Kia Rio gets facelifted with the Schreyer grille

Kia Pride Facelift

Kia has updated both the sedan and hatchback versions of the Kia Rio in Korea, where it is called the Kia Pride. The front end is much more sportier now thanks to the Forte-like front bumper and it also gets the new Schreyer grille, a common feature on all new Kias all the way from the smallest Kia Morning (Picanto) up to the large Sorento. The interior has also been modernized and now features red backlighting.

Kia Pride Facelift

The Rio/Pride is Kia’s B-segment compact car, which is basically their version of the Hyundai Accent. Under the hood is a choice of either a 1.4 litre DOHC engine, a 1.6 litre CVVT engine or a 1.5 litre diesel engine with a variable geometry turbocharger. In Malaysia, only the 1.4 litre hatchback is sold.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the facelift.

[zenphotopress number=99 album=387]

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • kaizen on Jul 21, 2009 at 11:44 am

    Nice, rondo? Hehe

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • wow not bad… How much is the babe gonna cost.. Front looks like our new saga…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kaizen on Jul 21, 2009 at 3:17 pm

    Nesh, should be double the saga's price… as usual…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • azrai on Jul 21, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    I have no 'pride' owning this car, if only..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • brutus on Jul 21, 2009 at 4:31 pm

    when will NAZA bring in the delicious TDi? this would be the best car for a sales person to commute around.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • brutus on Jul 21, 2009 at 4:33 pm

    wonder when will NAZA bring in th TDi? this would be an ideal car for the sales person to commute around town.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • zoule HCo on Jul 21, 2009 at 4:59 pm

    hoho.. look like our New Saga from outside.. but this Kia has better accessories n nice interior

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • farghmee on Jul 21, 2009 at 5:51 pm

    messy dashboard.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • AutoAlert on Jul 21, 2009 at 6:10 pm

    Are there any tweaks done to the engine to improve fuel efficency or bump up the power? Or it's just the same old unit carried forward from the previous gen. From the pictures you post up I can see Kia added the ECO drive indicator to guide drivers to be light footed. The heating seat is only good for cold countries, I wonder if there is any car manufacturer that can have a built in cooler into carseats sold in tropical countries… Now that is cool

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • scottloeb on Jul 21, 2009 at 6:53 pm

    90's dash. Give me Fortis any time over this.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Looks much more better than proton. interior classy feels~

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • looks like quality stuff.any feedback from current rio owners?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • comarezzi on Jul 21, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    is it true kia is a fuel guzzler and after sales service/maintenance quite high?? any kia owner can verify this? i am thinking buying a kia maybe nextyear…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Some sort of Naza Citra for me… O.o

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  • wochomi on Jul 21, 2009 at 11:22 pm

    Nak besi tebal, kuat, tahan lasak…. komplain pasal fuel economy…. Kuat kereta korea, ni. But really lah, Kia cars body memang solid. Tapi kalau pecah windscreen standby RM1.6k (kia Rio). Nak tunggu part memang lama.

    Sound proofing Kia is very good.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • nighttrain on Jul 21, 2009 at 11:55 pm

    Wah so boring.. don't let boring models come here. Where's the ceed, pro'ceed and Forte. American/European KIA is more exciting la..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • and where is spectra5 facelift..wit schreyer grill?

    rio is under power so sure makan minyak

    all foreign cars are high maintenance if u sent it to its Service centre..

    those cheaper spare parts that ppl been talking are actually aftermarket parts or fake one..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • i own kia , so does few of my family members, got several models, and they were rubbish…..avoid buying one for tis moment….honestly protons is wayyy better and put most smile on my face

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mystvearn (Member) on Jul 22, 2009 at 2:54 am

    The car actually looks really dull

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kkchai on Jul 22, 2009 at 3:01 am

    Seem like Kia is changing its corporate identity very smoothly. I think this car is better than Accent in term of most B segment in M'sia. Look forward to know-how Korean perform in their automotive market internationally.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ooi sw on Jul 22, 2009 at 3:49 am

    I own a Kia Rio which I bought some 3 years ago. So far so good, no major breakdown or sort. My windscreen broken once on the highway but I got it replaced on the same day in Seremban.The car is still running smoothly after 3 years and the engine is especially quiet. Recently the absorbers start to make noise, I guess it is about time to replace as I often drive the car off-roads, to estates, laterite roads and so on. The fuel consumption is around RM0.12 to RM0.16 per km depending on driving styles and traffic condition. It is reliable as far as I'm concerned, probably a cbu unit is much better in terms of quality.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Jr. racer (Member) on Jul 22, 2009 at 4:19 am

    emm…nice…

    but 1.4 is not enough…

    but if the price around as same as saga it will sell like hot karipap!!!(maybe not so hot I think)..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kei9 (Member) on Jul 22, 2009 at 6:16 am

    Still the same old car?

    I don't buy it really.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • PROTON KIA on Jul 22, 2009 at 6:26 am

    why arr this car remind me of the new PROTON SAGA??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • peroempat on Jul 22, 2009 at 8:54 am

    Kia no soul, only know how to re-design the exit.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • gtmaniac on Jul 22, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    The dashboard looks surprisingly expensive for an econo car….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Second Engineer

    Indeed stay away from entire korean car

    But not so sure bout diesel powered suv (rexton) and mpv (starex). Izzit good?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Engineer on Jul 22, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    wochomi said,

    July 21, 2009 @ 3:22 pm

    Nak besi tebal, kuat, tahan lasak…. komplain pasal fuel economy…. Kuat kereta korea, ni. But really lah, Kia cars body memang solid. Tapi kalau pecah windscreen standby RM1.6k (kia Rio). Nak tunggu part memang lama.

    Sound proofing Kia is very good.

    Are sure sound proofing (NVH) Kia is very good. Which car did u means?? The Lousy Spectra or Fuel Guzzler MPV Ria?? Both have low NVH compare to current Proton cars. Spectra handling just like sampan compare to Saga BLM. Persona far better in term of handling, fuel and of course NVH compare to Spectra.

    comarezzi said,

    July 21, 2009 @ 12:56 pm

    is it true kia is a fuel guzzler and after sales service/maintenance quite high?? any kia owner can verify this? i am thinking buying a kia maybe nextyear…

    Comarezzi, u better think deeply and carefully. May advised keep yourself away from Kia cars unless u really earn more than RM5K per month & with less commitment. Better go for Proton or Perodua.. and buy more asset than liability.. Cars are liability.

    Just my 2 sen advised.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • xtend2damax on Mar 31, 2010 at 11:30 pm

      my bro owns a 2006 Kia Rio 1.4 and the car is not a fuel guzzler. In fact its even lower the Proton waja and toyota vios. Damn good car.

      Pls don't simply blindly follow what other people say(especially malaysians). If Adam was a malaysian, i think it would have been the end of mankind, as he would have keep screwing the wrong hole! Scared of screwing the other hole, bcos other people say its the wrong one!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • They are going for the whole Audi look, just take a look at the gear shifter design and the whole 'solid' feel i.e. the dashboard cluster and steering wheel.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mamin on Dec 23, 2009 at 4:02 am

    it's very good in tunisia it deast coste 13.650$ i will buy this car

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