Super TestCar reviews - Kia - Rio - 5-dr hatch rangeKia modelsOverviewKia says its all-new light car will change brand perceptions, and we believe it31 Aug 2011 DESPITE evoking a Mardi Gras anthem, cheapo underwear, a song by New Romantic outfit Duran Duran and bargain-basement drive-away deals, Kia has retained the Rio name for its fifth-generation baby. But out goes the Aldi packaging for some Audi-style couture that the company hopes will man up the Rio’s rubbish image, aided by a concerted localisation effort to bring the undercarriage up from dreary to dynamic. Unfortunately, we have yet to sample the base 1.4 that most buyers will choose, but with newfound looks and swagger, the direct-injected 1.6-litre Si and SLi range-topper herald a formidable challenge to Mazda2 and co. Kia, cue the music, whistles and daiquiris, because your latest supermodel supermini might just be the life of the light-car party. Model release date: 1 August 2011 to 1 December 2014 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelA MASSIVE improvement over the flaky old 1986 Mazda 121-derived first-gen Rio to be sold in Australia for five years from 2000, the neatly styled five-door hatch and four-door sedan range introduced Hyundai’s all-new MC light-car platform to help Kia have a more competitive contender in a growing segment. |
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