2006 Kia Rio Review

Specifications

Safe and Reliable Motoring

First, at this years Geneva International Motor Show, and then in New York, Kia introduced its all-new never before seen subcompact, the Rio. Hold on a second. Didnt the South Korean brand already do that at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit? While this is indeed true, the vehicle introduced in Europe and then in the Big Apple was a practical and sporty five-door liftback, a body style that appeals to European buyers and trendy North Americans. The Detroit debut was of the notchback four-door sedan, which is favored by the less trendy on this side of the globe.

The whole notion of separate release dates and international debuts is just a not-so-subtle hint as to how Kia is planning to play its future cards in a big way. The South Korean firm, owned and controlled by that countrys other automotive giant Hyundai, wants to project itself into the top five automobile manufacturers in the world by 2010. Theres no better way to get the attention of the public than by releasing its cars to the right audience at the right time.

As with the Sportage SUV, the Spectra compact and the pocket-sized Picanto (not sold in North America), the Rio has been revamped under Kias new corporate strategy. Bearing the weight of a reputation for building low-quality, bottom-rung vehicles (the worst offender being the original Rio), Kia hopes that the new liftback and sedan will improve the companys and models images in customers minds.

“The new Rio offers customers more space, more power, higher performance, better handling, a smoother ride and enhanced fuel economy,” says Mr. Yong Hwan Kim, VP of Kia Motors. Id say thats as good a start as any.

From the technical specifications list, the Rio5 doesnt appear to offer anything special. It rides on a small, compact chassis that has MacPherson struts in front and a space-saving torsion beam in rear. Of course, power steering will be standard, but really, this means little as the previous car utilized these readily-available technologies. What will count, however, is the way the car rides, steers and corners. Kias press release beams that the car will deliver “responsive handling and a supple, comfortable ride,” but well reserve our comments until we drive it.

Regardless of how well it drives, the new Rio5 is already shaping up to be a much better vehicle in terms of its design. Space has been used more efficiently by reducing overhangs and creating a cab forward body. At 157.8 inches long, the new Rio5 is both shorter than the Cinco model it replaces, but also the 165.4 inch-long new-generation sedan. The more compact length sees a slight increase of width by 0.6 inches and a whopping growth in height and wheelbase length - an incredible 2.0 inches taller, and 3.5 inches longer, respectively. These increases will, without a doubt, project the Rio from cramped to reasonably spacious.

If the Rio5s styling may be familiar to you, this is because the production variant was previewed last September at the 2004 Paris show with the Sport concept. In the transformation to a production model, the concepts sleek, Lexus-like lines and toned figure may have been lost, but the general shape and profile have been maintained. Definitely taller, the Rios facial details including the headlamps and grille have been stretched upwards, while the fascia is finished with black plastic rub strips instead of sleek, wrap-around LED appliqué.

Much the same can be said about the cars tail, which has also been toned down. The scalloped tailgate, deemed too bold for production, was replaced with a flatter panel, while the waterfall LED tail lamps were ousted for red-and-white tinted tail lamps. Also changed is the rear portion of the upper window line, which has been filled in with black plastic to form a complete arch. A thin lip spoiler on the upper ledge of the liftback replaces the concepts wild wing, rounding out the cheerful looking compact.

Where the Sport Concept featured a high-performance 200-horsepower turbocharged engine, we regret to inform you that the mass-produced version will be offered with dramatically less-powerful motors. Kia will offer three engines - two gasoline powerplants, and a new common-rail turbodiesel motor. The diesel, developed by Hyundai, is a first for the Rio, and will be a vital component to its success in European markets. As usual, its unlikely that well get this economical inline-four due to poor quality fuels and a general lack of demand.

As for petrol-power, Kia will serve up the Rio5 with a choice between a 1.4-liter and a 1.6-liter inline four. The former is a new, high-efficiency 16-valve design which develops around 97 horsepower and 95 lb-ft of torque, impressive figures for its pint-sized (OK, three pint) displacement. The other motor is also an all-new design, featuring variable valve timing to improve performance and fuel economy. Peak performance for the larger motor is 110 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque. While its uncertain whether the smaller engine will make it to North America, the larger one has already been confirmed, making it the most powerful car in its class.

As in the Spectra compact and Sportage SUV, Kia is taking passenger safety seriously. Aside from a more rigid structure, the Rio will offer a whole host of features including standard three-point seatbelts for all five passengers, four-wheel disc brakes with optional ABS, and, like its sedan counterpart, a full count of airbags including front, side and full-length curtain airbags as standard. Effectively, this replaces the Spectra as the cheapest car on the market to feature curtain airbags as standard.

While the final specifications have yet to be confirmed, Kia will undoubtedly lead the pack of subcompacts with class-leading value, as it has been doing for quite some time now. While power amenities like windows, mirrors and keyless entry will probably be limited to the upscale models, the basic Rio5 will come with a decent array of standard features and one of the best warranties in the business: 60 months, 60,000 miles comprehensive and 120 months, 100,000 miles powertrain.

As of right now, Kia has not released any information as to when the Rio5 will arrive, or how much it will cost. However, in order to maintain its position as a value-leader, it will have to be competitive. My guess is that the liftback model will begin at under $10,000 - far less than the $11,500 MSRP of the base Cinco - in order to get the upper hand on competitors.

The new Rio5 may not be advanced and may not have badge prestige, but it will bring safe and reliable motoring to the masses, which should help it to be the most successful compact Korean car to date.