BELIEVE it or not, 10 grand does not normally buy a great deal of car these days, but take your cash along to a Kia dealer and you can drive away with a fantastic-value Rio.
With five doors, air con, central locking and a whole host of top notch standard features, it really is great value for money.
And, although the quality inside may look a little on the basic side, from a practical point of view it does perform. All the controls are ideally placed for ease of use and the 1.5 diesel engine oozes power.
There is also plenty of room for four adults to travel, albeit with limited luggage.
My biggest gripe after a week behind the wheel was the sound system. Considering every control, dial, lever etc in the Rio is very clearly marked, the radio takes matters to the other extreme and, despite being a renowned make (JVC), you really need bionic vision to see the controls or make any sense of the buttons!
That aside, the Rio is a real find. It combines deceptively good performance with outstanding economy. And the turbo-diesel engine means you can leave many high-performance cars in the shade!
And it even boasts good, clean, modern looks too with colour-coordinated bumpers, door handles and mirrors - clearly there has been a lot of thought by the Kia designers when it comes to appearance - after all there is little point in designing a great car if no-one gives it a second glance!
The LX model supplied included alloy wheels, front fog lights and several other extras.
The Rio also comes fully equipped with a host of safety features including anti-lock braking system, numerous airbags and electronic brakeforce distribution.
In fact, the Rio seems so versitile it fits into many buyers' categories from the economy-conscious to fashion-minded.
FAST FACTS
Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi LX 5dr
Price: £9,995
Mechanical: 109bhp, 1,493cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 110mph
0-62mph: 11.5 secs
Combined mpg: 60.1
Insurance group: 5
CO2 emissions: 121g/km
BiK rating: 18%
Warranty: 3yrs/ unlimited mileage; 3yrs paint; 6yrs anti-rust