The
Kia Rio is a
subcompact carA subcompact car is an automobile in a North American vehicle size class, encompassing vehicles smaller than compact cars...
produced by the
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
n automaker
Kia MotorsKia Motors , is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer with headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, owned by the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group. Its CEO is Chung Eui-sun. The American arm is Kia Motors America. On October 20, 2006, Kia Motors America formally hosted a groundbreaking...
and introduced in August 2000 for the 2001 model year. In the company's lineup, it replaced the smaller
Kia PrideThe Kia Pride is an automobile produced by South Korean manufacturer Kia Motors from March 1987 to 2000. It was a rebadged version of the Ford Festiva , which also sold in some markets as the Mazda 121...
, which ceased production in 2000.
Market and competition
Although it had some competition, the subcompact market segment was not particularly competitive for most automakers until roughly when the second generation Kia arrived. Kia retains a moderate portion of the segment with the Rio due to its strong value, but other competitors have been dominating recently with their more popular brand names and more persistent advertising.
First generation (DC)
The first-generation Rio was available as a five-door
hatchbackHatchback is a term designating an automobile design, containing a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind the vehicle by a single, top-hinged tailgate or large flip-up window...
and as a four-door sedan. The hatchback version was sold as the
Rio RX-V (
V:
five in
Roman numeralsRoman numerals are a numeral system of ancient Rome based on letters of the alphabet, which are combined to signify the sum of their values. The first ten Roman numerals are:...
) in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
Rio Look in
ChileChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, and simply
Rio in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
(as the sedan version was not offered there). In Greece, both
hatchbackHatchback is a term designating an automobile design, containing a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind the vehicle by a single, top-hinged tailgate or large flip-up window...
and sedan were sold as
Rio. In the
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the five-door Rio was marketed as a station wagon called
Rio Cinco (
cinco:
five in
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
and
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. It is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula around 2000 years ago...
).
The first-generation Rio offered only one engine for each year in the USA: a 96 hp 1.5-litre DOHC
I4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is a four-cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a...
gasoline engineToday, internal combustion engines in cars, trucks, motorcycles, aircraft, construction machinery and many others, most commonly use a four-stroke cycle...
from 2001 through 2002, then a larger version of the same engine, a 1.6-litre DOHC four-cylinder rated at , from 2003 through 2005. All years offered a choice of a five-speed
manual transmissionA manual transmission, or manual gearbox is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
or a four-speed
automaticAn automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
.
An alternative of a 1.3-litre (1343 cc) SOHC four-cylinder/eight-valve petrol (75 hp) was offered in some other countries, including the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
and
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
. A
diesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber during the final stage of compression...
was also available in other markets.
The USA-version hatchback came standard with
power steeringPower steering , assists the driver of an automobile in steering by directing a portion of the vehicle's power to traverse the axis of one or more of the roadwheels. On road going vehicles there has to be a mechanical linkage as a fail safe...
and a
tachometerA tachometer is an instrument that measures the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute on a calibrated analogue dial, but digital displays are increasingly common...
; these were optional on the sedan. However, marketing did not distinguish trim levels in the USA version.
The European version was marketed under several trim levels; standard equipment for all trims included
power steeringPower steering , assists the driver of an automobile in steering by directing a portion of the vehicle's power to traverse the axis of one or more of the roadwheels. On road going vehicles there has to be a mechanical linkage as a fail safe...
and radio. Additional features were available for promotion in Greece, including leather seats and car alarm.
Safety features were basic, consisting of
seat beltA seat belt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
s and an
airbagAn airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly in an automobile collision, to prevent vehicle occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or window....
for the driver.
ABSAn anti-lock braking system, or ABS is a safety system which prevents the wheels on a motor vehicle from locking up while braking....
was available as an option for entry-line cars but fitted by default for top of the range models (i.e., Rio LX, in the UK, and Rio LS, in Greece).
At one time, the Rio was the cheapest new car on the U.S. market, costing only
US$The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...
