Kia has launched its all new Rio five door Hatch which helps Kia move brand to next level. The new Kia Rio hatch emphasises localisation program which is evident in handling.
Styling/Appearance
The new Kia Rio five door Hatch model boasts a bold and distinctive personality, bringing the latest model into line with the rest of Kia’s striking design-led product range.
Fourth-generation Kia Rio five door Hatch is longer (by 20mm), wider (by 25mm), and lower (by15 mm) and features a wheelbase extended by 70mm (to 2570 mm) – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. Despite this enhanced interior space, with an overall height of 1455mm, new Rio presents one of the lowest, ground-hugging profiles in Kia’s product range.
The new Kia Rio five door Hatch which is available in S, Si and SLi trim levels also sets a packaging benchmark in the light passenger vehicle category with LED daytime running lights and 17-inch alloy wheels fitted with a low profile, high performance 205/45/R17 Continental tyre as standard on all SLi models. S models run on 15-inch steel wheels and the Si models feature 16-inch alloy wheels.
Manufactured for the first time with a choice of 3, 4 and 5-door body styles, new Rio is set to completely redefine its position as a serious member in one of the most competitive sectors – the light passenger vehicle segment. The 5-door Hatchback is the first body shape to be launched in Australia late in the third quarter of 2011. The 3 & 4 door variants will hit Australian roads in early 2012.
Brand repositioning
The new Rio is part of Kia’s strategy to move the brand upmarket and to change people’s perceptions of Kia. The company wants the market to see the brand as offering more than value for money as well as offering models which meet people’s needs and taste.
The new Kia Rio will spearhead the company’s determination to significantly grow its market share by offering potential owners industry-leading safety, performance and environmental credentials. This car is part of Kia’s strategy to move the brand upmarket and to change people’s perceptions of Kia.
Not only do Kia want to offer existing owners the opportunity to move up to a better designed and equipped model in the Kia range they are also chasing new acquisition sales – people new to the brand who may not have considered Kai previously.
Kia believe the target market for this model is no longer completely price dependant. The company now offers a range of models and specifications that cater to a broad range of potential clients.
‘Premium presence’ for compact new car
With the new Kia Rio five door Hatch, the company has created a car that answers consumer demand for more quality, more choice, and attractive, exciting design.
This new car is no evolution of its predecessor, it is a revolution. The bold and distinctive personality of the new Rio represents a complete departure from its predecessor and fits perfectly into the revitalised new family of Kia products.
Viewed head on, new Rio has its own unique interpretation of the Kia corporate grille which is integrated beautifully with the front lamps to create a new twist on the Kia family look. In this latest form, the Kia logo now sits above the grille.
Below the grille, the treatment of front bumper and spoiler again show signs of the Kia design DNA, with its distinctive on-road presence. In profile, the ratio of body to glass, combined with the car’s strong wedge form, give Rio a dynamic, sporty stance and a completely fresh personality.
Rio shows its connection with the Sportage too, through its strong and stable rear, flowing C-pillar, dominant high shoulder and fast rear screen angle _ not uprising given that the lead designer on both vehicles is California-based Massimo Frascella.
In addition, the coupe-like roofline contrasts dramatically with the strong and static rear bumper and gives a power and solidity to the rear view. This bold appearance is strengthened by the distinctive feature line which adds tension to the flanks and accentuates the dynamic stance of the car. The careful balance of glasshouse, wheelbase and overall proportion give Kia Rio five door Hatch a refinement and premium presence which is rare in the segment.
Rio´s striking appearance is maximised by a fresh new palette of 10 exterior body colours. Kia’s colour and trim team have developed a spectrum of exclusive colours for Rio which underline its refined and stylish character. These include Latte, Rich Caramel and Graphite (grey), all with a classic premium flavour.
Locally tuned for local conditions
Kia has gone to great lengths to ensure that the new Kia Rio five door Hatch is tuned to meet local Australian conditions. Like the Sportage, Cerato and Optima before it, the new Rio’s suspension and running gear has benefited from a stringent program of local optimisation. The Ride and Handling Dynamic Program included comprehensive local testing and fine-tuning to ensure responsive handling while maintaining stability, ride quality and refinement – in line with the discerning Australian customer’s expectations.
The electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering, MacPherson strut front suspension and the CTBA (coupled torsion beam axle) at the rear combine to deliver a more commanding ride. Measures to minimise NVH include increasing the rigidity of the car’s body shell structure with a stiffer steering column support bracket, reinforced panels within the C-pillar, strengthened rear fascia and increased stiffness for the inner and outer skins of the tailgate, plus larger hydraulic mountings for the engine and transmission to dampen vibrations.
Engine & Gearbox – Gamma engine teams up with 6-speed automatic transmission
The three body styles will be available with a choice of two engines matched to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission with manumatic (manual and automatic) shift gate in the Si and SLi trims and either a 6-speed manual or 4-speed manumatic transmission in the base model.
Compared to its predecessor, the 6-speed automatic transmission has 62 fewer parts, is 41mm shorter and 12kg lighter, making it one of the most compact and efficient 6-speed transmissions available.
The 1.6L Gamma GDi petrol engine is fitted to both the midrange Si and top of the range SLi Rio models. The Gamma is the smallest Kia engine yet to benefit from the application of GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) technology and is capable of 190kph top speed.
