2020 Kia Rio
Gas Compact car
The 2020 Kia Rio is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car. The most efficient version, the Rio, is EPA-rated at 36 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 27 complaints, most often about unknown or other.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 33 | 41 | 36 | $1,750 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2020 Kia Rio is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (1)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
highProblem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Rio vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance.
Risk: Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 11, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC223.
Owner complaints
27 complaints filed
3 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 1 injuries, 3 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2020: 2 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 2
Most-cited components
- Unknown Or Other — 8
- Engine — 5
- Power Train — 5
- Electrical System — 5
- Steering — 4
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Other Rio model years
2023 Rio
0 recalls · 12 complaints
A2022 Rio
1 recalls · 11 complaints
B2021 Rio
2 recalls · 15 complaints
A2019 Rio
1 recalls · 21 complaints
A2018 Rio
1 recalls · 28 complaints
C2017 Rio
2 recalls · 31 complaints
C2016 Rio
2 recalls · 77 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 41553). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.