2011 Kia Rio Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Crash Test Rating

Source NHTSA

MPG (up to)

27 -28 City / 34 -36 HWY

Source FuelEconomy.gov

Horsepower

110

Seats

Positive Owner Reviews

Josh S

Smart and reliable Kia Rio.

The only real problems I have had with it has been belt trouble, spark plug trouble, and pistons misfiring. All of which are very easy fixes. It is also very hard to find tires for this car even at the dealership. I hope to drive this car well after it has been paid off. Very reliable.

Constance P

It was a great car for the price with great gas mileage.

I like that it is a simple easy to drive car that gets great gas mileage. It also can "turn on a dime", so easy to park.

Barbarajean D

Bluetooth capability function.

It has Bluetooth in the car which has been a life saver for me because many reasons. Hands free technology plus being able to listen to music which is only on youtube comes in handy with the Bluetooth. It has comfy seats as well as a CD player. These are great features that come with the car. I would recommend this car to anyone.

Robert R

Buy used because you will get a better deal than straight off the floor

I like how affordable the daily costs are on my vehicle. Fuel mileage is great and major repairs are usually not needed. It handles great and is comfortable for longer trips.

dale t

Good value,for the price.would not have any other one

GOOD ON GAS,easy to maintain.no complains,drives well

Kendall C

My car is a small blue Kia Rio which I love small cars & it is the perfect size.

I love my car, I am more of a small car kind of person especially when it comes to parking in the city, there are not many spots and they are typically on the smaller side which makes having a smaller car perfect. The trunk is the perfect size to fit all my athletic gear inside and there is plenty of legroom in the front and back rows.

Francis Lecou

Très bonne voiture !

Positif ? : siège très confortable, très fiable, consommation l'essence, visiblement est bonne, coffre, accélération est bonne, condition routière, (les sons et radio) excellent qualité Négatif ? : moteur peu bruyant, 4 vitesse de transmission, Problématique ( CD Radio ) peu cheap (Translation- Positive: very comfortable seat, very reliable, gasoline consumption, obviously is good, chest, acceleration is good, road condition, (sounds and radio) excellent quality Negative: low noise engine, 4 transmission speed, Problem (CD Radio) not very cheap)

Betty R

It is a very plain Jane but that is what I like most about my car.

My car gets good gas mileage and is very reliable. My only complaint seat belt sometimes is hard to stay lock

Negative Owner Reviews

Katlin N

Runs horrible! Horrible maintenance issue

Replaced ignition coils 5 times, spark plugs 3 times, catalytic converter once. Electrical issue. Window tint bubbling, alignment off.

Hillary D

Kia Rio is a bad car. Do not purchase.

I have had a log of issues with this car. For starters, I've always had an issue with the suspension, constantly have to get an alignment done. I have had to replace the coil packs more than I think a person should with a car. And the belts are always in need of adjusting because the car does not automatically adjust the belts.

Annie B

You get what you pay for. This car was cheap and in the end it may have been worth it to invest more money upfront instead of spending so much on repairs.

This vehicle hasn't been very reliable. With regular routine maintenance it has ongoing issues. The ignition coils go out every 20k-25k miles and need to be replaced. Over all it is a good car, drives well, not very powerful though but it gets you from point A to point B (most of the time).

Nadia B

Beware of purchasing any used Kia Rio.

This model does not have any automated features at all. The windows have to be cranked open with the window handle, the gas mileage is not the best, the gas cap comes loose, and since this vehicle was purchased as is, the tire treads were worn out. Additionally, the ac does not work so it is very difficult during this hot weather.

Joyce W

Don't buy a Kia. This Kia and the dealership where it was purchased have caused me so much aggravation that I will NEVER purchase Kia again.

My Kia Rio5 has NEVER gotten the gas mileage it was advertised as getting. In the first year, 3 of 4 cylinder sensors went out on it, one of them went out twice. Then the bluetooth switched itself to French and I couldn't get it to switch back to English. After 2-3 years, it switched to Spanish for a short period of time before finally reverting back to English. I 've had many problems with this car that I've never had happen in any other vehicle, such as the ignition continuing to beep after removing the key - just tap the key hole and it stops.

Laura M

Sleek lines, sporty look, good acceleration.

I like the fuel efficiency and the size of the vehicle. I do not like that it does not have power windows or locks, that I have already had to replace all of the ignition coils and the starter, and that it is not very comfortable. I will not be buying another Kia.

Abby T

Old compact and reliable!

My vehicle is relatively small and compact, which is fine for me personally, but can be a hassle when traveling with people in the back seats. My car also has a high amount of mileage, meaning that it is a reliable vehicle having traveled so many miles thus far.

Debra S

I like my car, but I don't love it. I would much rather have a SUV.

It's been a very reliable vehicle. And gets great gas mileage.

Kia Rio Models

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

Base

110 HP 31 MPG 5 Seats

110 HP 30 MPG 5 Seats

Photos may not match model

2011 Kia Rio Owner Reviews

3.90

79 Reviews

Write Review

5 stars

28%

4 stars

44%

3 stars

19%

2 stars

1 star

Pauline A on June 2, 2021

A good little vehicle, basic and no-frill.

