2012 Kia Rio SX 0-60 Times, Top Speed, Specs, Quarter Mile, and Wallpapers

The 2012 Kia Rio SX is a Sedan. It can accommodate up to 5 passengers. It has 4 Doors and is powered by a 1.6L L4 DOHC 16-valve engine which outputs 138 hp @ 6300 rpm and is paired with 6-speed automatic transmission with manual mode gearbox. The 2012 Kia Rio SX has cargo capacity of 389 Liters and the vehicle weighs 1215 kg. In terms of ride assists, the 2012 Kia Rio SX has stability control and traction control in addition to anti-lock brake system (ABS). The vehicle has an optional engine as well It offers and Rear view camera only. Safety features also include Driver side front airbag and Passenger-side front and side airbag. The front suspension is Independent front suspension while the rear suspension is Solid axle rear susension. The car also features a It has 17" machined alloy wheels as standard. Electronic features include Cruise Control. For convenience, the car has Power windows and Power door locks. There is also a remote keyless entry feature. Moreover, the car has. The steering wheel has audio control buttons. In terms of performance, the car has 150 N.m of torque and a top speed of 190 km/h. The 2012 Kia Rio SX accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds and hits quarter mile at 16.3 seconds. Fuel consumption is 7.1 L/100km in the city and 5.5 L/100km in the highway. The car price starts at $ 20,495

2012 Kia Rio Used Price Estimates

Thanks to a redesign for 2012, the Kia Rio stands as a smart pick for small-car shoppers.

When you hear the word "Rio," you might think of the city or perhaps Duran Duran. But would "Kia Rio" pop into your head? Probably not. For many years, the Rio has been a pretty forgettable little car. But for 2012, this should change, as the subcompact Kia is thankfully as far removed from last year's model as parachute pants and feathered hair are from today's fashions.

Redesigned for 2012, the Kia Rio has been improved in virtually every way. As with Kia's other recently redesigned models, style is a priority. Inside and out, the Rio has a bold look, especially in this segment of small cars. The new Rio is larger than before, which translates to more passenger and cargo room.

Under the hood is a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with direct-injection technology. With 138 horsepower on tap and the promise of up to 37 mpg EPA highway, the Rio is one of the most powerful and efficient cars in its segment: on paper. In the real world, performance proves to be better than average while fuel economy is about average..

There's no debating the Rio's value, however. As is Kia's customary practice, the Rio combines a low starting price with a fairly generous standard features list. The Rio also reflects Kia's recent efforts at improved quality, notably in a nicely trimmed cabin that would be at home in a more expensive car. But with so many upscale features available as options (navigation, leather seating and keyless ignition/entry, for instance), the price of a loaded Rio can approach that of a base Kia Optima.

There's no doubt that Kia now has a firm grasp on what most consumers are looking for, which would be styling, quality, performance and features. As a result, the 2012 Kia Rio is finally a front runner in a market segment that has seen a lot of improved vehicles lately. Other worthy choices include the Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit and the Hyundai Accent, which is mechanically very similar to the Rio. Your decision will likely come down to styling preferences, driving position, handling/ride dynamics or maximum cargo capacity. Back-to-back test-drives are recommended.

The 2012 Kia Rio is available in both sedan and hatchback body styles, each with four doors. Trim levels are base LX, nicely equipped EX and sporty SX.

The LX comes with 15-inch steel wheels, power/heated mirrors, air-conditioning, a trip computer, a tilt steering wheel, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB/iPod interface. An optional Power package provides power windows and door locks with keyless entry.

The EX comes with all the above and adds a chrome grille frame, upgraded audio speakers, Bluetooth, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a center console with sliding armrest, upgraded upholstery and metallic cabin accents. An optional EX Convenience package adds 15-inch alloy wheels, foglights, automatic headlights, a rearview camera, power-folding outside mirrors with integrated turn signals, a soft-touch dash top, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and Kia's "Uvo" voice-activated interface for electronics features.

The SX adds to all the above 17-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, dual exhaust tips, LED front accent/rear taillights and an upgraded gauge cluster display. An optional SX Premium package adds a sunroof, keyless ignition/entry, leather seating, heated front seats and a navigation system.

Every Rio is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 138 hp and 123 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the LX, with a six-speed automatic optional. Both the EX and SX come only with the six-speed automatic.

In testing, a Rio SX did the 0-60 sprint in 9.7 seconds, a quick time for the subcompact segment. Fuel economy estimates stand at 28 mpg city/36 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined for the automatic, with 29/37/32 for the manual.

The 2012 Kia Rio comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and hill start assist. Unlike most rivals that have a front disc/rear drum brake setup, the Rio has disc brakes all around. This undoubtedly contributed to its strong braking performance, as the Rio SX came to a stop from 60 mph in just 119 feet -- a short distance for an economy car.

In government crash tests, the Rio received four out of five stars for overall protection, with four stars for frontal-impact protection and five stars for side-impact protection.

As we've only driven the sporty SX, these impressions pertain to that trim. With its firmer suspension tuning, the 2012 Kia Rio SX is a good choice for those who like feeling connected to their car. You may even have some fun behind the wheel. The SX's ride quality might be on the firm side for some drivers, but overall we like the way the Rio drives.

In the times of 500-plus-hp supercars, the 2012 Kia Rio's 138-hp output might sound paltry. Yet this sophisticated direct-injection four-cylinder pulls stronger than the power plants of its major competitors. Both the six-speed manual and the six-speed automatic transmissions make good use of that output, too. Under hard acceleration, the engine remains smooth but can get rather noisy.

