New Car Review of the 2004 Kia Rio Sub-Compact Sedan.

Description: Sub-Compact Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $9,740 - $12,240
Invoice Price Range: $9,335 - $11,685

Best-selling sub-compacts from Kia are promoted as bottom-dollar cars with feisty power and cool styling inside and out. Rio is a four-door sedan, while the hatchback version is called Cinco -- a word in Spanish that translates into English as the number five, which happens to be the count for all doors.

Both models share the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. It delivers 105 hp and links to either a manual five-speed or optional automatic four-speed transmission. Alloy wheels are now part of the standard kit for Cinco, as are body-colored exterior elements.

For both cars the cabin structure is tall so driver and a passenger ride high in front buckets, followed by a rear bench with indentions for two. Optional gear loads the bottom line, but not severely. Extra items include an automatic transmission, air conditioning, upgrade package and ABS.