Kia Rio or similar

The Kia Rio is a step up in size and comfort from the tiniest city cars, yet it remains highly economical and easy to drive. This 5-door hatchback is a fantastic all-rounder for traveling Iceland. It’s compact enough for city driving, but offers a bit more room for passengers and luggage. If you want something fuel-efficient and reliable that can handle Iceland’s highways with ease, the Kia Rio is an excellent choice.

Spacious for Its Class: Seating up to 5 people, the Rio’s interior is thoughtfully designed to maximize space. Passengers get generous legroom for a small car, so even back-seat riders will be comfortable on longer drivess. The front seats are ergonomic and (in our models) heated, providing warmth on chilly mornings or winter days. Overall, the cabin has a quality feel with modern finishes – you might forget you’re in an economy car when enjoying its smooth ride.

Cargo Capacity: The Rio offers a notable trunk capacity of ~324 liters (about 63cm deep, 67cm high, 104cm wide). In practical terms, that fits about 2 medium suitcases (or one large and one medium) plus some smaller bags. If you fold the rear seats, the cargo space expands significantly, which is great if you’re only two people traveling and need to carry extra gear. Whether it’s camping equipment or photography gear, the Rio can accommodate more than the typical mini-car.

Fuel Economy & Performance: A highlight of the Kia Rio is its exceptional fuel efficiency – around 3.8 L/100km on average. This impressive economy comes from its efficient 1.4L engine and lightweight design. The manual transmission gives you full control and a bit of zippiness; the Rio feels peppy when accelerating onto highways or overtaking, thanks to its instant throttle response. It’s a front-wheel drive (2WD) vehicle, stable on paved and gravel roads but not built for off-roading or Highland F-roads (like all 2WD cars, it’s banned from F-roads).

Ride & Handling: The Rio offers a smooth drive on Iceland’s Ring Road – it’s stable at highway speeds and nimble in towns. Its suspension is tuned to soak up bumps reasonably well for a small car. You’ll find it easy to steer through winding roads in the Eastfjords or park in tight spots at popular attractions. With good ground clearance for a hatchback, it can manage well-maintained gravel roads to guesthouses or trailheads (drive slowly on rough gravel to avoid stone chips). And with studless or studded winter tires in colder months, the Rio remains sure-footed even when roads get snowy or icy.

Tech & Features: Inside the Rio, you’ll enjoy modern connectivity: a user-friendly infotainment system with Bluetooth, USB and AUX inputs for music, plus a hands-free calling feature. Many models also support Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The Rio has power windows and mirrors, remote locking, and even cruise control on some units – a boon for those long stretches between Icelandic towns. The dashboard layout is intuitive, making it easy to adjust settings or media without distraction. And an interesting perk: the Rio’s climate control is quite robust, warming up quickly in winter and cooling effectively in summer.

Safety: The Kia Rio comes with important safety features such as ABS brakes and stability control, helping maintain grip on wet or slippery roads. Airbags, active headrests, and child-seat anchors (ISO-Fix) are present for peace of mind. It’s a solid, dependable vehicle for virtually all typical road conditions in Iceland except the extreme off-road tracks.