KIA RIO FROM $18,090

Kia is a brand heading in the right direction, due to ever-improving products and that hard-to-resist and market-leading seven years/unlimited kilometres warranty.

Its fourth-generation Rio five-door hatchback faces strong competition, though. It has some impressively solid credentials, but also some less-than-impressive failings.

While the industry-best warranty brings an uncommon reassurance to the ownership experience, other obvious attractions include a pleasant, European-influenced design of the exterior