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Kia has revealed the first official photos of its upcoming next-generation Rio, which will make its official debut in Geneva alongside the Picanto.
The new Rio will be available in three body styles (3-door and 5-door hatch, as well as 4-door sedan), and the company says that the B-segment offering will have a premium presence that’s rare in this segment.
The vehicle gets its own interpretation of Kia’s signature grille, integrated with the headlamps to give a new twist on the Kia family look. In profile, the body to glass ratio and its strong wedge form give the hatch a dynamic, sporty stance.
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The new model features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – to 2,570 mm – and promises greater passenger space and comfort, as well as increased cargo capacity to 292 litres (hatchback) and 390 litres (sedan). Exterior dimensions changes include an increase of 55 mm in overall length and 25 mm in overall width, though its height has been reduced by 15 mm over the old one to give the new Rio a sportier stance.
Inside, the new car will deliver a high level of quality previously associated with larger models, together with a wide selection of trim options.
The Rio will get six engine choices in all, depending on market, from a 69 hp 1.1 litre diesel unit for Europe up to a 1.6 litre GDI pot producing 138 hp for North America. Europe will also get an all-new, high-performance 1.2 litre turbo GDI unit from 2012.
It looks a lot better than the current one… Kia is adding spice to the market nowadays…
sugar and spice and everything nice!
I think Kia is better than Proton.
You don’t have to think, it’s a proven FACT.
Kia sold 10 times more car than Proton in 2010..
feeling like a KIA will be my next car…but maybe not. Unless they have something with 200+hp…
a hybrid KIA will be nice….
200+ hp…new sorento 2.2r series diesel…almost 200hp and more important ….450nm of torque@ low rev….btw, the new Optima turbo is more than 200 HP+…
sorento is not a car……its 450nm torque is not meant for speed…
200hp optima, i dont think it will reach here…
like vw golf..
Its design look much similar like VW golf..awesome..
Overall looks good but the grille should be bigger.
It certainly nice looking car . Kia well done and hope this model come to Malaysia . Model prefer 5-doors and Sedan with 1.6 Litre GDI petrol
i want diesel!!…low FC but with good pulling power…just what the doc order considering the increasing fuel price
..Peter Schreyer bila mau pindah Proton?
when PROTON can offer more than KIA can offer him….but can PROTON do that? rumors said even KIA fired most of their employees before they hired him….it would be madness if our people lose jobs to accommodate him but then that whats its mean “bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian”
‘fiesta’ look at very fristsight without reading the brand, ‘
so true bro.
it look like a fiesta.
yeap…thats the target in europe considering the fiesta & the golf is the best seller there….but in msia…vios…which sort of none existance in those developed mkt…hmmmm, why ar??
Actually Vios is available as the Yaris…but you could say Yaris is an upscaled Vios.
Anyway, I agree it does look like a Fiesta.
looks like a seat at from the rear.otherwise it’s a good looking car
nice.. it even looks better than jazz and polo!
Its like a Hyundai i30.
Shared platform?
Nop… It shares with i20/New Accent… Cee’d share with i30..
Design wise at least, it’ll give BIg T a run for its money !
Wow. Look forward to
What a transformation for Rio – from wagon like car to this hot hatch. Well done KIA.
It looks like a ford fiesta~
copycat job?
The production version is tamed down,… I like the concept sketch version more. Anyway it really distance itself from the first and current version of Rio. (Its more like comparing the latest 2011 Sonata to the Jaguar look-a-like one. :)
The Koreans are taking over the Japanese really fast now! I wonder how Mazda and Honda or even Toyota are going to catch up with the assaults from Kia and Hyundai,.. at least in the design department. Mazda cars are becoming ridiculously uglier day by day, and Honda’s designs are like they are designing cars only for geeks.
And let us not talk about Proton here. Well,.. they should have kidnapped Peter Shreyer like 10 years ago and keep him locked in a design studio deep inside a secret facility somewhere in Hutan Belum or Rompin. Designing cars 24/7 – and Angry Birds free downloaded games to keep him happy. heh heh.
Somehow the front look made me an uneasy feeling, the front grill and the hole of the fog lamp, dont like it. But the back look simply amazing.
