Kia Rio History

The Rio arrived in the US for the 2001 model year as Kia's entry-level subcompact, initially an ultra-affordable sedan and hatchback and one of the cheapest new cars on the market.

Four generations were sold in the US across more than two decades. The final US model year was 2023, when Kia discontinued the Rio — a casualty of the migration from small cars to crossovers and the difficulty of selling a sub-$20k new car profitably in the American market.