Kia Rio
Which is the fastest growing car manufacturer in the world? I wonder what your answer would have been. Well, the truth is that Kia holds this honour. And no wonder, given the line-up of cars they manufacture. Take, for example the Kia Rio.
The little Kia Rio is a stunning little number that adds class and sophistication to its small package. With a quirky, appealing design, the Kia Rio is unique and fun to drive.
Offered as a hatchback or sedan, the Kia Rio is a practical town runabout to pick up the kids from school or to use as a frugal and fun open road traveller. Brisk engine response comes from the nippy little 1.4 litre DOHC unit that has 70 kW of power at 6000 rpm as standard. Torque is a commendable 127 Nm at 4700 rpm. A five-speed manual gear box is available, or a four-speed auto option. Both options give under 7 l/100 km and will therefore be low-cost vehicles at the pump. The 1.6 litre engine is also offered in both five-speed manual and automatic guises. The 1.6 litre DOHC engine is a sophisticated and very modern engine that will deliver 82 kW of power at 6000 rpm. Engine torque is strong with 145 Nm available at 4500 rpm.
The Kia Rio is a lot of fun to drive. The engine has zest and the handling backs up the motor's fun factor with MacPherson struts in the front and a torsion beam axle with coil springs in the rear. This setup holds the Kia Rio on the road superbly and cornering can be attacked with confidence and verve. This fun factor is complemented by plain common sense from the safety features, starting with the active features such as the powerful brakes (ventilated disc in the front on all models and disc brakes in the rear of all models except the Kia Rio LX Hatch, which has drum brakes), ABS and EBD on all models except the LX Hatch. The passive safety features begin with the specially engineered progressive crumple zones and continue with the driver and front passenger SRS airbags, pretensioned seatbelts with load limiters (and a driver's seatbelt warning) in the front, side impact doors in the front and back, and an energy-absorbing steering column in all models, with the Kia Rio Sports hatch and EX-L sedan having side and curtain airbags as well. The Sports Hatch also features active front head restraints.
The inside of the Kia Rio is comfortable and nicely set up for all passengers. The driver's seat is particularly comfortable with the eight-way adjustable seat, a tilt adjust steering column, and a foot and arm rest. Comfort features that will be appreciated by all occupants within the Kia Rio, no matter which model is chosen, include the air conditioning and the radio/CD system (four speakers in the LX hatch; six in all the rest). The central console comes with an auxiliary power outlet, and the front seats have cupholders to slip a cold one into. The attractive cloth trim is upgradable with a sports trim package in the Kia Rio Sport, which includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel that is also available in the EX-L sedan.
In summary, the Kia Rio is a fun car that offers practicality, comfort and economy alongside pure driving pleasure.
Current model series include:
- Kia Rio 4 Door
- Kia Rio 5 Door
- Kia Rio EXL Sedan
- Kia Rio Sports Hatch
back to Kia
