failure of synchronizers (the first or second gear was not turned on), but after the guarantee of the defects, there were no defects. Several years ago there were problems with blocking the automatic transmission selector: the rear gear was also turned on when the car moves forward, from which the box was out of order. Now Rio with automatic transmission can be reproached only in weak dynamics, but not in the absence of reliability. Oil in both boxes change every 40 thousand km: 75W90 GL-4 in mechanics and Dexron III in the machine.
Where densely and where is it empty
The bearings of the front hub are conical, with a pre -trial, which is regulated by the selection of washers. It is better to change them in the corporate service, where there are goals and a special device. Incorrectly adjusted bearings may not survive until the next. If the master did everything in science, the knot will last 100150 thousand km. The rear bearings are also conical, but with a gap. Almost everyone has to be adjusted if you take care of the brakes: to clean the rear mechanisms from dust and dirt, the drum with the bearing will have to be removed. The rear bearings serve more than 100 thousand km.
When tightening the wheeled nuts, do not overdo it, otherwise you risk breaking the threads on the stilettos. Others manage to crank the stilettos in the hub, tearing off the slots, then you will not get off with a simple replacement of the stilettos. The moment of tightening of the nuts is not more than 8 kgf.m.
The brakes work perfectly, provided that the pads of the pads (back) and the use of the handbrake are regularly cleaned. For those who forget to stretch the lever (usually on cars with automatic transmission), the cable can acidify in a year or two or 3040 thousand km. With frequent use, the handbrake lives about twice as long.
But ABS does not work in Rio in the best way: the effectiveness is low, while the pedal turns into a jackhammer. And the system does not shine with reliability: after two winter, sensors begin to junk. The wire can be bent both in the connector and at the site of the seal in the sensor. Therefore, it is worth protecting Anticorus all vulnerable places.
There are no problems with the steering control. Not only the rake, but also the rods of rods without complaints withstand 120150 thousand km.
The Rio suspension as a whole does not cause trouble and does not require large expenses, except for the rear shock absorbers. The sleeve of their upper mount to the body is broken quite quickly for 2040 thousand km of run. Replacing an expensive shock absorber only assembled, preferably a couple. Otherwise, everything is at the level: the rear silent blocks serve more than 150 thousand km, the ball supports of the front suspension are 60100 thousand km (the lever is changed in the collection), bushings and front stabilizer racks 6080 thousand km. The front racks (including their supports) withstand more than 120 thousand km.
Blooming connectors
You can turn off the battery and cigaret it without any problems, you will need it. The battery does not live here for long. Either the guilt of storage conditions, or some other secret forces, but the battery withstands for 6 months withstands, and then how lucky. The most successful specimens died in two years.
Electrician Rio is poorly adapted to Russian conditions. Most of the connectors are not protected from dirt and moisture, so they begin to turn green in the first spring, and over time, contacts turn into dust. It is good if it is a sound signal by sound can be determined by a mess. With the heating of the rear window, the process is dangerously delayed. At first, his connector (general and to power the rear janitor) begins to melt, then burns out the insulation of the wires, and as a result, the plus closes the mass, burning the fuse. Do not try to put a bug with him and not far from the fire. It is enough to connect the circuit directly, without a connector, and the junction of the connection is reliably protected from moisture.

The history of the model
1999. The debut of the Kia Rio model (sedan and hatchback). The engines are gasoline, four-cylinder, 16-valve: 1.35 l, 62 kW/84 liters. With. (not for the Russian Federation) and 1.5 l, 76 kW/103 liters. With. Boxes M5 or A4, front drive.
2003. Restyling. Farah, hood, radiator grill, bumper, interior, suspension have changed. Noise and vibration insulation improved, passive safety has increased. The 1.5 liter engine is available in the version of 72 kW/98 liters. With. (for Russia) and 79 kW/ 108 liters. With.
Anatoly Sukhov
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"