2012 Kia Rio SX Sedan Review: Is It Safe
The new 2012 Kia Rio has yet to be tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but it did receive favorable marks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) including a four-star overall rating. One interesting note about the NHTSA's results was that despite getting a five-star rating for side-impact protection, crash dummies in the rear seat of 2012 and 2013 Rio models (sedan and hatchback) exhibited "high lower spine acceleration" that increase the likelihood of a thoracic (middle back) injury. For more information on these findings, you can check out the details on the NHTSA website HERE under the "Side Crash" tab. All 2012 Kia Rio Sedan models do include standard safety features such as six airbags, electronic brake-force distribution, four-wheel anti-lock disc brake system, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).