CleanMPG First Drive Review of the 2012 Kia Rio 5-Door Hatch

All this content and modern styling for < $14K? Really!

The ECO trimmed EX’s Isg is rated for 350,000 starts.


Assuming you had 10 stop lights between home and work..
350,000 starts / 20 a day= 17,500 days. Almost 48 years??

Is that right? You would be able to drive to work and get great MPG, until the year 2060?

Hi Xringer:

I am a big fan of the Rio and Kia's hybrid drive system but am not nearly as enthusiastic about ISG. Or the brand new Start/Stop systems in the BMWs either for that matter. It is an expensive key turner with a more robust battery and starter yet sounds like any other starter when spinning over. It would get tiresome pretty quickly in a heavy stop and crawl.

Charting the Changes – 2013 Kia Rio 5-door hatch

For 2013, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters have been added as standard equipment to the SX trim. In addition, a standard under-floor cargo tray has been added to EX and SX models. This change is said to improve the cargo areas appearance, provides a flatter load floor with hidden storage and reduces noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels.

On the pricing front, each trim of the Rio 5-door has increased by $200 USD while the destination charge has remained the same at $750.

2013 Rio 5-Door MSRP:

LX 1.6L GDI I4 6 M/T $13,800
LX 1.6L GDI I4 6 A/T $14,900
EX 1.6L GDI I4 6 A/T $16,700
SX 1.6L GDI I4 6 A/T $17,900

Destination: $750

Some Option prices have changed a small amount for 2013.

The Power Package for the LX trim remains the same at $1,000.
The Convenience Package for the EX has increased by $150 to $1,150.
Eco Package for the EX (requires the Convenience package) has stayed the same at $400 although it was never offered on the 2012 Rio models.
The Premium Package for the SX has increased by $150 to $2,350

Wayne

"It would get tiresome pretty quickly in a heavy stop and crawl."

That might be true for people driving to work on US-95, but for us Retired Townies that get stuck at long red lights.?. It might be pretty nice.

I found a posting about ISG here: http://www.kia-forums.com/2g-2006-20...explained.html
down near the bottom, they have some pages from the 2012 manual (that might translate to the 2013).

I'm wondering when the 2013 Rios are gonna show up in Bean Town?

Hi Xringer:

I drive the Soul with ISG at the Austin Short Lead and trust me when I tell you that Start/Stop will save fuel for most "not here" but it is unfortunately not a seamless solution.

I hope that helps?

Wayne

is there a button to temporarily disable ISG?

All the Rio ISG info that I've seen, shows the disable button (lower left beside dash light dimmer).

It's something that needs to be there, if you do get into stop-n-go traffic.
But, I think it might default to ON when you start up in the driveway.

I live out in the Boston Burbs, and there isn't any road near me that doesn't
lead to a long string of traffic lights.

In about 75% if my stops at lights, the line is short. It's normally one light cycle.
In the remaining 25% of light stops, it's mostly two cycles to get past it.
Hardly ever get a three light cycle wait.

Once stopped at a light, creeping forward is rare, but happens if you have a right-on-red.
Mostly, you just sit in one spot and wait.. Watching your MPG average drop..


I have used manual ISG at times (while driving alone) and it's not all that smooth. But, it does work.
I think ISG is going to work for us. If not.?. We might be using the disable switch a lot..

The bowladrome is 3 miles from me. Three lights, one with an extra long cycle.
That's a round trip we make once a week.
My wife makes a couple of daily trips around town. If she goes 10 or 20 miles, she likely will
be stopped at lights, 8 or 10 times. That's a lot of idle time.

Hi Xringer:

Thanks!

Wayne