Comparison of Lada Vesta and Kia Rio

Today we are comparing the flagship models of the two leading auto giants. Both cars have long been loved by consumers of the post-Soviet space. And they are going to Russia. The first - Lada Vesta - in Togliatti. Her rival - Kia Rio - settled in St. Petersburg at the plant of the main competitor Hyundai. Which one is better?

Common battle

In terms of pricing policy, Vesta is still more loyal. Despite the complete localization of Kia Rio in our country and the absence of the so-called protective tax on foreign cars, Ostap Bender's dream is 300 thousand rubles more expensive. And this is justified by almost complete domination. Think about it:

• The Rio has one more gear in mechanics.
• The car initially has a lot of power with the same engine displacement.
• Vesta has two gearbox options - a mechanic and a robot. The latter can cause difficulties for untrained drivers.
• Kia consumes almost a liter less fuel AI-92.
• The basic equipment is wider at the Kia Rio.

And the last nail, it would seem, is in the coffin lid of Vesta's podium. Rio is lighter, it has been on the assembly line for 20 years compared to the first five-year plan of Lada. The acceleration time to hundreds of Kia is one and a half seconds longer. But Vesta responds with a higher ground clearance.

Appearance

In the design aspect of the exterior, Vesta wins. Its design was personally done by Steve Mattin, whom Togliatti lured from the main competitor - Volvo. The result was not long in coming - the car turned out to be bright and modern to match its foreign counterparts.

The Korean car also looks good, but rather boring. All efforts for a comprehensive rework of the car collapsed leaving the well-known simple radiator grill. Serious mistake, Korean brothers!

Auto salon

Lada Vesta and Kia Rio will delight true women of all stripes. Budget cars have always been famous for their simplicity. There are no distracting screens and thousands of buttons, of which only 6 needs are needed. The main purpose is practicality and convenience. Therefore, both vehicles are equipped with ergonomic space management solutions.

The Rio's interior for Russian users is much different from foreign counterparts. This is a branded package of services "Warm Options" for the domestic climate and a special compartment for holding the smartphone. It will not fall out even with the fastest driving. The mounts for glasses are also quite reliable, which Vesta lacks. Cup holders of a domestic car are not able to hold a glass with a hot drink, but they will cope perfectly with a phone.

The parity of the domestic car is restored at the expense of the steering wheel. It is more convenient than Korean. If the steering wheel slips out of hand while cornering, the driver will have difficulty in control. And the driver's seat in our car is extremely poorly located. The Kia Rio looks much better in this regard.

But our developers have done a great job of the back sofa. It can comfortably fit 3 people. The middle one will have to bend the knees. But in the Korean rival, only two will be comfortable. At worst, 3 people can enjoy the comfort if one of them is a child in a car seat.

Ride comfort

Both machines can boast significant successes in this regard. The maximum configuration with 122 horsepower allowed Vesta to proudly spread its wings. The difference between the powers is only 1 horsepower, which makes the participants equal in dynamics. But the Rio is still better in chassis quality. But its ground clearance of 16 centimeters is unlikely to save it from falling into a hole, unlike Vesta's 18-centimeter ground clearance. But in terms of noise isolation, the Rio has an advantage.

Summing up

The Togliatti car will eventually catch up and overtake the Korean. Already, the growth in sales of Lada Vesta is several times ahead of Kia Rio. And if Koreans continue not to notice little things like a radiator grill or a slippery steering wheel, then they will have to leave the Russian market.