After a day of driving the 2006 Rio and Rio5, a Kia representative asked, “How’d you enjoy the driving experience?”

“Honestly? It could use more power,” I said.

With a look that said “You’re not too bright are ya, son?” he replied, “It’s a $10,000 car.”

Well, no, actually it goes for $11-15,000, but the point is clear – the Rio is a compact economy car, and holy-moly horsepower ain’t at the top of the priority list. Besides, the Rio actually has more ponies on tap than key competitors such as the Chevrolet Aveo and Scion xA, and it’s only five horsepower shy of an entry-level Mini Cooper.

Truth be told, after a few miles behind the wheel, the 2006 Kia Rio5 SX feels adequately powered. No, it won’t win many races, but it’ll hit 90-100 mph, even on an incline, provided you’ve got enough time and pavement, and you don’t mind watching the tachometer hover around 4,500 rpm. Thankfully, triple-sealed door frames and added sound insulation limit the intrusion of thrashy engine and road noise. While most Rio owners will never drive under these conditions, they should be pleased to know that the Kia feels just as secure at triple-digit speeds as it does at a safe 65 mph, and thanks to large mirrors and a generous greenhouse, they’ll always know where they sit amongst traffic. Passing power is a bit lacking, and drivers with a manual transmission will want to drop a gear or two before planting the throttle. If you opt for a Rio with the automatic transmission, you’ll want to be especially cautious when passing vehicles.

Though it steals some of the engine’s pep, that optional four-speed tranny offers smooth shifts and feels quite refined for such an inexpensive car. However, those who enjoy driving will want the five-speed manual that features a light-effort clutch pedal and slick shifting – it feels a lot like the manual in the 2005 Ford Focus, a unit that has drawn its own share of praise.

Whether your row your own gears or let the transmission do it for you, all of that built-up speed eventually needs to be hit with some capable brakes. The standard setup on all 2006 Rios is vented discs up front and drums out back. It’s effective, but a better alternative comes with the optional antilock brake package, which adds not only ABS but also rear discs and electronic brake force distribution.

Upon braking, the 2006 Kia Rio’s front end had a strong tendency to dive, equaled only by the amount of rear-end squat exhibited under hard acceleration. That suggests a soft suspension, so it’s not a shocker when a good dose of body roll shows up in turns. Of course, the benefit is a comfortable ride and an ability to quell road irregularities, and Kia engineers are quick to point out that the 2006 Rio’s body structure is 44 percent stiffer than the 2005 model. The steering system remains largely unaffected, continuously offering decent feedback with no significant dead spots.