I know two people who have bought Rios. One bought new, one bought used. In both cases, the cars were utter crap. They broke down regularly, servicing was so-so at best (and this from two separate dealers), and things like switchgear had a habit of breaking. They also have zero resale on the used market.

If you want to go Japanese (yeah, Kias are Korean, I know), look into Subarus. They tend to be overlooked, but are good cars (in fact, they're the only Japanese car I've ever owned or would own) and are very affordable on the used market.

Also check JD Power's reviews before buying. They're not going to sell you like a test drive will, but at least it gives you some idea of what you're potentially getting into.