6995. Some US dealers even offered free base model Rios with purchase of a higher end vehicle, like the Kia Sedona
minivanA minivan, multi-purpose vehicle , people-carrier, people-mover or multi-utility vehicle is a type of automobile similar in shape to a van that is designed for personal use...
. In Greece, the cost was 9,990
€The euro is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain...
for the RIO LS, with a three-year pre-paid service plan included.
First Generation Face-Lift
Rio received a mild redesign for the 2003 model year including upgrades in engine, suspension, and brakes and other improvements with new styling outside including a different grille and headlights and inside a new instrument panel and console. In Europe, the face-lift Rio received minor changes in external look and engine improvement from to at 5500 rpm, and at 3000 rpm.
In Iran SAIPA Corporation started montaging the facelift version of KIA Rio in 2005. SAIPA chose the 1.5 engine that produces at 5500 rpm and torque at 4500 rpm. In Iran, KIA Rio is well known for its acceleration but it is criticized for its noisy engine. The SAIPA version of KIA Rio lacks ABS and Airbag in addition to some other features.
Second generation (DE)
Third generation
2011-
2005
The first generation was replaced in the early 2005 model year in Europe, arriving in the 2006 model year in North America. The second-generation Rio is based on a redesigned platform shared with the
Hyundai AccentThe Hyundai Accent , or Hyundai Verna in South Korea, is a subcompact car produced by Hyundai. In Australia, these models carried over the Hyundai Excel name, that was used by the Accent's predecessor. The Accent was replaced in 2000 by the Hyundai Verna in South Korea, although most international...
(prior to this, the Hyundai Accent was not related to the Rio). The engine was upgraded to a 110 hp 1.6-litre DOHC
four-cylinderThe inline-four engine or straight-four engine is a four-cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a...
engine now also shared with the Hyundai Accent. Other changes include a completely new design, an increase in exterior size and interior volume, an increased number of standard safety features, better
fuel economyFuel usage in automobiles refers to the relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed. There are no quantities or units for fuel usage defined in the International Standard ISO 31 Quantities and Units, so the nationally-defined reciprocal quantities fuel...
. The hatchback was renamed to
Rio5 in the USA.
2006
The 2006 sedan offers two trim levels, the base trim (with standard tachometer) and the LX trim (adding power steering, air conditioning, and a CD player). The Rio5 (USA) offers a single trim level, the SX trim, with the features of the LX trim plus some additional vanity elements, such as a leather-covered
steering wheelA steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
that suggest that Kia wishes to move the Rio upmarket. Just as in the first generation, only the five-door hatchback version is offered in some
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
an markets (including the UK).
Three engines are available (1.6L DOHC engine 110 hp/1.4L DOHC engine 97 hp/1.5L
TurbodieselTurbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
engine 109 hp). However, in the US market only the 1.6L gasoline engine is offered.
- (4-door-sedan)with 1.6L DOHC engine 110 hp 0-100 km/h 10.6 sec., 12.3sec. Top speed , MT, AT respectively.
- (5-door-hatch)with 1.6L DOHC engine 110 hp 0-100 km/h 9.9 sec., 11.9sec. Top speed , MT, AT respectively.
- Note: the new Rio(5Door-hatch) with 1.6L DOHC engine and manual transmission gear-box called (limited sports version)
- Note: The European version is also equipped with Diesel engines performing exceptional values in both fuel economy and torque. Diesel in most contries costs only 1000 to 1500 USD more than analog Otto motor version. With Diesel fuel being produced cheaper this engine model is best choice for the Rio/Rio5
2007
The 2007 Kia Rio is a carryover from 2006 with few changes. An SX trim level has been added to the Rio sedan, which adds to the LX trim the same features supplied with the Rio5 SX.
