2008 Kia Rio

I am in love with my 2008 Kia Rio 5 . When I was shopping around, I knew I wanted a new car that wasn't too fancy and didn't cost too much. That's for a variety of reasons. I'm on the road alone some for work, so I prefer to have a new car every few years. Other people might prefer to buy a more expensive car and keep it longer. I'd rather be able to afford to pay cash or have a small monthly payment, so I look for small models. I'm small in stature, so these feel quite comfortable to me.

So I went around to look at various makes and models. I always like a hatchback, because, while the automobile might be small, there's plenty of room to carry things. You can always open the fifth door, or hatch, push down the back seats, and bring along camping equipment or furniture or whatever else you're deciding to bring along.

When I got to the Kia dealer, I was really taken by the combination of good prices (under $16,000 for the most part) and the perky looks of the little automobile. I was given the opportunity to take the car out by myself and this I did right away. It handled really well and felt right to me. Of course, my expectations were realistic and I didn't expect a luxury car. Someone else who's looking for a posher ride might not be as happy as I was with the Kia Rio.

I'd read some reviews and heard that the Kia Rio was a pretty reliable car. I'd had a Hyndai Accent and liked it and found out that they were both made by the same parent company. Having liked the feel of the driving and the placement of the dashboard (the key spot and the radio and other elements are tilted toward the driver), I wanted to decide on color and then price. I really liked the colors of the Rio and thought I'd go for the royal blue color. However, the red caught my eye. It's an easy-on-the-eyes tomato red that has a bit of yellow in it and just seemed to go with the shape of the car. I never thought I'd want a red car, but there it was.

I got a great price on my Kia Rio 5 and still love driving it a year and a half later. No problems at all. I change the oil every 7,500 miles and don't need oil in between changes. The engine works wonderfully. I feel as if I zip myself into the car to drive to my jobs and all is well. Yes, it's small for my 6'1" son to climb into, especially if he has to sit in the back. But if it's just him and me in the front, he's fine. I guess I do wish I had a bigger trunk sometimes , but when I go to the city and can park easily, I'm just as glad it's a small car.

My advice is that if you want a good small car that's fuel efficient (I get about 28 mph on the street and about 10 miles more than that on the highway) for a good price, consider the Kia Rio 5.

My 2008 is certainly worth the price. For the first time I have certain luxuries, like a remote key opener that I've gotten really attached to even though it wasn't important to me in the first place. I've always wanted air conditioning, and the air in my 2008 Kia Rio 5 works just fine. And every time I walk out to my car, I like it again. (I was going to get another Accent but just didn't like the styling this time.) I feel at home in my car every day.