There is nothing wimpy about either of the Kia Rio models. In terms of styling, they're a far cry from the old Rio models.The sedan has a solid looking front end with a strong nose and big headlights that give it a purposeful appearance. The crease along the side of the car below the big windows ends up wrapping around the trunk, giving the sedan more the look of a European sports sedan than that of a Korean econobox.
All models come with hefty body-color side moldings that do not detract too badly as they align nicely with the wrap around edges of the front and rear bumpers. The fender flares actually look a shade too big on the base and LX models, which have skinnier tires. The fender flares fill out much better on the Rio5 SX with its lower-profile tires and 15-inch wheels.
The Rio5 looks taller than the sedan but it is actually the same overall height. It's a couple of inches shorter in height than the Chevrolet Aveo and Scion xA, its closest rivals. The rear of the Rio5 is distinctive with backup lights that wrap around the taillights and almost look like part of the body.