It is a good if basic, no-frills vehicle. My nieces used to love to play with the roll-up window handles, as they'd never been in a car that didn't have automatic windows before. At nearly 10 years old, it is still a good workhorse of a car. Just minor problems over the years.

Betty R on May 28, 2021

My favorite car forever. I am satisfied with my car performance.

There have been very little vehicle problems. My car has perform well. I like my car because it is plain Jane. It gets great gas mileage. I can drive my car at two weeks before I have to fill up. It is comfortable. I like the size of my car. It always get me where I need to go.

View All Reviews (79)

Pros from Owners

Chelsea S.

It is a smaller car which was perfect for me at the time when I bought it. I was living alone so I didn't need anything big. I wasn't looking for anything fancy either. It has a large trunk for a smaller car which is great.

Chaya A.

I love my small Kia Rio. It is small which makes it easy to park. It is narrow which makes it easy to fit into small spots. It not too long in width which I love because I can easily see out my windows while driving and not have to estimate space. Drives well!

Shawntel B.

It is easy on gas, great for a small family. Has XM radio. Very easy to drive. Dependable if you buy it from the correct dealer. Fairly easy to do mechanical work on it. Compact. Fits it places you can't park a truck.

Cons from Owners

Chelsea S.

Unfortunately it does not have automatic locks or automatic windows. The gas tank is small and only holds 10 gallons. It is not all wheel drive so it does not do well in snow or bad weather. There is no sunroof either.

Chaya A.

I do not love the roll down windows, or that I manually have to open all the doors myself. Because it is an older car it needs more maintenance than new cars. There's no Bluetooth which is a downer too.

Shawntel B.

Wiring goes bad, can't turn it off to put gas in or it wont start. Plugs and fuel injectors go bad very fast. Lights flicker on and off. Constantly doing some type of work to it regardless if you just put that part on it.

Ranks #20 Small Cars by Owners

The 2011 Kia Rio has an average owner rating of 4.14 out of 5 which ranks it #20 of 29 other Small Cars.

2011 Subaru WRX

4.68

2011 Volkswagen Golf

4.58

Tie

2011 Kia Rio

3.9

Ranks #4 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2011 Kia Rio has a combined MPG of 37 which ranks it #4 of 29 other Small Cars.

Tie

2011 Volkswagen Golf

42 MPG

Tie

2011 Volkswagen Jetta

42 MPG

Tie

2011 Kia Rio

36 MPG

Is The 2011 Kia Rio A Good Car?

If I understand the definition of a 'good' vehicle, the Kia is a good vehicle. If the answer needs to be more specific than a more specific question needs to asked.

Spencer B.

Yes it’s a good vehicle and drives well. It is durable and I have gotten a lot of mileage out of it.

Krystal C.

It's an ok vehicle. It's had a few problems but they were some pretty expensive problems. Also once the problem is fixed its good for like a year and then the same expensive problem happens again,

Reagan P.

Yes, it is. Just a little small. It is very economical on gas. The ride is smooth. No specials or frills on vehicle. It is very affordable. Very low expense to maintain.

Madeline M.

Yes! It’s been a great and reliable vehicle for me. I've had it for almost three years and all problems I have encountered have been easily repaired.

Courtney J.

How Reliable Is The 2011 Kia Rio?

It has over 100,000 miles and it is a reliable vehicle. I have only had to perform regular maintenance jobs.

Spencer B.

No it does not have any real problems. We got it second hand and the check engine light used to come on but we have that fixed and have had no problems since.

Tom H.

It's mostly reliable, but has some major, expensive problems. It's hard to have the spark plugs replaces a couple times a year. M Also an oxygen sensor went bad, it took the mechanics forever to... Read More

Ashley R.

I have not experienced any major problems. Again, it is very low maintenance. I have no other complaints.

Erin P.

Yes it is reliable. Sometimes in the summer (like other cars) it doesn't run quite as smoothly. I still haven't had any major issues.

Suzanne H.

Is The 2011 Kia Rio A Good Value?

$2000 and it is a good value. Your questions are vague to say the least yet you demand a minimum of words in order to satisfy your answer requirements.

Spencer B.

Right now it would probably cost around $4000 which is still good value for the make and model. I think it is good value for the car.

Magda G.

I'm not sure I understand the question. I bought it uses in 2013 with 11,000 miles on it for around $13,000. With the problem that I have had multiple times, no I don't think it was worth it. I have... Read More

Richard M.

The vehicle is very affordable. In comparison to other vehicles in its class, it is very much in line with comparable vehicles.

Fred M.

It was $5500 when I bought it, that was an amazing value for me. Not too expensive, but also cheap enough to pay off in a pretty short about of time.

Julia K.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2011 Kia Rio crankshaft position sensor location?

Answer: The 2011 Kia Rio has a crankshaft position sensor that can be found in the passenger, or left side of the engine compartment. You will need to look toward the rear of the motor, where You will find a valve...

See all Frequently Asked Questions

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Not Rated

Rollover

Side

Not Rated

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety