The search for the perfect subcompact sedan will likely lead you to this comparison at some point. The Honda Civic is one of the bestselling and well-known vehicle names in history, and its sedan variant is no exception. The Kia Rio is a newcomer by comparison, but it also appears as a sedan or a hatchback. The sedans versions of each in the year 2020 are inexpensive, reliable, and efficient, but which one is better?
The best way to compare each of these sedans is to look at the features that set each of them apart. There are features the Civic has that the Rio can only dream of, and some on the Rio that the Civic just doesn’t have, so it comes down to which has the best features available overall. The chart below is a great place to start that comparison.
2020 Honda Civic Sedan |
Versus |
2020 Kia Rio Sedan |
Available | Turbo Engine Option | Not Available |
6-Speed Manual, Continuously Variable Transmission | Transmission | Continuously Variable Transmission |
10-Speaker System with Subwoofer and 450-Watt Amplifier | Sound System | 6-Speaker System |
Available | Adaptive Cruise Control | Not Available |
Starting under the hood, the Honda Civic Sedan has larger engines and one of its optional engines is a turbocharged engine, lending the Civic a lot of power for fun driving and quick acceleration. The Rio doesn’t have much in terms of mechanical options, as it lacks a manual transmission, something the Civic would not go without.
In terms of audio, you’re going to get far more out of the Civic than you are going to get from the Rio, especially when you pit the highest trim levels against each other. Pair this with the Civic and its more comprehensive list of driver assist technology like adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring and you can see why the Civic simply ends up being more value for its cost, and a more exciting vehicle to drive at the same time.