Most common 2010 Kia Rio problems
Share of the 26 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Rio complaints by model year
Best Rio years: 2011, 2022, 2010. Years to avoid: 2013, 2016, 2001, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
What 2010 Kia Rio owners say
Air bags
The contact owned a 2010 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle crashed head-on into a guard rail. During the crash, the front-end of the vehicle was severely damaged; however, no air bags were deployed. No injuries were reported; however, the contact was concerned that the air bags had not been deployed to provide protection to the driver or the front seat passenger. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Tl contact owns a 2010 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, attempting to avoid hitting a deer, the vehicle crashed into a ditch. In addition, the contact crashed into a garage and another vehicle parked in the garage. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a back injury that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Brakes
I was traveling about 40 MPH exiting on the fwy off ramp which turns to the right. Initially my brakes worked and then it made a awful winding sound. The car was gaining speed as I made the turn and I totally lost my brakes and had to use my hand brake to stop before almost running into the back of a car. I had my brakes checked and was told that my shoes were very good but I wen ahead and put new ones on anyway. I am still having the same problem. On the fwy having to use my brakes at speeds over 40 MPH cause the same noise and no brakes until I have slowed below 40mph.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Kia Rio. The contact stated that the anti lock braking system would engage whenever she applied the brakes. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, but they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer. The failure mileage was 9,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Engine & cooling
When driving, the car stalls for no reason (there is fuel in the car, has regular oil changes, and a brand new battery). It takes a couple minutes before the car will restart. While on the highway, the engine light will come on and then turn right off, but the RPM gauge stops working even though I am still driving. There is a jerking motion when that happens. This happens on city streets and on the highway. It is becoming unsafe and the dealership cannot replicate the situation. All they do is run the code but nothing comes up. This has been happening since the beginning of November 2016 and has happened every day since then.this is a safety issue because the car could stall anytime while driving and I could be seriously hurt and other drivers could get hurt.
We were involved in an accident where we rear ended another vehicle. The other car was at a standstill and we hit them at about 30 mphs. The driver and myself both had seat belts. The driver injuries her left knee. The airbags did not deploy. I think that if they did her knee might not have been injured because she would not have slid forward upon impact..
2010 Kia Rio engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 28 / 34 / 31 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 27 / 36 / 30 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Kia Rio a good car?
Based on 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Rio rates average: 36% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Rio at the same age. It is one of the best Rio years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Kia Rio?
The air bags — 12 complaints, 46% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the brakes (4) and engine & cooling (4).
How many recalls does the 2010 Kia Rio have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2010 Kia Rio. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Rio?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2022 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2016, 2001, 2002 and 2003. See the full Kia Rio years comparison.
At what mileage do 2010 Kia Rio problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 29% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.