I had a good reason last week to drive from Townsville to Toowoomba, and had booked a Kia Rio for the 1400 km journey. This, in hindsight, was probably not a wise choice of vehicle, given the type of journey.
Vehicle choice became academic in any case, as when I turned up at the hire depot, the only vehicle available was a 2019 Nissan X-Trail, which was probably a better option. It was an upgrade, so didn't cost any more that the Rio would have, except perhaps, for fuel, but more about that later.
In another life, I had a fair bit of experience driving the earlier boxy version (T31) in my forays down the Warrego, and remembered them as solid, unexciting, but comfortable cars.
That hasn't changed. They remain unexciting and comfortable, and for such a journey - kilometre after kilometre of straight wide bitumen - eminently suitable. What really surprised me was the fuel consumption (or lack of it). It used 7 litres per 100 kms between the two cities, which combined with a fuel tank capacity of 60 litres provided for a range of around 800 kms. That's diesel territory (excuse the pun). This thing did remind me of the late lamented Ford Territory.
Around Townsville (where I drove it for a few days before heading south) it was showing anything between 11 and 9 litres per 100 km, which is not shabby for a vehicle this size in an urban environment. It has an "Eco" feature which is supposed to improve economy by reprogramming the drivetrain computer, but I stopped using it because it made the performance too doughy and unresponsive for my liking.
The thing was powered by a 2.5 litre four, which was combined with a CVT transmission. As a rule, I don't enjoy the driving characteristics of CVT setups, but this one didn't drone, and responded well when overtaking the occasional road train. No doubt the phenomenal fuel economy is a consequence of this transmission.
There was lots of room inside, and the seating was comfortable, but the tech was basic in this ST (bottom of the line) version. There was no Apple Carplay, but linking my iPhone through the usb port emulated GPS and bluetooth music functions very well. The suction mount I bought before setting out is a "must-have" if you do this. My dodgy back coped well with seven hours daily in the driver's seat, which has not always been the case in other vehicles.
Boot space was generous, and although these things can be bought with seven seats, this one was a five seater. It provides an interesting comparison with our Kia Rondo, offering comparable space with the addition of selectable 4WD, something the Rondo lacks. The rondo,however, is a much more engaging drive.
