WHAT you get for your money in Australia’s light car segment these days is almost beyond belief.

Customers are coming to expect touchscreens, reversing cameras, parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking and other technologies previously associated with high-end luxury cars in a package priced well below the $20,000 mark.

Kia’s Rio does without any of those features, even in lower mid-spec S Premium trim, but makes a case to those considering lifetime running costs with a market-leading seven-year warranty and aggressive capped-price servicing plan.

We hit the road with a Rio S Premium, facelifted earlier this year, to find out if the on-paper disadvantages are outweighed by the driving experience.

Click here for the full review...