2003 Kia Rio RX-V

<body topmargin="0" leftmargin="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr> <td valign="top" colspan="2" height="82" bgcolor="#000000" text="#F7F7FF"> <div> <font size="5" color="#FFFFFF" face="Perpetua"><b>CarTest!</b></font><b>     |     </b><a href="index_htm.html" target="_top" title="CarTest!"><u><b>home</b></u></a></div> <div> <a href="automotive_reviews_and_test_drives.html" target="_top" title="Reviews"><u><b><img src="03b0e0e0.png" border="0" width="14" height="14" alt="up" align="BOTTOM" hspace="0" vspace="0"></b></u></a><b>  </b><img border="0" src="1x1.gif" height="14" align="BOTTOM" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="14"><b>    </b><a href="/" target="_top" title="2003 Kia Magentis Sedan"><u><b><img src="02f0e0e0.png" border="0" width="14" height="14" alt="previous" align="BOTTOM" hspace="0" vspace="0"></b></u></a><b>  </b><a href="/" target="_top" title="2003 Kia Sorento SUV"><u><b><img src="0300e0e0.png" border="0" width="14" height="14" alt="next" align="BOTTOM" hspace="0" vspace="0"></b></u></a></div> <div> <a href="index_htm.html" target="_top" title="CarTest!"><u>CarTest!</u></a>   |   <a href="site_map_for_cartest_ca_car_reviews.html" target="_top" title="Site Map / Contents"><u>Site Map / Contents</u></a>   |   <a href="automotive_reviews_and_test_drives.html" target="_top" title="Reviews"><u>Reviews</u></a>   |   <a href="id268.html" target="_top" title="Save On Gas"><u>Save On Gas</u></a>   |   <a href="used_car_values.html" target="_top" title="Whats Your Car Worth?"><u>What's Your Car Worth?</u></a>   |   <a href="what_is_the_best_vehicle__car_or_truck.html" target="_top" title="Find the Best Vehicle"><u>Find the Best Vehicle</u></a>   |   <a href="our_favorite_cars.html" target="_top" title="Top Picks "><u>Top Picks </u></a>   |   <a href="/" target="_top" title="Car Care"><u>Car Care</u></a>   |   <a href="guide_to_buying_a_new_car.html" target="_top" title="Insider Tips "><u>Insider Tips </u></a>   |   <a href="/" target="_top" title="Free Newsletter"><u>Free Newsletter</u></a>   |   <a href="/" target="_top" title="Awards"><u>Awards</u></a>   |   <a href="/" target="_top" title="Contact us"><u>Contact us</u></a></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width="209" style="border-right: 1px solid #0000BF;" bgcolor="#FFCC66" text="#080000"> <div> The Rio is one of the nicest looking small cars on the road.</div> <br> <div> <table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" width="132" bordercolorlight="#0000BF" bordercolordark="#808080" frame="BOX" rules="ALL" align="RIGHT" hspace="0" vspace="0"> <tr> <td valign="TOP" height="616" width="126"><br> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </td> </tr> </table></div> <br> </td> <td valign="top" height="398" width="100%" style="border-right: 1px solid #0000BF;" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#080000"> <div> <i>2003 Kia Rio RX-V</i></div> <div> <b> <a name="kia_rio_rx_v"><img border="0" src="1x1.gif" height="1" align="bottom" width="1" hspace="0" vspace="0"></a></b></div> <div> <b>Cute with capacity</b></div> <br> <div> By Bill Roebuck</div> <br> <div> If there were marks for cuteness, the Kia Rio RX-V would probably get the most points in economy car category. For 2003, the four-door hatchback got some revamped bodywork on the nose and tail, and the back treatment is particularly handsome.</div> <div> <img src="2a915900.jpg" border="0" width="277" height="144" align="LEFT" hspace="5" vspace="5"></div> <div> A significant asset of the Rio's design is its huge cargo capacity for a small car -- 702 L with the rear seats down, almost 300 L with them up -- plus a large hatch opening and a low liftover height for easy loading. </div> <br> <div> The front seats, which feature a height adjustment, are quite comfortable. There is plenty of headroom up front, but rear seat space is quite cramped, with tight legroom and width for only two adults.</div> <br> <div> <img src="294c8c90.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="201" align="RIGHT" hspace="5" vspace="5">With its improved 1.6-L, 104 hp engine, the Rio hatchback's performance was slowest of this group -- over 2 seconds slower in 0-100 km/h acceleration test compared to the similarly powered Accent. Fuel economy was in the middle of the pack, yet it's still quite thrifty on gas.</div> <br> <div> The ride and handling are firm and competent, better than I expected in a subcompact. A bonus is the Kia's comprehensive warranty, which runs for five years and 100,000 km.</div> <br> <div> * Price as tested: $17,150</div> <br> <div> © Copyright Bill Roebuck, CarTest.ca 2002.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>