Meet the practical and fun Kia Rio hatchback
Korean automaker Kia has sold some 580,000 Rio automobiles since its debut in the year 2000, so guess we should respect Janeiro. This fourth generation of the River is built on the Hyundai / Kia KP2 global architecture, and is available as a sedan and as a hatchback (four doors and one rear).
Rio arrives mounted on a brand new body structure, slightly larger and more rigid, with a new and improved chassis, Mac-strut front suspension and electric power steering. The exterior features a new front with a larger air intake, new styles for the headlights and taillights, new changes to the fog lamps and rear reflectors, aggressive panel folds and exterior mirrors that move from the top panel of the door to the pillar of the windshield.
Both the hatchback and the sedan are sold in three different levels of equipment: the LX hatchback, the medium S level and the EX upper level. The LX is a very basic model, but it has many extra details.
It comes with 15 inch wheels, a five inch audio control screen, a four speaker sound system, Bluetooth, satellite radio and USB / AUX connections.
It brings a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 130 horsepower and 119 lb.-ft. of torque. That power reaches the front wheels through a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The manual transmission is only available in the model we tested, the LX, but the Rio's six-speed automatic is standard on the S and EX. The braking power comes from the 11-inch disc brakes on the front and the drum brakes on the back for the most economical basic models.
The dashboard and center console are intelligently designed, along with a windshield that has less rake, help the Rio feel spacious inside. With the folding seats, the hatchback offers 32.8 cubic feet of cargo, with a low, flat floor to accommodate a lot of cheap things.
The pleasing proportions of the new Kia Rio, especially in the five-door hatchback, mask its tiny dimensions, avoiding the vaguely bubbly appearance of many small cars. The car is lower, wider and longer, the wheels have been pushed more towards the corners and the windshield has become more vertical.
Drivers will not have problems in facing Kia´s direct competition, such as the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa Note, Toyota Yaris and Chevrolet Sonic. Anyway, it is an excellent new car for any new driver, and a good purchase for a person who needs it for daily trips.
