Kia to Unveil New 2006 Rio in Detroit Next Month

New Rio to be More Stylish, Sportier and Roomier than Predecessor

At $9,740, the Kia Rio remains the least expensive 4-door sedan in the U.S., and other than the 5-door Chevy Aveo at $9,455, the cheapest set of wheels money can buy. Yet despite being inexpensive it offers attractive styling and unexpected features for the subcompact class.

Yet despite being inexpensive it offers attractive styling and unexpected features for an entry-level car. While sales have been strong throughout its first five years on the market, an update is necessary to keep the tiny sedan at the forefront of the subcompact the segment.

An all-new 2006 Kia Rio is forthcoming, scheduled to be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month, on January 11th. According to Kia, it will be "sportier, more powerful and roomier."

Teasing would-be buyers Kia released two official sketches yesterday, December 14, 2004, showing a much more stylish Rio. The changes will run more than just skin deep, however, having been completely redesigned from the tires up to the greenhouse, for a car Kia says features "a longer wheelbase, a wider track and more horsepower than its predecessor, providing better handling, a smoother ride and improved levels of performance."

In a press release Kias Senior Executive Vice-President and COO Yong-Hwan Kim commented, "Building on the overwhelming success of its predecessor, Kias new Rio is challenging the B-segment by establishing a new level of style, performance, and dependability that matches the needs of our young sporty customers."

The South Korean automaker also states that the 2006 Rio will offer more room than the outgoing model inside, with greater front and rear legroom and higher levels of comfort overall.

The new design is based on Kias Sport concept car that debuted at the Paris Motor Show in September of this year (see Concept archives under Kia for Oct 25, 2004: 2004 Kia Sport Concept), a racy looking subcompact hatch that looks to be a sure winner among the sport compact tuner crowd.

In North America the 2006 Rio will get a 1.6-liter gasoline powered four-cylinder that Kia only says "boasts additional torque and horsepower compared to its predecessor." The current Rio features a 104-horsepower 16-valve, DOHC 1.6 liter engine, with 104 lb-ft of torque.

Being that Kia is wholly owned by Hyundai, when its Spectra was upgraded for this year the automaker chose to adopt the general architecture and drivetrain from the next-generation Elantra, to cut costs through economies of scale and arrive at a higher quality product more capable of fighting it out in the competitive C-segment.

While the new Spectra received the exact same engine as the current Elantra, which at 138-horsepower was deemed adequate to compete strongly in its segment, the new Rio will most likely not use the current Accent powertrain as it only adds 2 lb-ft of torque to the Rios 104, for 106. Its power rating is identical at 104-horspower.

Therefore, we can expect either a significantly upgraded or entirely new 1.6-liter engine, which will be shared between the Rio and Accent.

In Europe, base Rios will come with a 1.4 liter four-cylinder, with upgraded models receiving the 1.6. A diesel will also be available, displacing 1.5 liters. There is no mention of the diesel being offered in North America after 2006, when diesel fuel is to be upgraded in order to pass new, more stringent emissions standards.

Yet even with a single engine choice, as the car is offered now, it should be popular in Canada and the U.S.

"Kia is excited about the prospects of the new Rio as it offers a complete package of driving excitement, quality and value, and we are looking forward to the world premiere of the new 5-door Rio at the Geneva Motor Show in March," added Kim.

The B-segment, or subcompact class, is growing in Canada, mind you, with Chevrolets new Korean-made Aveo stealing sales from Kia and Hyundai, and Toyotas Echo always strong in the segment.

Kia is a brand that most people consider good value, however, which in some ways gives it an advantage at the low end of the market. If the new Rio will end up as attractive as the Sport concept the brand showed in Paris, it should do extremely well despite the competitive market segment.