2008 Kia Rio

I borrowed this car for a month. It was a mid-spec automatic.

I'd suspect that it's decent value for money. You don't pay a lot, but you don't get much in return. It's decidedly average in most regards.

The interior is decently put-together and pretty comfortable, better than anything Chevrolet could put together for the price. Everything is where one would expect it. Handling's not very good, nor is the ride on a freeway. It's just too short and too light to be comfortable at 70 MPH. The brakes are good, mostly because there isn't much to stop.

The automatic transmission isn't the best, but isn't the worst. It had a tendency to downshift into second, redline, and shift into fourth. The engine isn't as economical as is should be for a car this light (about 28 MPG), and it's awfully buzzy. It's no speed demon, but it's not too painfully slow.

A few times it refused to start. I waited a few minutes, and it would start. Turns out the ECU was faulty. First car I've ever driven that's needed a BIOS update...

ECU issues aside, it's a C+ car, and a fairly good value. I've driven the related Hyundai Accent, though, and it's worth the money.