Sexy little Korean impresses
STOP-START FUNCTION HELPS TO LOWER CONSUMPTION AND TO REST YOUR FEET It’s no speed freak’s dream, but is is an elegant, inexpensive and well-behaved companion.
Afew years ago I worked as a promoter for the Kia car brand. At the time I knew nothing about cars, especially the specs. Not much has changed – but at least now I can decipher what men are on about when they talk about tyre profiles, engines and certain parts.
(Mind you, this could also be due to the fact that I own a car that basically lives in the mechanic’s backyard. Sad to admit but true.)
Part of my Kia duties included going to car school for two weeks, where we received extensive training on the Kia range of cars and how to market them to mostly male buyers who want to purchase a new vehicle that at times can be viewed as unfashionable.
Trying to convert a buyer from their usual German-made sedan to a Korean car isn’t the easiest task, but its do-able.
Firstly, the designer of the current Kia range is Peter Schreyer, who is one of three presidents of the company. The interesting fact about Peter is that he designed the iconic Audi TT. He came into Kia, redesigned and transformed a fleet of cars, cars which previously didn’t appeal to the upwardly mobile. His designs made them visually appealing, which added to the brand’s core attributes of being great on fuel, yet also environmentally friendly.
Stepping into the latest silver Kia Rio hatch 1.2 LS, I pictured Peter’s vision when he designed these cars and I must admit he achieved it with the outward appearance.
Another great aspect of the car is it’s a six-speed. I drive a sixspeed manual on the daily commute, so it certainly didn’t feel like a huge adjustment.
Being short doesn’t help much with parking, no matter how high you adjust your seat. That’s where features like park assist are a plus. The car has been manufactured so that when you’re parking, the rear camera goes on and the sound system lowers the volume.
The Rio has a Hyundai-Kia engine. With a Rio you’re not looking for performance, you’re looking for reliability. And you get it. I have never heard anyone say Hyundai or Kia engines aren’t reliable.
The boot space on the car is immense, so I didn’t waste any time transferring my “moving closet” into the boot. Us girls do that at times: coats, a pair of flats and a good pair of heels. You never know where you might end up.
Fuel consumption on a Rio is really low. The “stop-start” function, apart from helping with economy by switching off the engine when you’re stationery, allows you to rest your feet in hectic Joburg traffic – it’s a welcome feature in any car.
I’m a speed freak and although this car isn’t very fast, it’ll force you to behave on the roads and not harass other drivers.
What didn’t work for me were parts of the interior that just felt too plastic. On the other hand, that makes sense because the car isn’t too pricey at around R224 995 for the hatch manual. But it does offer you features you wouldn’t get for the same price on another vehicle ... so maybe the manufacturer made a bit of a sacrifice when it came to the inside or maybe they assumed the driver wouldn’t care. They may have been right.
How would I describe the Rio if it was a person? She would be just like her name, fun, friendly, cosmopolitan and sexy.