- Safety
- —
- not rated
- Recalls
- 1
- on record
- MPG
- 36
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 3 reports involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2020 Kia Rio
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 1
- Owner complaints
- 26
- Complaints citing a crash
- 3
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
1 Recall on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
1 NHTSA campaign affecting this model year.
- 21V936000high
Brake system issue
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Rio vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance.
Consequence
Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 11, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC223.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NHTSA holds no crash-test rating for this model year.
Not every model year is tested. A missing rating is not a poor rating.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2020 Kia Rio, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
33
City
41
Hwy
36
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,700
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 249 g/mi
How this compares
At 36 MPG combined, the 2020 Kia Rio ranks 3rd of 18 compact cars EPA rated for 2020 — 6 MPG better than the 30 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $1,700, $375 less than the $2,075 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $8,500, a $1,875 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 249 grams per mile — about 3.7 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
26 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 26
- Total
- 3
- Crashes
- 5
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE9
- BRAKES3
- ELECTRICAL3
- STEERING3
- OTHER3
Serious Concerns
26 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 3 reports involve a death. 1 report involves injuries. 3 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Kia Rio, newest first.
- Recall
Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Compact Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 1.6L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (variable gear ratios)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
33
City
41
Hwy
36
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,700
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.