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Posted on September 29, 2020
In a market awash with domineering SUVs of all sizes, compact cars make a refreshing change. What's more, they're perfectly suited to daily driving, with their nippy performance, small size, and great fuel economy.
Two of the most popular contenders in the compact race are the Kia Rio and the Honda Fit. How do the latest 2020 versions measure up to each other? Read on to find out.
As you'd expect from such small vehicles, neither car boasts blistering performance under the hood. Nonetheless, both cars have plenty of juice for their intended uses.
Both are front-wheel drive, with the Honda's 1.5L engine producing 128 horsepower, and the Rio's 1.6L engine making a similar 123 hp. In reality, there's little to choose between them here.
The major difference in the powertrain is the transmission. The Fit has a straight 6-speed manual as standard with the option to upgrade to a continuously variable box.
The Rio has a brand new standard transmission for 2020, billed as an Intelligent Variable 6-Speed Manual. This new design offers the drive feel of regular manual transmission combined with the smooth efficiency of automatic, reportedly reducing emissions by an average of 3%.
Both cars show excellent fuel economy figures thanks to their relatively small size and efficient engines. Each has a highway rating of 5.9L / 100km, while the Kia Rio has the edge in city driving with a best rating of 7.8L / 100km compared to the Honda's 8.1L / 100km.
Kia are well-known for the generous amount of tech they pack into their vehicles, and the Rio is no exception. Smartphone connectivity is offered as standard, and the all-new 8" touchscreen in the front is backed up by dual LCD monitors in the rear, an exciting touch for a car of this size.
Both cars are well equipped with standard safety features including a full range of air bags, electronic stability control, traction control, tire pressure monitors and more.
Unfortunately, at this price level more advanced features including blind spot monitoring, collision mitigation, pedestrian detection, and so on are absent from both models.
As with all Kia models, the Rio comes with a generous standard warranty covering the entire car for 60 months or 100,000km, complete with free roadside assistance. However, you're less likely to call on the warranty thanks to the Rio's regular appearance high in the small car reliability listings.
By contrast, the Honda warranty only covers 36 months or 60,000km.
The Kia Rio is available in Canada at a starting price of $15,495, almost a full thousand dollars less than the cheapest Fit. At the high end, the Kia Rio EX Sport IVT comes in at $22,245, with the Honda Fit EX-L Navi CVT clocking up a substantially higher $25,190.
If you like what you've seen so far, contact us to arrange a test drive of the Kia Rio in Calgary. If you're looking for a compact car that's both fun and economical to drive, the 2020 Rio makes an ideal choice.
Categories: New Inventory, 2020 Honda Fit, 2020 Kia Rio