SOMETIMES, THE best surprises come in small packages. Kia’s recast Rio for 2006 wraps extroverted styling around straightforward yet efficient hardware, showing a marked improvement in packaging and dynamics over the car it replaces. It’s bigger in nearly every linear measure, too, save length. Expanded interior dimensions add up to six more cubic feet of room, though what the raw figures don’t tell you is the figures result in a Dr. Who Tardis-like cabin whose spaciousness exceeds expectations. The front bucket seats are comfortable and supportive, and even the back seat provides ample passenger space for the class. The dash is well dressed, with simple, pleasantly arranged controls in the center stack. Contrasting materials and touches like dual power-points convey a more upscale flavor than expected—an impression supported by the…
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MotorTrend (Digital) - 1 Issue, January 2006