The Rio's cabin boasts very good build and materials quality. Although there is a lot of hard plastic trim, it is nicely grained and doesn't scream economy car. Indeed, in the upper trims, features such as a soft-touch dash top, sliding center armrest and tasteful metallic accents give the impression that the Rio is a cut above what you'd expect in this class.

The climate and audio controls are easy to use, as is the optional navigation system. The Uvo voice-activated telematics system is another nice bonus, although we've found its voice recognition abilities aren't great and it isn't quite as intuitive to use as Ford's Sync system. Its accompanying electronic controls are much easier to use, however, even when operating more complicated functions like the iPod interface or optional navigation system.

The Rio also scores in the areas of space and comfort. Even tall drivers should be comfortable behind the available tilt-and-telescoping wheel, while the backseat offers a competitive amount of space. Count this as another subcompact that doesn't feel like a penalty box for its passengers.

The Rio's sleek styling does result in outward visibility that isn't quite as good as some competitors' -- especially for the sedan. However, the available rearview camera is a rare feature in this class and helps greatly while parallel parking. When it comes time to carry extra items, the sedan has a 13.7-cubic-foot trunk, a respectable figure. With its rear seats lowered, the hatchback can hold up to 49.8 cubic feet.

Our time behind the wheel of the 2012 Kia Rio consisted mainly of highway driving, but it was enough to get a feel of what the front-wheel-drive sub-compact has to offer – and it didn't disappoint. The eager 1.6-liter engine has more than enough power for passing slower trucks, although most of the power can be felt in the higher-rpm range. We were surprised at how comfortable the car rides considering its small size, but the soft ride doesn't compromise its handling abilities. In sorting out the suspension, Kia's engineers used the Ford Fiesta as their benchmark to ensure some sporty footwork and, while we can say they got pretty close, we can't say they exceeded it. The 2012 Kia Rio is agile and confident in the turns but, in the overall sense, we wouldn't equate it to the same athletic feel as the Ford Fiesta or Mazda2. Aside from the driving dynamics, we're happy to report that even after two straight hours of driving, the Rio was just as pleasant as when we first stepped foot inside. The seats are comfortable and only minimal road noise could be detected, another pleasant surprise for a car in this class.

Idle Stop and Go (ISG) TechnologyIt's a little disconcerting at first but, once we got used to the sound of the car starting after every stop, we took comfort in the added fuel savings that the feature entails.Navigation system Factory navigation systems are uncommon at this price point and we like that the Kia Rio blazes the trail by offering this feature.

Aesthetics aside, what really sets the 2012 Kia Rio apart from the competition is its lavish interior and impressive list of standard and available features. The Rio incorporates a 3-cylinder instrument panel and wraparound dash design that is simple and user-friendly. Some of the more notable available features include Bluetooth, a 7-inch navigation system with a rear-view camera, push-button start, a UVO voice-activated infotainment system and leather seating surfaces for a more upscale feel. While most, if not all of these features can be obtained in the Rio's competitors, we were more impressed in the fact that the Rio offers them in the first place. A shockingly good surprise.

Our time with the 2012 Kia Rio was limited to the 5-door variant, which shares the same features and mechanical details with its 4-door sibling but just looks better, in our opinion. Kia's design engineers went back the drawing board and wedged the edges, sloped the shoulder lines and sculpted a new look for the Rio using design elements from its Optima and Sportage brethren. The Rio incorporates Kia's signature grille flanked by slanted headlights and a large air dam. Sweeping side character lines slope up to the high-placed taillights and steeply-raked rear window. The base Rio sits on 15-inch steel wheel or alloys, but stepping to the up-level SX brings more stylish 17-inch alloys. All things said, it looks like the product of some serious Optima and Sportage canoodling.

The 2012 Kia Rio LX comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission (a 6-speed automatic is available), air conditioning, a radio with auxiliary/USB input, steering-wheel audio controls and four speakers and that's about it. Power windows and door locks are optional. Stepping up to the EX and SX trims includes the power accessories and adds many other features: Cruise control, UVO audio and rearview camera, AM/FM/CD/MP3/SiriusXM audio, Bluetooth, power door locks, power windows and other visual and convenience upgrades to the interior and exterior.

Options for the 2012 Kia Rio come in the form of packages. For example, notable features in the SX Premium Package include push-button start with Smart Key, a navigation system, leather seating surfaces, heated front seats and a moonroof. The ECO package includes the ISG (Idle Stop and Go) technology and Active ECO system for optimal fuel-efficient driving.

The 2012 Kia Rio's sole motivator is the same 138-horsepower, 1.6-liter direct-injected 4-cylinder engine that powers its Hyundai Accent cousin. With automatic transmission, the power plant returns projected gas mileage numbers of 28 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. But the Rio has an ace up its sleeve in the form of ISG technology. The acronym stands for "Idle Stop and Go," which is a fuel-saving system that turns off the engine when the car is stopped and seamlessly turns it on again when the brake pedal is released. This eco-smart mechanism is good for approximately one more mpg across the board, according to Kia. 1.6-liter in-line 4138 horsepower @ 6,300 rpm123 lb-ft of torque @ 4,850 rpmEPA city/highway fuel economy: 29/37 (manual), 28/36 (automatic)

The 2012 Kia Rio LX 5-door has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) around $ 14,000. The Rio EX 5-door starts around $ 15,000 and the top-trim SX 5-door is near $ 18,000. The ECO package tacks on $ 400. Check out the KBB Fair Purchase Price for current real-world pricing of the Kia Rio in your area. As for resale value, we expect the Kia Rio will retain residuals on par with those of the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Accent, but not as well as those of the Honda Fit and Mazda2.

2012 Kia Rio Consumer Reviews