The new Kia Rio will debut in Geneva next month.
One by one, Kia is redesigning its entire line-up, putting each new model in sync with the critically well-received styling transformation underscored by the new Optima.
Next to come out of Peter Schreyer’s studio is the 2012 Kia Rio, which will make its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, alongside another new model, the Picanto.
Selling the market on B-segment models like Rio isn’t easy.
They’re typically been targeted to the price conscious, or those who look at fuel economy above all else. But styling has become an increasingly critical competitive edge, as Ford has demonstrated with the latest-generation Fiesta. And Kia is betting it can get a leg up with a look it describes as a blend of “Korean spice and Latin flair.”
Kia will offer three different Rio body styles.
The next-gen Kia Rio will be offered in three different body styles, depending on the market, including 3-, 4- and 5-door configurations.
The new Rio offers an updated twist on the familiar Kia grille, with integrated headlamps adding to its more dynamic and sporty stance.
At 101 inches, the wheelbase has been stretched by about three inches over the earlier model, though overall length grows by barely two inches, and the new Kia Rio will be nearly an inch lower than the outgoing subcompact.
Meanwhile, the new offering will feature six different gas and diesel engines – against, availability will vary by market – from a compact 70-hp 1.1-liter diesel earmarked for Europe, to a 140-hp 1.6-liter gasoline direct-injection inline-four bound for the U.S.
The new Rio might be a small car but it will have big shoes to fill, considering it was Kia’s third-best-selling global product, in 2010, racking up 219,000 sales.