2017 Kia Rio | new car sales price

Kia has unveiled its new weapon in the battle for city-car supremacy, pouring critical comfort and technology upgrades into its all-new Rio in an effort to bring the fight to segment leaders like the Hyundai Accent, Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris.

Launched against the backdrop of the Kia-sponsored Australian Open tennis in Melbourne, the 2017 Rio plugs some of the biggest gaps in the outgoing model's specification, one being inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the first time.

The fourth generation of Kia’s global best seller arrives in Australia with a single engine carried over from the outgoing model that's shared across three trim levels: the entry-level S, mid-spec Si and top-spec SLi. The 1.4-litre petrol engine is good for a modest 74kW at 6000rpm and 133Nm at 4000rpm.

Pricing will kick off from $16,990 for the S in six-speed manual-guise, while opting for a four-speed automatic will see that number climb to $19,090. Both the Si and SLi are auto-only propositions, priced at $21,490 and $22,990 respectively.

2017 Kia Rio Si

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2017 Kia Rio Si

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2017 Kia Rio Si

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2017 Kia Rio Si

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2017 Kia Rio Si

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An exterior rethink has seen the Rio’s 'Tiger' grille reshaped to be thinner and wider, and it is finished in gloss black on the Si and SLi trim levels. The headlight clusters have been reshaped across the range, while all but the entry-level S get new U-shaped LED daytime running lights.

The rear has been reshaped, too, with Kia describing the Rio’s new design as “wider and more confident” than the car it replaces, while the top-of-the-range SLi model now arrives with arrow-shaped LEDs at the back.

But the biggest changes occur in the cabin. The new Rio addresses the technology and convenience shortcomings of the car it replaces, with Kia's GM of product development, Roland Rivero, promising: "a more tech-savvy vehicle than ever before".

For a start, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto arrive as standard, regardless of the trim level, while an interior overhaul is headlined by a new 7.0-inch touchscreen designed to look like it’s 'floating' in a dash that is now angled toward the driver.

All trim levels now arrive with keyless entry, while rain-sensing wipers, navigation, automatic headlights and cruise control make an appearance on the higher model grade standard inclusion lists.

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2017 Kia Rio S

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2017 Kia Rio S

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2017 Kia Rio S

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The Rio’s wheelbase has grown by 10mm while the car itself has grown by 15mm in length, with Kia claiming it now offers one of the most spacious cabins in its class. Legroom has grown in both the front and rear seats, and head and shoulder room were also key design benchmarks. Luggage space is a handy 325 litres, and the rear seats split 60/40 to increase that number to 980 litres.

While yet to be tested, Kia is expecting to match the outgoing car’s maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, with a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors joining hill start assist, cornering brake control and straight line stability systems. Auto emergency braking is notably absent, however, even on the higher specification vehicles.

Like the car before it, this fourth-generation Rio has been tuned locally, with the brand’s Aussie HQ demanding different damper valves to the international spec, which allowed them to tweak the ride set up to suit our road surfaces. The car’s engineers are also promising a more rigid chassis, more feel to the steering and a more linear response from the suspension.

“While the days of Kia being the Rio car company in Australia are long past, the model remains a core plank in the growth and success of the brand in our market,” says Kia Australia’s COO, Damien Meredith.

“With the improvements and the additional technology and connectivity in the all-new Rio we expect it to remain one of our primary drivers of increased sales and brand awareness in the Australian market.”

Has Kia leap-frogged the competition with its new Rio? Tell us what you think in the comments below.