2008
For 2008, changes are mostly minimal. Kia has announced an LX trim for the Rio5, which will be equipped similarly to the Rio LX sedan. A limited production of Rio5 SX Tuner model vehicles were also produced exclusive to the Canadian market. These vehicles boast several mechanical improvements; including: Falken FK452 tires, size
205/40ZR17Tire code or Tyre code - Automobile tires are described by an alphanumeric code, which is generally molded into the sidewall of the tire. This code specifies the dimensions of the tire, and some of its key limitations, such as load-bearing ability, and maximum speed...
, Tanabe
strut tower braceA sway bar is an automobile suspension device. It connects opposite wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rate in the vertical direction...
and
EibachEibach stands forPlaces* a borough of Nuremberg, see Eibach * a borough of Dillenburg, see Eibach Rivers* a stream located in Swiss canton Basel-Country, see Eibach Buildings...
lowering
springsA Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...
(1 inch shorter in front and in back).
2009
For the 2009 model year, all Rio and Rio5 trims receive standard
Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in the United States and Canada, owned by Sirius XM Radio. Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and...
complimentary for three months. This is somewhat of a large change for the base trim, which last year was not offered with any radio. Base price has also gone up about $600. The radio also has
MP3 playerA digital audio player, sometimes referred to as an MP3 player, is a consumer electronic device that has the primary function of storing, organizing and playing audio files...
capabilities by having both a
USBUSB is a way of setting up communication between a computer and peripheral devices. USB is intended to replace many varieties of serial and parallel ports. USB can connect computer peripherals such as mice, keyboards, PDAs, gamepads and joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, personal...
port & an
auxiliary jackIn electronics and electrical assemblies, the term jack commonly refers to a surface-mounted connector, often with the female electrical contact or socket, and is the "more fixed" connector of a connector pair...
.
The Kia Rio ranked 5th in the "20 least expensive 2009 vehicles to insure" list by Insure.com. According to
researchResearch can be defined to be search for knowledge or any systematic investigation to establish facts. The primary purpose for applied research is discovering, interpreting, and the development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of...
, the Rio is one of the least expensive vehicle to insure.
In the UK and Europe the Kia Rio will be replaced by the upcoming
Kia VengaThe Kia Venga is a new subcompact hatchback produced by the South Korean automaker Kia Motors that will be unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. It is based on the platform of the Hyundai i20 subcompact....
in late 2009-early 2010. It will make its world premiere in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Hybrid version
A
hybridA hybrid electric vehicle combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional vehicle, or better performance. A variety of types of HEV...
version of the Rio is in development, in conjunction with the development of a hybrid version of its
HyundaiHyundai Motor Company , a division of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is the world’s fourth largest automaker in terms of units sold and one of the Big Asian Four...
twin, the Hyundai Accent . Both vehicles will use hybrid technology developed by Hyundai-Kia without licensed Toyota or
Hondais a Japanese multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume. Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become...
technology. A
conceptA concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car prototype made to showcase a concept, new styling, technology and more. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced.General Motors designer Harley Earl is...
model of the Kia Rio hybrid was shown at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show. The drivetrain is a lightweight design similar to Honda's power-assist hybrids, featuring regenerative braking, automatic engine shutoff when idling, and
continuously variable transmissionA continuously variable transmission is a transmission which can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that only allow a few different distinct gear ratios to be selected...
. The electric motor assists the engine in starting and accelerating but does not drive the vehicle on its own.
At present, about 4,000 pre-production Rio hybrid vehicles are being field-tested by the South Korean government's fleet. The release is tentatively scheduled for the 2009 model year. The planned release date of the hybrid Rio was originally announced as the 2007 model year in North America, but was subsequently postponed to at least 2009, along with the
Hyundai AccentThe Hyundai Accent , or Hyundai Verna in South Korea, is a subcompact car produced by Hyundai. In Australia, these models carried over the Hyundai Excel name, that was used by the Accent's predecessor. The Accent was replaced in 2000 by the Hyundai Verna in South Korea, although most international...
hybrid, due to the indictment of Hyundai's chairman for corruption. The Rio hybrid is expected to be visually identical to the non-hybrid Rio and to achieve a price point lower than hybrids from Honda and Toyota.
External links