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• Kia's Rio is a popular car among South African buyers.
• Higher-spec models are fitted with 17-inch wheels.
• Imraan Buccus lists indicative instalments for buyers wanting to purchase a Rio.
• For more motoring stories, go to Wheels24
Like the SUV market, the compact hatchback segment is very competitive, especially with more technology and ever better-looking iterations. With the facelift and despite having a great reputation, the Kia Rio is playing in a tough market, lagging behind players like the VW Polo and Hyundai i20 but is a strong contender nonetheless.
Kia is known for its creative, sexy design and the Rio sort of fits in this mould too. There's wide-ranging agreement that gratitude for this is owed to Peter Schreyer and his team in this department. While it's difficult to notice the design and styling changes at first glance, there are certainly a few minor enhancements.
READ | Pricing, specs - Kia's refreshed Rio receives raft of changes for the South African market
A welcome change is the introduction of new colours: Perennial Grey and Sporty Blue. This adds some much-needed vibrancy to the segment. There's also a new version of the front bumper and a better-looking grille. Higher up the ladder, buyers now get 17-inch wheels, while lower down, you get 15-inch alloys wheels as standard.
The drive and performance
Over the years, people have expected more and more from Asian carmakers, particularly from the South Koreans. And they have generally lived up to expectation, with the Sportage's ride quality sometimes compared to German models. The handling of the Rio is more than satisfactory, offering the smooth ride that one expects.
Don't expect any adrenalin rush in the speed and performance department, but it does have an improved 0-100km/h of 12.9 seconds for the 1.4-litre engine. There's not much change from the previous iterations - options include the 61kW/120Nm 1.2-litre (five-speed manual transmission) and the 73kW/135Nm 1.4-litre with the option of a six-speed manual or automatic.
The 1.2-litre version is fine, but it's easy to feel inferior on the highway. The 1.4-litre adds a feeling of confidence, even though the Rio does not have other cars' vigour in this segment - cars like the Polo and Fiesta.
Fuel consumption is not very impressive at around 8.0-litres/100km (combined).
Do you think the Kia Rio is a strong rival to the likes of the Polo and Fiesta? Email us with your opinion or use the comment section below.
Inside
This South Korean manufacturer has come a long way from the early days of the Kia interior. These days, generally, the Kia boasts fine interiors. Kia interiors are practical, superior looking and fashionable. The Kia Rio is no exception, even though there are minimal changes in this new Kia Rio.
Included are USB ports (back and front), six speakers in total, Bluetooth and, as expected, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. In the safety department, there are only front airbags, although the 1.4 TEC has protection for the front passengers during side impacts. The Rio is surprisingly spacious - again, not a surprise since it has about 2,5m between the axles. And no need to worry about extra luggage with space measuring 325 litres.
In addition to all the other niceties, the Rio 1.4 TEC (top of the range) has rain-sensing windscreen wipers, cruise control, electro-chromatic rear-view mirrors, leather seats and, as mentioned earlier, 17-inch alloy wheels. All Kias, including the Rio, come with a five-year unlimited km warranty and roadside assistance. All Rios come with a four-year/60 000km service plan, bar the 1.2 LS which has a two-year/60 000km service plan.
