Chill 1.4 5dr Hatchback

Practical, well engineered & reliable to date - a perfect short length commuter car

2009 Kia Rio Chill currently at 60k miles, I have driven this car as my daily commute for 2+ years 12k miles whilst my wife drives the family MPV. After 7-years of driving german-made company cars the little Kia was a culture shock but one that I have warmed to driving. The design and build reminds me of a 90's Japanese car, functional but hard plastics that are easily scratched. The 1.4L 'alpha' engine is a simple DOHC 16-valve affair with the majority of its grunt supplied low down although it will rev-out to 6k rpm without drama. Handling is good with the steering on the light side, grip is currently limited by a set of aging Chinese manufactured front tyres but these are fine for a sedate commute. Fuel consumption is in the 35-40mpg bracket, it has a deceptively large 1.5 imperial gallon reserve, meaning that a real world 350mile range is possible. The single reflector headlamps are poor for night time driving and are massively improved by fitting upgraded '+130%'-type bulbs. The car has been maintained by local independent garages although the local small Kia franchise does offer good comparable value. Outside of consumables the only issues that I have had are; a dying battery (assume the original) and front windscreen washer motor failing. The car is deceptively spacious for it's size and has 2 sets of ISOFIX mounting points on the rear bench seat, and the boot is a fair size with a full-size spare wheel underneath.

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