2022 Kia Rio — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $12,000–$15,500. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.
Deciding between model years? Compare the 12 Kia Rio years we've written up →
Kestrel Take
Eleven complaints. That is not a record, it is a handful of people, and a page this short must never be read as a clean bill of health — it means the 2022 Rio is rare and young, not that it is proven. What is on file is worth two minutes each: a steering-column bolt recall that can let the column separate from the rack, one brake pedal that went to the floor at 60 mph, and a trunk lid whose gas struts tore loose. The 1.6L engine is the same family that burned oil in older Rios, and with one engine complaint we simply do not know yet how this year ages. Buy with recall 22V304 shown closed, a firm pedal, and the balance of Kia's warranty confirmed in writing. Then treat it as a new car with a short history, because that is what it is.
What we checked
Checked against public records, 2026-09-25
NHTSA holds 11 owner complaints for the 2022 Kia Rio, and 1 recall campaign.
That is too small a record to read a pattern from, so we are not going to pretend otherwise — with numbers this low one owner moves the percentage by a lot. What has been filed is grouped under the brakes (2), latches/locks/linkages (2), the driver-assist and automatic braking systems (1). Treat those as things to look at, not as the vehicle's known weaknesses. A thin file usually means few of these were sold or few owners filed. It is not evidence the vehicle is trouble-free, and the issues below are our own research rather than a reading of this record.
One recall campaign covers this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2022 Kia Rio
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Recall 22V304 covers 2021–2022 Rios: the bolt holding the lower steering-column universal joint may not have been torqued at the factory, and if it works loose the column can separate from the steering rack, leaving the driver without steering. The remedy is to tighten the bolt, free at any Kia dealer; letters went out in May 2022. The single steering complaint on this year does not describe a separation, but the recall is the reason to check the VIN before anything else. At the car, engine off, rock the wheel a few degrees each way and listen for a click low in the column.
Repair cost: $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under steering (1); 1 NHTSA recall campaign on this model year.
Two brake complaints, and one of them is the serious kind: the pedal went all the way to the floor slowing from 60 mph, on more than one occasion, and the driver stopped the car with the parking brake. The 2020–2021 Rio had a master-cylinder seal recall for exactly this symptom; the 2022 does not, so we cannot tell you whether this car shares the part, only that one owner had the symptom. The other complaint is an ABS system that drops in and out going downhill. Engine running, press the pedal hard and hold it for thirty seconds — it must not sink — and on the drive brake firmly once from 40 mph and feel for pulsing or a pedal that keeps going.
Repair cost (estimate): $300–$900 for a master cylinder outside warranty; $800–$1,600 for an ABS module
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the brakes (2).
Two latch complaints. One owner heard a loud bang at a traffic light and found both trunk-lid struts had ripped out of their mounts; another hit a deer head-on and had the hood unlatch and fold back over the windscreen, cutting into the fenders. The trunk struts are a cheap fix and worth a look — open the trunk and check both struts hold it up on their own and their mounting tabs are not cracked. The hood is a one-off crash report with nothing a buyer can inspect for beyond confirming the hood latch and safety catch both engage with a firm shut.
Repair cost (estimate): $60–$250 for a pair of trunk struts
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under latches/locks/linkages (2).
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Recall 22V304 open on the NHTSA VIN lookup
- ✗Brake pedal that sinks under steady pressure with the engine running
- ✗Click from low in the steering column when the wheel is rocked engine-off
- ✗Trunk lid that will not stay up on its own, or cracked strut mounts
- ✗Cruise control that runs well past its set speed downhill
Good Signs
- ✓Recall 22V304 shown completed on the VIN lookup
- ✓Firm brake pedal that holds steady for thirty seconds
- ✓Kia's written confirmation of the warranty balance transferring to you
- ✓Oil-change receipts on Kia's interval with a full, clean dipstick
- ✓Trunk lid that rises on its own and stays up
More from Kia
Similar cars & sedans
Found a specific Kia Rio?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2022 Kia Rio in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
Get My Verdict — $7.99No account required. Delivered to your inbox, usually within minutes.
Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.
Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
No bullshit, no upsells, no affiliate links. One report, one price — we'll never charge you rent for your own thinking.
Think we got something wrong? Tell us — a real person reads every message.