All- new Kia Rio has improved styling, comfy ride

The subcompact Kia Rio continues to evolve as an all- new fourthgeneration sedan and five- door hatchback debut for 2018, each promising to be more stylish, better performing and providing more content than ever before.

EXTERIOR

Rio’s exterior styling features a European design theme that looks more attractive and upscale than last year’smodel. I like the new look. Forme, though, the hatchback looks nicer than the sedan. Plus, the hatchback offers improved versatility for carrying bulkier items when needed.

For those who prefer a sedan, the new generation four- door Rio is definitely better looking than its predecessor, benefitting from cleaner lines, shortened overhangs and the latest rendition of Kia’s tiger- nose grille.

INSIDE

Inside, the new Rio feels more spacious and comfortable. Up front, there is plenty of head and leg room for six- footers. The rear seat offers a bit more leg room than previously, but as is the case with other subcompact vehicles, there is not enough rear leg room for one six- footer to sit behind another six- footer.

If you have packages, Rio provides a pleasing 13.7 cubic feet of cargo space for the sedan and an impressive 17.4 cubic feet for the hatchback. With the rear seatbacks folded flat, the hatchback’s cargo area increases to a generous 32.8 cubic feet.

Kia redesigned the dashboard and it looks moremodern. Plus, the cabin is quieter.

TRIM LEVELS

There are additional features offered for 2018, but that depends on which trim level you choose. The 2018 Kia Rio is offered in three trim levels: LX, S, and EX.

The base LX model is priced around $ 14,000 and it is sparsely equipped. It has crank windows and does not offer Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, a backup camera or a center console. There are no options for the LX. If you want more content, you need to choose between the S ($ 16,100) or EX ($ 18,400) trim levels.

The S adds power windows, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, a backup camera, a center console, power/ heated outsidemirrors, and remote keyless entry. The EX adds alloy wheels, fog lights, upgraded cloth upholstery, leather- wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob, tilt- andtelescoping steering wheel, 3.5- inch instrument cluster display, 7- inch touchscreen audio display with Kia’s UVO3 infotainment system with voice recognition, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Forward CollisionWarning and Autonomous Emergency Braking.

Unfortunately, none of EX’s upgrades are offered as options in the other trim levels. Also, I was disappointed to find that blind spot detection is not offered in any Rio models, and navigation has been removed from Rio’s option list.

POWER

Powering all 2018 Kia Rio models is a 130- horsepower naturally- aspirated 1.6- liter four- cylinder engine. LX models can be equipped with either a 6- speed manual or 6- speed automatic transmission for an extra $ 1,090. The automatic comes standard in S and EX models. Fuel economy for the LX with the manual is 29/ 37 mpg city/ highway while Riomodels with the automatic are ratedat 28/ 37mpg.

My 2018 Kia Rio sedan tester was a top- of- the- line EX model. Power from the four- cylinder engine was adequate when I was driving solo, but felt underpowered when loaded down with four adults.

Merging onto the highway requires extra time and distance to get to speed. While cruising at boulevard speeds, my tester’s automatic transmission seemed unsure ofwhich gear to be in.

For a small, economical car, the new Rio feels solid and delivers a nice ride. The 2018 Kia Rio is likable and worthy of consideration in the highly competitive subcompact segment.