If can get the 1.2 turbo then it’ll be nice. If they apply the dual clutch into it, it’ll be even nicer.
As Hyundai is applying dual clutch to their models, hopefully kia will do so soon and hopefully Naza will be clever enough to take it in if kia has the turbo charge version with dual clutch transmission.
Set the price from RM80k to RM90k, it can kill a lot of other competitors in the market.
Forte only 78k… Rio should be cheaper than Forte!!
Ya, Rio should be cheaper than Forte, it maybe around 65k-75k..
Will M’sian enjoy the benefit to get a real Kia, or it’s gonna be a rebadged?
Wow, even Kia Rio become so good looking nowadays!
Cantiq.
Ha ha, just imagine if this car top spec is selling at below the price of Forte RM78K, ie around RM65K ….
HangTuah P will die before it is born.
The rear looks like Seat Leon.
looks promising…….awaiting for full road test report
Nice car ,but I wont buy it.Kia brand not there yet
yeap, in Msia…..but the rest of the world its there and topling the establish brand. So….what do we got to say about Msian, sophisticated car market or simply….out of touch ; )
so when are u coming to our shores? haha
Nice Rims….Good Design almost lika A Golf….But a nose job needs to be done!.
I find it hilarious how with the new wave of Hyundai and Kia designs, I always like the front of the Kias, while I always like the back of the Hyundais. I have to say though, this Rio isn’t looking too bad in the rear.
On a side note:
“Inside, the new car will deliver a high level of quality previously associated with larger models, together with a wide selection of trim options.” <<– (alamak, promonya bunyi sentence ni.)
Ash,
Actually Hyundai and Kia are selling tons of cars here in the US. Infact Hyundai just cannot keep up with the demand for Sonatas and Elantra inspite of running 3 shfits. Recently it was on the news that Hyundai will begin to import Korean built Elantras to meet the demand. My cousin who went to get an Elantra was told by the dealer that she being the first gets to pick colors from the three left on his lot.
Elantra consistently gives about 37 mpg on highways on her daily 80 mile commute. The fit and finish is awesome and drives very well.
Cheers
Can’t wait to see the AP King badge on it.
Proton better close shop lah, sold off to Kia Hyundai group better don’t waste more good metals:
Proton eyes co-tenant to use plant’s excess capacity
SHAH ALAM, Feb 11 — Proton Holdings Bhd is considering getting a third party to use its manufacturing plant, which currently has a spare capacity of 50 per cent…
I thought it is a facelifted Golf or Polo….
thought that was seat leon.
….much better tahan T&H. Korean taking over the world. Samsung & LG already bet Sony & Panasonic. Not to mention korean K-Pop and animated characters. Malaysians……WAKE UP! Open your eyes…say bye bye to T&H
….Koreans rules the world! Samsung and LG already beat Sony and Panasonic. Not to mention K-Pop. Malaysians WAKE UP! Say bye bye to T&H.
as usual, GREAT DESIGN!
BAD VALUE after 4 yrs. Anyone can get this for 30-35k.
Another 3 yrs FORTE will be the same.
haha…dream on…see whether in 3 yrs time, anyone wants to buy a Japs anymore…if Kia n Hyundai can gives cars like this even nw…imagine in 3 yrs time, the kind of cars coming from them…..their value will be mindblowing at tht time with demand surplus supply….
im not dreaming. check whats the current rio 2nd price now. kia n hyundai value in overseas are much better than in boleh land.
dream on with your kia & hyundai demand surplus supply…
honda n toyota will always be first choice than korean car makers especially here in boleh land.
the backside of the rio looks like seat ibiza!
T & H still a lot of ppl buy so don’t worry K & H fans :) Samsung & LG still can’t beat Blackberry or iphone even thought is Sony thank you.
proton stylists can learn a lot from this brilliant guy peter schreyer.
This is the car to go for the mass especially the 1.6 litre with reasonably good power, torque and fuel consumption. The car exterior looks just nice, not too fancy while retaining the conventional look of those past performance car. Interior is geared for practicality, just reminding you those machines you used to bring to your regular racing track (Lancer, Civic, Impreza).
Hmm…wouldn’t it be just nice to be selling around RM85k MAX for a 1.6 litre? Kia…go go go…