Kia Rio 1,4 TEC

The outgoing Rio established Kia as a maker of desirable city cars. Does the new one build on that legacy?

- Terence Steenkamp

SINCE its launch in our market some 17 years ago, the Rio has developed a reputation as a reliable, spacious vehicle that offers good value for your hard-earned cash, further cementing this Korean brand’s standing as a maker of cars that now, at the very least, rivals the offerings of Europe and Japan’s big players.

There is, therefore, a lot to expect of this, the fourth generation model. It makes use of a fresh design and the Kia-Hyundai GB platform that debuted on the current Hyundai i20 (and will also be used on the Kia Stonic and Hyundai Kona crossovers).

Penned by Kia’s California and German design centres headed by Peter Schreyer, the new Rio has sharper, more angular lines than its predecessor and the result is a car that looks upmarket and wholly in keeping with Kia’s current design language.

It is longer and lower – by 15 and 5 mm – as well as 5 mm wider, giving it a more purposeful stance. Add to this our test unit’s Smoke Blue paint job and the 17-inch alloy wheels of the flagship TEC model, and the new Rio cuts a dashing figure.

Inside, the Kia offers a generous standard specification list. For starters, the attractively designed dashboard is occupied by a neat touchscreen infotainment system with MirrorLink functionalities for your smartphone, and it’s a standard feature along with a rear-facing camera to complement the park distance control. This function adds to a tastefully designed cabin of high perceived quality, enhanced further by leather upholstery on the seats, steering wheel and gear lever.