When the Kia Rio arrived, the first words out of my mouth were, “It’s so cute.”… And by “cute”, I really meant small – much smaller in size than the SUV we currently drive. I was a little concerned at first because I was driving down with my husband, daughter and mother, for a total of four passengers with luggage.
Once the car was loaded up and we were all inside, I realized there was plenty of space. It’s almost an illusion because on the outside the Rio looks very compact, but the inside feels quite roomy.
The Kia Rio SX has all the extra features you want in a car. Starting with the In-dash Navigation System with Rear-Camera Display. Being that this was our first trip to the Florida Keys, I had no clue how to get there. Driving through Miami (for me) is a challenge in itself, and I don’t think I would have been able to navigate the trip without GPS. I just plugged in the address of our resort at the start of our journey and received turn-by-turn directions the entire way. I seriously don’t know how I drive anywhere without this feature – I LOVED having the navigation system in the dash, because the display was large enough that I didn’t have to look away from the wheel while I was driving. The Rear-Camera Display was a super-added-bonus; especially when I had to parallel park near the Southernmost Point in Key West!
Also included with the Kia Rio SX is SiriusXM radio. If you’ve ever driven for an extended period of time you know just how boring FM radio gets after a few hours. SiriusXM has over 140 channels of commercial-free radio in dozens of categories. We joked on our ride down that we were going to listen to “Jimmy Buffett Radio”, and sure enough, there was a channel with just Jimmy Buffett songs! The Kia Rio SX comes with a free trial subscription to SiriusXM, and then optional packages are available for purchase (around $16 month).
Needless to say, our trip each way was super smooth and comfortable. The most valuable feature to me, and the main reason I would consider purchasing the Kia Rio myself, is the incredible gas mileage. Most of our trip was highway and we easily clocked in almost 400 miles for each full tank of gas, which cost around $30. Yes, you heard me correctly — $30 to drive nearly 400 miles! I also loved tracking the “Distance to Empty” display on the steering wheel, which was very handy when deciding where we should stop for gas.
The Kia Rio has a ton of safety features that come standard on every model, including: dual- front & side airbags, 3-point seat beats, anti-lock brakes, stability control, LATCH tethers, front & rear crumble zones and child-safety locks.
The base Kia Rio model starts at $13,600, with the Rio SX, with all the extras, at around $20,800 — still quite a value when you consider the gas mileage the vehicle gets! The Kia Rio is most suitable for small families with 1-2 children, or as a second family car.
Why Kia Rio is Great for Road Trips … or any Trip!
- EXCELLENT Gas Mileage
- In-dash Navigation System with Rear-Camera Display
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio
- Roomy Interior Despite Being a Compact Sedan
- Distance to Empty Display
- USB Input Jacks
- Push Button Start with Key-less Entry
- Buttons on Steering Wheel to Adjust Audio and Cruise Control
- Split Folding Rear Seat
- Active Eco System
Courtesy of Mommy Musings
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