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All cars · Kia Rio

2013 Kia Rio.

The 2013 Kia Rio is better than average by owner complaints: 35 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 69, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about engine, it has 1 recall, and it gets 31 to 32 mpg combined. The best Kia Rio year is 2018.

69Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 1.4× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2018 · Worst year 2001

Kia Rio
Photo shows a 2012 Kia Rio. Elise240SX, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Most common problemEngine23% of owner complaintsRecalls1Free fix at any dealerBetter year to buy20183.8× fewer complaints than averageGovernment investigation1 openOwners reported enough to trigger one
Owner complaints35first 3 years
Fuel economy31–32 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★☆NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 153 owner complaints, owners reported:

8crashes
7injuries
18fires
4tows
Under government investigation133 repair notes from Kia

Every Kia Rio year. 2013 is highlighted. Lower is better.

20012322.3× the complaints20021871.9× the complaints20031401.4× the complaints2004741.4× fewer complaints2005–few complaints2006–few complaints2007–few complaints2008611.6× fewer complaints2009–few complaints2010313.2× fewer complaints2011422.4× fewer complaints2012303.3× fewer complaints2013691.4× fewer complaints2014551.8× fewer complaints2015432.3× fewer complaints2016382.6× fewer complaints2018263.8× fewer complaints2019432.3× fewer complaints2020891.1× fewer complaints2021432.3× fewer complaints2022273.7× fewer complaints2023–few complaints

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

engine23%
electrical17%
wipers & visibility14%
airbags14%
steering11%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Kia Rio year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 64K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 24K to 100K miles on the car (86 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • engine complaints mostly came at 16K–115K miles
  • airbags complaints mostly came at 58K–100K miles

Recalls 1

  • brakes 2023

    The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Kia told dealers about

Kia sent dealers 133 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • Smart pedal feature - the smart pedal is an integral part of the engine management system (ems)
  • Service action - inspection for noise from engine under specific conditions (sa141)
  • OCV DAMAGE WHEN INSTALLING ENGINE COVER - When re-installing the engine cover on vehicles…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • OpenHyundai and kia abs module fires2023
  • ClosedEngine fires2021–2024

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningNot offered
Lane departure warningNot offered
NHTSA front crash test of the 2013 Kia Rio
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Kia Rio 4 DR FWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Kia Rio 5 HB FWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $2000–2050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl.

In owners' words

I was stopped for a stop sign at an intersection when flames shot up from underneath the hood! There was no warning at all that anything was even wrong w/this car! No lights on the dashboard...no warning!

2013 Kia Rio owner · NHTSA complaint 10553953

Quick answers

Is the 2013 Kia Rio reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.4× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 69; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Rio year by this measure is 2018.

What are the most common 2013 Kia Rio problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are engine (23%), electrical (17%) and wipers & visibility (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2013 Kia Rio have?

1 safety recall (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Kia Rio get?

31 to 32 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2013 Kia Rio safe?

NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

At what mileage do 2013 Kia Rio problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 24,600 and 100,000 miles. The middle report was at 64,600 miles, from 86 complaints.

Does the 2013 Kia Rio have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2013 Kia Rio cost in fuel a year?

About $2000 to $2050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2013 Kia Rio have?

1.6L 4-cyl.

What Kia Rio year is better than the 2013?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2018, 2022 and 2012.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data