What a way Kia have come.
The old Kia Rio was a tired, humdrum car, notable only for its low price. Who would have anticipated the new model would be a technological tour de force, with a diesel engine boasting the highest fuel economy and lowest emissions of any production car in the world excluding all-electric ones.
I was invited to London for the UK debut of the car, which goes on sale a week on September 1.
For the launch, it was a case of “you can have any colour you want, as long as it’s red” with a fleet of around 25 of the things in the natty colour you see on this page.
All new from the ground up, the only thing it has in common with its predecessor is the name. In 2006 Kia poached Audi design guru Peter Schreyer the man behind the original TT and he’s done wonders for the company, making cars like the Sorento, Picanto and, in particular, the Sportage, exponentially more desirable.
He hasn’t missed the mark with the Rio either it’s sharp, modern, and can hold its head high next to rivals like the Fiesta, Polo or Corsa.
There are four trim levels and the range starts at £10,595 for the 1.25 ‘1’. All Rios get electric front windows, 15-inch steel wheels, split-folding rear seats and a CD player with USB port. ‘Air’ adds air conditioning for an £800 premium, while 2 spec cars come with 16-inch alloy wheels, front foglights, electrically adjustable door mirrors, four electric windows and a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob.
Top-spec 3 gets 17-inch alloys, low-profile tyres, privacy glass, LED daytime running lights, climate control, automatic wipers and headlights, cruise control and heated front seats.
Buyers can choose from 1.25 and 1.4 litre petrol units or a three-cylinder 1.1 diesel or 1.4 litre diesels. The smaller of these diesels emits just 85g/km of CO2 and manages a phenomenal 88.3mpg on the combined cycle.
That won’t go on sale until early next year though, so I drove the 1.25 petrol (the figures below are for this model). It manages 0-62mph in 12.6 seconds and has a top speed of 106 mph. It’s a decent enough unit not exactly brimming over with excess power but nifty enough and very quiet once you’re cruising.
The Rio has a terrifically comfortable ride, impressive high-speed stability, and handles well enough although it’s not as fun in this respect as the super nimble Fiesta. The overall impression is of a car that’s very refined, with little in the way of wind, road or engine noise.
There’s room inside for four tall adults and the interior is very smart, with well laid out controls and a thoroughly modern feel. It’s easy to get comfortable thanks to a wide range of seat and steering wheel adjustment options.
There’s a decent 288 litres of space in the boot and the rear seats fold in a 60/40 split to give a maximum of 923 litres.
The Rio undercuts the Fiesta, has higher levels of standard kit, and comes with Kia’s seven year/100,000 mile warranty.
Kia’s offering a £259/499 package that covers all servicing for the first three/five years and anyone ordering a Rio before the end of September gets a £750 early bird’ discount.
The new Rio is a gigantic step forward. No longer a cheap and cheerful model for the buyer on a budget, it’s now a sharp supermini designed for the discerning 21st century customer and one that beats its rivals on price, value and technology, while running them fairly close in the driving dynamics stakes.
The 1.1CRDi EcoDynamics at £11,895 is the model I would go for 88mpg is not to be sniffed at!
Price: £10,5950-62mph: 12.6sec.Top speed: 106mph. Economy: 56.5mpg. CO2 emissions: 114g/km.