2007 Kia Rio Interior Review at Automotive.com
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Kia
Rio
2007

2007 Kia Rio Review: Interior

Below is a full, detailed 2007 Kia Rio review and road test from New Car Test Drive. A full evaluation of price, equipment, the driving experience, and specs are all here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with limitless experi ...     read more
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2007 Kia Rio Review

New Rio SX brings sportiness to benchmark subcompact.
Interior
The interior of the 2007 Kia Rio represents a big improvement over the older, pre-2006 models. This latest Rio has a nicely contoured dashboard with a generous binnacle over the instrument panel, which includes a tachometer even on the base model. The radio is well positioned in the center stack with large buttons and knobs for changing stations or volume. Three big knobs for the climate control are mounted on a bulge in the center that brings them closer to the driver's hands. A chrome Kia logo, added to the steering wheel center for '07, brightens what as a bit of a dull spot in last year's model.

The seats are on the soft side and don't offer the lateral support we'd expect on a sports sedan. Those of us with larger frames, however, will not fault Kia for that. Rear seat legroom is better than the numbers suggest, because passengers can place their feet under the front seats thanks to the generous open space below them.

Big storage pockets in all four doors, along with a reasonable size glovebox, provide places to stash stuff. A slot in the center stack can hold parking passes or toll tickets. The rear seatback folds down in a 60/40 split for added versatility in all but the base model. At 92.2 cubic feet, subcompact Rio's total passenger volume edges past the popular compact Honda Civic (90.9) and Toyota Corolla (90.3). In practical terms, they are all pretty close.

The Rio5 has a total cargo carrying a capacity of almost 50 cubic feet with the seats folded down, which is substantially more than in other hatchbacks of this size. Even with the rear seat open for passenger's the remaining 15.8 cubic feet of trunk space seems to belong to a much bigger car. The sedan's trunk measures 11.9 cubic feet, still not bad for the class.

Minor touches make the SX models a bit nicer. Metal pedals and a leather wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob carry over from last year. New for '07 is red stitching in the leather, chrome accents on the HVAC vents, and new fabrics on the seats and doors. Both SX models will appeal to driving enthusiasts. Next Page


2007 Kia Rio