With the help of GDi, this four-cylinder powermill develops 103kW at 6,300rpm and 167Nm at 4,850rpm, a 13 percent improvement in power over a conventional Gamma1.6L fed by MPI. A well-proven power unit, the updated ‘Gamma’ has friction-reducing modifications and dual CVVT (continuously variable valve timing), to achieve responsive performance of 0 to 100kph 10.2 (MT) and 10.3 (AT) while maintaining competitive fuel consumption 5.6 L/100km (MT) and 6.1 L/100km (AT).
The base model Rio S comes with a 1.4L MPI 4-cylinder petrol powerplant with DOHC and CVVT and produces 79kW of power at 6300rpm and 135Nm of torque at 4200rpm. That is a power boost of 9kW and a torque increase of 10Nm over the outgoing model.
Comprehensive ‘active’ and ‘passive’ safety
Five-star crash integrity is the target of every new car while the standard inclusion of six airbags and electronic stability control across the range is designed to keep Kia customers and their families as safe as possible.
For the new Kia Rio five door Hatch, an all-new body shell was created using a higher percentage of high-strength steel than the third-generation model, enhancing strength and rigidity. Special attention was given to strengthening the engine-bay longitudinal side members, floor panel side members, floor level cross-member between the B-pillars and the transverse dashboard bulkhead.
An all-disc braking system with 256/262mm (front/rear) diameter discs (S and Si models) and 280/262mm diameter discs (SLi), HAC (hillstart assist control), ESC (electronic stability control), ABS anti-lock brakes, EBF (electronic brake force distribution) and EBA(emergency ‘brake assist’) systems ensure all new Rio owners have the latest in vehicle control systems.
This comprehensive array of electronic safety acronyms are overseen and monitored by the new Vehicle Stability Management program. VSM utilises the computing power of a central ECU to seamlessly integrate the operation of all the traditional active safety systems.
In addition to ABS, ESC and traction control the VSM monitors and adjusts the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) by applying variable input to steering weight when the vehicle reaches the stability control threshold.
If required, six front, side and curtain airbags offer protection to occupants in the event of an accident while night time driving is made safer by the availability of projection headlamps and new front ‘cornering’ lamps.
Driving
During the pre-launch drive program the Kia Rio five door Hatch showed that it is a good driving car. It proved that the work done to ensure the car was better suited to Australian conditions had paid off. Over a variety of roads, smooth city, broken suburban, freeway and rutted country roads the car demonstrated good response to all conditions.
Tight, twisty corners showed that the Rio is well able to handle such demanding conditions. The six speed manual gearbox meant the driver always had the right gear for the situation in hand. The ‘box offers rapid, short thrown changes.
The six speed automatic ‘box showed similar ease of choosing the right gear for the prevailing conditions. Manual selection is easy and left to its own devices the automatic shifts smoothly and is unobtrusive in operation. The suspension coped well with the variety of road surfaces and the brakes were never found lacking.
Ride/Comfort
The new Kia Rio five door Hatch rides well in all situations. During the pre-launch test we had the opportunity of testing the car over a variety of roads and it acquitted itself well. The car handles suburban drive with ease and demonstrated competent handling over more punishing terrain.
The localisation program is evident in the way the car tackles sharp corners with confidence, the suspension and braking up to the task of keeping the car well positioned on the road.
Interior
To complement the striking exterior, Rio’s interior design has also been transformed, with a clean sophisticated theme. The concept follows the corporate Kia interior philosophy with the characteristic horizontal instrument panel, accentuating the feeling of width and space.
As in other recently-launched Kia models, the signature interior architecture – with its ‘three cylinder’ instrument cluster, precise instrument graphics and clear functionality – have been retained. New for Rio, however, are the centrally-located toggle switches, which are neatly integrated into the central heater unit, and control some of the secondary functions.
Instruments have clear graphics and are easy to read. Controls fall logically to hand. There is a noticeable improvement in the quality of the interior. This has been achieved through improved soft touch surfaces and there is a tactile quality that reinforces Kia’s stated aim of moving the model upmarket.
The seats are well designed and supportive, offering a variety of adjustment. The seats hold the driver in place during spirited driving and have quality upholstery coverings
Top of the class packaging
Rio sets a new benchmark in the light passenger vehicle segment. Cruise control from the Si model up and daytime running lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, projection front headlamps, static cornering lamps, auto light control and an enhanced brake package in the range topping SLi, makes Rio one of the most feature packed models in its category.
All models come with Bluetooth® connectivity and a radio CD player with MP3 compatibility plus AUX, iPod and USB connections – all controlled remotely from the steering wheel for added convenience and safety. Electric heated side mirrors are also standard across the range.
Convenience
The five door Hatch configuration provides versatility and the increase in space over the previous model is noticeable. For example, boot space has been increased by 7 per cent.
An important feature is that every model in the Kia Rio five door Hatch range is equipped with a full size spare wheel.
Summary
· Kia Rio five door Hatch represents a significant improvement over the previous model.
· Choice of three specific models
· Localisation Program produces a more competent handling car
· Quality you can see and feel
· Thick ‘B’ pillar provides structural strength but restricts sideway vision
· Rear window and panel attract dirt in bad weather