2005 Kia Rio Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
24 City / 31 HWY
Source FuelEconomy.gov
Horsepower
104
Seats
5
Front angle medium view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Paula P
My Kia rio, my friend. It is a great car, a great size and never lets me down!
I drive a 2005 Kia rio. I have had it about a year now, obviously second hand. I love the car! It is great! It gets good gas mileage and the air still works great. The person who had the car before me took decent care of it too. She had the oil changed regularly and used it in traveling as well. The paint is beginning to chip off in spots. No rust through. I had new spark plugs and gaskets put on and a couple of tires. My Kia rio is comfortable. Just the right size for me.
accountCircle Joanna R
Great starter car for anyone
It's a great compact car, I have one small problem with the tpms light not being able to be fixed to where it stays off. The only other thing I don't like is that the ac sometimes shuts off on high. Once I put it back on a low setting and then back to high it works again.
accountCircle asma a
It is worth its money. It is elegant and comfortable
It is very elegant and comfortable. It is very easy to use. I don't love its colors.
accountCircle Taylor P
It is small so you do not have to worry about parking.
I have a brand new engine. . . Gets me from point A to point B. . . It is an older car so it has is negative points but other than that it is a good little car.
accountCircle Erin H
Small cars last longer and are better on gas.
The car is very good on gas, and is easy to maintain. It is a very small car so good for a first time car or a single person car. There is not much room if you are a bigger person, or have more than one kid. My car already has over 130000 miles and is still running good. It's also is front wheel drive and handles good in bad weather. But is low to the ground, so not recommended for off-road.
accountCircle Dolly E
Others should know that my car is very reliable.
I like that my car keeps going no matter what. It is old with a lot of mileage and just keeps on going.
accountCircle Dolly D
The most important thing about my car is that it is very reliable.
I have a kia rio that i purchased used. My car is reliable, It gets me from point a to point b. It serves it purpose.
accountCircle Deborah T
Good Car gas saver great car for work
Great on gas and reliable. Performance is good. Had to replace front hood latch worn out. I had to replace front window and side window. Change all hoses because car was cutting of on me. Great car to travel in. Had to redo the driver's seat because seat belt didn't work.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Ann W
The only thing that I didn't like was that the exterior paint of the car started to wear in about 5 years.
My KIA is 13 years old. I have had no mechanical issues with it except to replace the alternator belt. It is a very reliable vehicle that I would recommend to anyone.
accountCircle Erin H
Small cars last longer and are better on gas.
The car is very good on gas, and is easy to maintain. It is a very small car so good for a first time car or a single person car. There is not much room if you are a bigger person, or have more than one kid. My car already has over 130000 miles and is still running good. It's also is front wheel drive and handles good in bad weather. But is low to the ground, so not recommended for off-road.
accountCircle Dolly E
Others should know that my car is very reliable.
I like that my car keeps going no matter what. It is old with a lot of mileage and just keeps on going.
accountCircle Dolly D
The most important thing about my car is that it is very reliable.
I have a kia rio that i purchased used. My car is reliable, It gets me from point a to point b. It serves it purpose.
accountCircle Deborah T
Good Car gas saver great car for work
Great on gas and reliable. Performance is good. Had to replace front hood latch worn out. I had to replace front window and side window. Change all hoses because car was cutting of on me. Great car to travel in. Had to redo the driver's seat because seat belt didn't work.
accountCircle andrew j
The car is ok . Could be faster .better handling. The car is ok . The car is ok. The car is ok.
The car is ok. Does not handle well in winter . Needs improvements . Breaks down . Car is ok
accountCircle Savannah R
It has crank windows, good AC and aftermarket speakers. It's not car its the driver
It gets the job done. Good on gas, has crank windows.

Kia Rio Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Base
104 HP 28-28 MPG 5 Seats
car
Cinco
104 HP 28-28 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2005 Kia Rio Owner Reviews

3.45
11 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 18%
4 stars 18%
3 stars 55%
2 stars 9%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Ann W on January 18, 2021
The only thing that I didn't like was that the exterior paint of the car started to wear in about 5 years.
My KIA is 13 years old. I have had no mechanical issues with it except to replace the alternator belt. It is a very reliable vehicle that I would recommend to anyone.
accountCircle andrew j on October 21, 2020
The car is ok . Could be faster .better handling. The car is ok . The car is ok. The car is ok.
The car is ok. Does not handle well in winter . Needs improvements . Breaks down . Car is ok
View All Reviews (11) chevronRightAlternative

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Sara W.

It's a very gas efficient and easy to drive to drive car. Plus it is rather roomy for a compact vehicle. It also has a large, deep trunk, for such a small car. Its moverablity is excellent around corners.

likeFilled Rosie J.

Good gas mileage, reliable, cheap repairs, have had it for 7 years with no engine problems just regular maintenance, and oil changes, used it for work for years, driving California busy freeways. Drove to Venice Beach, every weekend for years without any engine problems.

likeFilled Alexandra B.

My Kia Rio is very fuel efficient and easy to maintain with s lack of modern day technology and features. For example, it does not have switches to roll windows up and down. It uses an old fashioned turning handle.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Sara W.

The legroom can be an issue for tall people. Also, the CD player stopped working in that CD's get stuck inside. If you overfill the gas tank, fumes will build up and stall the car out. I believe that issue has been resolved with newer models. Batteries seem to die every two years.

dislikeFilled Rosie J.

Small size can fit only four adults did not like the interior seat material, small trunk, had to be careful with the gas cap or the engine light would come on every time I put gas which meant I had to turn gas cap a lot of times when replacing it.

dislikeFilled Alexandra B.

There are not any real cons for my vehicle beyond having a weaker powered engine so it does not accelerate quickly when getting on the highway. Also when driving on the highway it takes more fuel than if I was on city streets because there is not a highway gear.

Ranks #16 Small Cars by Owners

The 2005 Kia Rio has an average owner rating of 3.92 out of 5 which ranks it #16 of 22 other Small Cars.

1
car
2005 Volkswagen Golf
4.67
2
car
2005 Toyota Echo
4.56
16
car
2005 Kia Rio
3.45

Ranks #8 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2005 Kia Rio has a combined MPG of 34 which ranks it #8 of 23 other Small Cars.

1
Tie
car
2005 Toyota Echo
42 MPG
1
Tie
car
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
43 MPG
8
Tie
car
2005 Kia Rio
31 MPG

Is The 2005 Kia Rio A Good Car?

Yes I drive it every day. I have put 20,000 miles on it this year. I have made multiple long trips with no issues. It has 137,000 miles.
JEFFERY N.

How Reliable Is The 2005 Kia Rio?

Yes it has been reliable but not without issues it has had several oil leaks as well as a quad cable that has failed.
JEFFERY N.

Is The 2005 Kia Rio A Good Value?

I only paid $500 for my car used I think I got a great deal the car has lasted me over a year now I do not think you can get a car any cheaper that will last as long.
JEFFERY N.

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test
(Not Tested)
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety