KIA RIO
Modern threads, tired heart
GOOD, but not quite good enough to trouble the light-car elite was the story with the previous-generation Rio. Kia’s popular city car has hovered on the cusp of segment leadership for a generation now, thanks to its locally tuned chassis, solid equipment levels and the assurance of its sevenyear warranty, but it lacked the dynamic polish and drivetrain sparkle to truly rival the likes of the Mazda 2 and Volkswagen Polo.
Enter the fourth-generation Rio. Bigger and better equipped than before, the new-gen Rio brings a welcome dose of maturity to Kia’s compact-car line-up. Riding on a new platform and a wheelbase that has grown by 10mm (overall length is up 15mm), the Rio makes the most of its boosted dimensions with a crisp, wellproportioned exterior design that looks distinctly European.
Penned by Kia’s design centres in Germany and California, the Rio is conservatively handsome in all three trim grades (S, Si and SLI).
It’s the same story inside, where a floating 7.0-inch touchscreen adds Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity. You notice the extra-space too. Leg and shoulder room has increased in both rows, and there’s ample headroom for 6ft-plus passengers in the rear. The seats (cloth in S and Si, fake leather in SLI) are firm but comfortable and provide decent back and thigh support.
While neatly designed inside, the ambience is monochromatic and dark, with none of the design flair or colour you find in a Mazda 2. But there is plenty of useful storage including large bins in the doors and a two-level cubby in front of the gear lever to store phones and wallets.
There’s plenty of equipment, too. Every Rio scores a reversing camera, keyless entry, automatic headlights and power windows and Si grades and above add satnav, DAB radio and cruise control.
Pricing remains unchanged and starts at $16,990 for the six-speed manual S (well above entry-level models from Mazda, Honda and Toyota which all begin below $15K) before topping out at $ 22,990 for the SLI automatic.
Where the Rio really stumbles, though is under the bonnet. Kia has dumped the old car’s muscular 1.6-litre direct-injection donk, meaning that for now, the sole engine option is an old and uninspiring 1.4-litre lump. Carried over from the previous-gen Rio, this atmo four-pot has undergone small efficiency improvements for a minor fuel consumption gain (6.2L/100km), a move that has seen outputs drop slightly to a modest 74kw/133nm.
Pairing the 1.4 to a dated fourspeed auto doesn’t help things (only the base S scores a six-speed manual option), though the Rio does offer acceptable performance around town with decent step-off from the lights. It’s on the open road that the lack of ratios – and the 1.4’s torque-light mid-range and harsh top end – becomes problematic, making steep hills and foot-flat overtaking a lethargic, noisy experience.
At least the dynamics make up for the disappointing drivetrain. Like most of Kia’s range, the Rio has been fettled for Aussie roads by Kia’s local chassis team, and the result is handling that feels taut, controlled and, on twisty roads, even fun. The steering in particular is a highlight, and is well-weighted, fluid and accurate.
So while the new Rio offers important steps forward in terms of design, quality, connectivity and dynamics, it’s a disappointing throwback to yesteryear under the bonnet. And in this saturated, cutthroat section of the market, that’s enough to cruel the Rio’s attempt to leap to the top of its class.