Kia Rio 1.4 5dr Review: Cheap Skates

What we like:

Chevrolet: decent steering

better performance than the Rio Kia: Revvy engine

quiet at cruising speeds

tweaked looks increase showroom appeal

What we dislike:

Chevrolet: Nasty column stalks

ancient looking instruments

starting to show its age

no boot release on the outside Kia: Dead steering

feels old compared to newer Kia models

little different from before other than tweaked exterior.

Korean models have come a long way since the Hyundai Pony. This pair is well equipped with a whole lot of safety features including a driver's side airbag, ABS, front disc brakes and so on. The Aveo5 gets a factory fitted stereo head unit but the Rio fights back with a leather wrapped steering wheel.

Before I make my conclusion for this twin test, the car buying public has to face up to the fact that COE prices are no longer under $20k like they were during the past few years. To put things in perspective, the last time I test drove a Rio, it costs under $45k and that was in 2005 - today a Rio costs more than $20k more than that. With high COE prices, obviously the budget conscious or those have limited budgets will have to aim lower (i.e. buying a more affordable, lower end model).

With a price tag of nearly $70k for each of this Korean pair, you would have easily bought a Japanese compact hatchback for the same amount a few months back. Things have changed though and for those who can't stretch for a Japanese or European compact hatchback during the current COE climate, the Chevrolet Aveo5 and the Kia Rio make for compelling, more affordable alternatives. Between the two though, we'd pick the refreshed Rio thanks to its better ride, more refined nature and most importantly, its slightly lower price tag.

Credits: Story and Photos by Raymond Lai