2008 Kia Rio

Products from Korean automakers were once thought of as sad imitations of their Japanese counterparts, but vehicles like the Hyudai Sonata and Kia Optima have proved that these newcomers have quickly caught up to the competition. Now, Kia is taking Korea one step further by adding a hybrid version of the compact Rio sedan. It uses a 90-horsepower 1.4-liter gas engine mated to a small electric motor. Four thousand Rio hybrids will soon take to Korean roads in a real world test program done in conjunction with the Korean Ministry of the Environment, and consumer models should arrive here in the States some time in 2008.

The Kia Rio is a good choice for budget-minded buyers who want good fuel economy. A subcompact, the Rio competes against the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Honda Fit, Chevrolet Aveo, and Hyundai Accent. These are all relatively new vehicles that offer better fuel economy with little loss of interior space to compact cars such as the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

Rio comes in a four-door sedan and Rio5 five-door hatchback versions. Last redesigned for the 2006 model year, the Rio lineup has been expanded over the past two years and now includes three trim levels for the two body styles. The Rio sedan is available as a very basic base model, as the more mainstream LX, or as the sporty SX. The Rio5 five-door hatchback comes in LX and SX trim.

The Rio is more sporty and athletic than the Hyundai Accent, which uses the same basic structure. There's nothing exceptional about Rio's MacPherson strut front suspension or twist-beam rear axle, but Kia designed them for long wheel travel, a characteristic long favored by European automakers for combining a comfortable ride with responsive handling.