Manual cars with naturally aspirated engines are in shorter supply these days. So, driving a new offering is a refreshing and welcome change from the bevy of turbocharged automatics on the market.
Among the (mostly smaller) passenger vehicles that offer both these features is the compact hatchback Kia Rio, a popular and important model in the Kia line-up.
However, it competes in the hotly contested B-segment locally, facing stiff competition from other hatchbacks, like the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai i20, Toyota Yaris and VW Polo.
The Rio, though, has undergone a bit of a nip and tuck. Apart from a minifacelift, it now offers better infotainment and connectivity features, and increased standard features.
Of more significance perhaps is that another model has also been added to the range, the affordable LS grade, benefitting from a more powerful 1.4-litre powerplant. While the 1.2-litre LS still provides the entrylevel point to the Kia Rio range, Kia have now added an LS model in both manual and automatic to its 1.4-litre line-up.
The refreshed Rio range retains its four specification grades, namely LS, LX, EX and the halo model in the Rio range, the Kia Rio TEC.
finweek hopped behind the wheel of the newly introduced Kia Rio 1.4 LS manual.
Discreet facelift
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