Effectively combining efficiency, spaciousness, ride quality and affordability, the 2010 Kia Rio is attractive anyway you look at it. With invoice pricing from just $11,695 up to $13,990, the Rio is a handsome, strong-looking subcompact available as either a 4-door sedan or a 5-door hatchback. Like its competitors the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevrolet Aveo and the Nissan Versa, the Rio from Kia delivers very attractive fuel economy without overly sacrificing interior roominess.

Rated by the EPA to deliver 27/33 mpg urban/rural, the Kia Rio 2010 will surprise you with its interior measurements. Besides 11.9 cubic feet of luggage space in the trunk and standard seating for 5, you'll find 40 inches of head room, 54 inches of shoulder room, 50 inches of hip room and a very nice 42.8 inches of legroom (more than many fullsized sedans offer). Additionally, you can feel safe knowing that a long list of standard safety features is included. Stock features for safety:

• Front and side airbags;
• Side curtain airbags for both the 1st and 2nd rows of seating;
• Seatbelt pretensions;
• Rear child safety door locks;
• Ignition disable;
• Tire pressure monitoring and more...

That's just some of the stock features that have earned the 2010 Rio Kia 5-star passenger and 4-star driver frontal crash test ratings from the NHTSA. It is fitted with a 1.6L inline 4-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams and a variable valve timing system. That sprity engine is mated to a fun-to-shift 5-speed/OD manual gearbox (automatic optional). Together, they generate 110 horsepower (6000 RPM) and 107 lb-ft of torque (4500 RPM). The Rio is front-wheel driven and requires a modest 16.3-feet of turning radius. Affordably fill the small 11.9-gallon fuel reservoir and travel up to 360 miles. That's going to really save on gasoline

The Kia Rio for 2010 carries over from 2009 with still-new features including AM/FM/MP3/CD stereo with Satellite Radio, upgraded wheels and tires, Bluetooth connectivity and more. On the outside, it measures 167.3 x 66.7 x 57.9 inches (l, w, h) and clears the ground by 6.1 inches. It rides on its 98.4-inch wheelbase and handles with surprising agility. And even with its solid galvanized steel body structure, it weighs in at just 2365 pounds on the curb. It perfect for a runabout vehicle, and also as a safe, efficient and very affordable first car for your deserving teenage driver.

The 2010 Kia Rio blends together a high degree of safety, comfortable roominess and other features often reserved for luxury sedans. Its low price points make it an undeniable competitor as the car for anyone on a budget. Take a spirited drive in a new Rio today; you'll be surprisingly intrigued.