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Before you buy a used Kia Rio (IV).

2017–2023 · Petrol / Diesel · 3 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Kia Rio (IV), real photo of this generation
Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 3 of its engines.

  • Clutch, lights and campaigns on the Rio IVKnown weak points
    Period mentioned
    2017–2023
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: Weak points of this model from inspections, breakdown statistics and recalls; anything specific to one engine is stated in the sheet.

1.25

Petrol

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

1.0 T-GDi / 48V

Petrol

1.4 CRDi

Diesel

  • Weak points of the small CRDi diesels (U family) from Hyundai and KiaInjection / turbo
    Period mentioned
    Approx. 2005 onwards
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: German guides rate these engines as robust if maintained: the faults are the typical wear of a modern diesel. Specific points: a stretched chain on some 1.7s (ix35), cracked heads cited by the TÜV on the i30 I, the 1.1 silencer (Rio III), diesel clutches at 60,000–100,000 km (Cee'd I) and a recall of the 1.7 CRDi vacuum pump (5/10/2010–30/4/2011).

    Applies if: U-family CRDi diesel; the specific points were documented on other models with the same engine.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Kia Rio (IV)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
1.25PetrolFewest documented11 with conditions1
1.0 T-GDi / 48VPetrol33 with conditions1
1.4 CRDiDiesel22 with conditions1

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 1.25 (Petrol).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Diesel.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Kia dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Kia engine, transmission and software recalls (2004–2025)Powertrain and engine management

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 4 checked

Known weak points

  • Look out for: A juddering clutch, navigation faults, carbon on the 1.0 T-GDI at high mileage; at the roadworthiness test, lights and sometimes joints and brakes.

    Ask them to check: Check the campaigns by VIN; test the clutch; check lights before the roadworthiness test.

Injection / turbo

  • Look out for: Loss of power, higher consumption, hesitation or rough idle, usually at high mileage.

    Ask them to check: Read misfire and fuel-trim codes; inspect the injectors and valves with a borescope; clean the intake if there are deposits.

  • Look out for: At high mileage or with short trips: carbon in injectors and EGR, a clogged particulate filter, dual-mass flywheel and turbo; isolated cases of a stretched chain (1.7) and cracked heads (early 1.6); a clutch that wears early; on some cars, a cracked silencer (1.1) or the brake-servo vacuum pump (1.7 campaign).

    Ask them to check: Drive long trips to regenerate the filter; listen to the chain when cold; test injectors and EGR; check the vacuum-pump campaign by VIN on the 1.7.

Automatic gearbox

  • Look out for: Abnormal vibration or shudder when pulling away and at low speed, especially in traffic.

    Ask them to check: At the dealer: run the judder test with the diagnostic tool, install the latest gearbox software and replace the dual clutch only if the judder remains.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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