Kia Rio 2006 News

With the arrival of the Soul, Cerato and Sorento, Kia adopted the new ‘H’ signature grille from chief designer Peter Schreyer. Now it's the Rio's turn. Kia Australia spokesman, Jonathan Fletcher, says the new-look Rio sedan and hatch are perhaps the most important models to get the signature Schreyer treatment. "They are our volume sellers so the family association is very important," he says. This leaves the Rondo and Carnival as the only two remaining local Kias that do not have the new family face. Fletcher says an updated Sportage is expected to get some cosmetic improvements in September but it may not get the new family face as the next-generation off-roader is due next-year. "My guess is that they will hold off the new face for the Sportage until the new model," he says. "The nose design precludes dramatically altering the grille." The new-look Rio is expected to arrive in local showrooms by October at the earliest. Apart from the family grille the Rio gets a revised front bumper with larger air intakes and new foglights. Equipment has been upgraded and the cabin gets higher-quality materials. Inside, there are new instruments, centre console and upgraded CD-stereo system with Bluetooth connectivity. The car's green instrument lighting has been changed to red backlighting. On the outside, some models are tipped to get five-spoke alloys and there are Euro-style indicator lights in the mirrors. Called Kia Pride in South Korea, the current Rio has been on sale here since 2005. Apart from being the brand's local best seller it has also been one of the top-five selling Kia cars globally. Like the Cerato and Soul, the Rio also gets the new three-spoke steering-wheel design. Under the bonnet, the 1.4-litre four cylinder is likely to carry over but buyers will get an updated 1.6-litre petrol engine that has been tweaked for better fuel economy and lower emissions. Prices are expected to remain close to the current car's $14,990 entry point. The 81kW/235Nm 1.5-litre CRDi turbo-diesel engine available in Europe remains unlikely for Australia.

NRMA motoring services has a program, Free2go, dedicated to young people. The three-year program offers free advice to young people and free roadside assistance for 17- and 18-year-olds.NRMA Insurance head of industry research, Robert McDonald, says young people shouldn't rush their purchase and should compare what's on offer after a good look at websites, newspapers and magazines."Buy as new a car as you can, avoid buying an older car to save money," he says.And McDonald urges young people to consider safety as one of the top priorities, claiming new cars are the best way to go."There are some small cars, like the Toyota Yaris, with excellent safety equipment for a low price," he says. "Side curtain airbags are dramatically effective in reducing head injuries, and you have ABS and stability control in many small cars, an added advantage."McDonald says people should also look out for stability control, which prevents the car getting out of control and sliding, particularly when going faster than expected.But if buyers can't afford a new or nearly new car, McDonald says there are some things to look out for in older models."If you are stuck with an older car, medium or larger cars would be a little better, safer than an old small car," he says."Make sure safety equipment is up to date, especially seat belts. There are a lot of cars from the late 1980s and early '90s that have airbags, you should be looking for at least driver and passenger airbags."Plenty of cars from the mid-1990s also feature ABS, McDonald says.And while image may play an important part in the final decision, a recent survey by the youth insurer branch of AAMI, Just Car Insurance, shows young people are more car savvy when it comes to purchasing than they're often given credit for. The national survey of 1053 young people, aged between 18 and 24, shows the look and appearance of a car is not necessarily a top priority. A total of 93 per cent rate value for money as an important factor when purchasing a car.Young people are also aware of the importance of safety and security, with 85 per cent of respondents ranking these as significant factors. More than half say environmental friendliness is also a key factor.Sheree Masters, 17, bought her first car in October last year, five months before she had her provisional licence. She bought a 2000 model Toyota RAV4, a car she's always had her heart set on. Masters purchased her vehicle from a dealership for just over $20,000."I saved up half of it, I have been working since I was 14, and I got a loan for the other half," she says.And while looks and appearance topped her list, she wasn't about to sacrifice safety."I wanted something I would be safe getting around in," she says. "I have to admit, the appearance did come first. But safety features like ABS, electric windows and central locking so I feel safe, and airbags were important."Masters turned to her father for advice when shopping for her first car. "My dad knows a lot about cars so he told me what I should be looking for, but besides that, I pretty much made the decision myself," she says."I always wanted to have my own car, that way I could call it my own, it's something I have earned myself. I'm never out of my car, I'm in it every day," she says. "Friends' places, to work, everywhere." Masters is hoping to slightly modify her vehicle with mag wheels and darker window tinting.McDonald reminds young people to be cautious if purchasing a modified vehicle, as they are often harder to insure."Make sure you check with the insurer that the modification is acceptable to them," he says. "Lower suspension, wide wheels or elaborate paint work can dramatically effect the cost of insurance."He says owners should especially check that engine modifications don't affect its ability to be insured.How to get a good dealNRMA motoring expert, Tim Pomroy, says buying your first car requires researching what to look out for, the bargains and the rip-offs. He's given the CARSguide a few key elements to be on the lookout for.Under $5000Don't be fooled into buying something if it "looks good". It may have mechanical problems, which will cost you more than the initial price to keep it on the road. Make sure the car has a recent or long registration. This indicates that it has at least had a registration inspection and the fundamentals should be okay. Also, if you're unsure, you probably need to spend a couple of hundred dollars for a vehicle inspection.While private sales are popular in this category, Pomroy says that as used car prices have recently decreased, you could also potentially get something from a car yard."It might be cheap for a reason: high miles, or a car that doesn't have a good reputation for reliability."Under $10,000There are some good bargains to be had, Pomroy says. "Some Commodores and Falcons from the 1990s are available for a couple of thousand of dollars upwards." But he warns there are issues with bigger cars, especially the running costs, and people should consider if they really need a large car."Identify what the use of the car will be. If it's for uni or to leave at the station and mainly suburban, short trips, a small four-cylinder car with an engine capacity of 1.6-litre would be ideal," he says."If you're doing a lot of country driving or commuting long distances, a larger car with a slightly bigger capacity engine might be a better choice."European models also come into play in this category as well as prestige cars.Pomroy warns European cars can be quite expensive to service and maintain, but he says if you know what you're looking for, there are some bargains to be had in some older prestige cars. Key safety features to be on the lookout for are ABS and airbags."In and around the $5000 mark will have driver airbags and perhaps passenger airbags," Pomroy says.Above $10,000You're nearly in the territory of buying a new small car. There are many small cars at affordable prices, such as the Kia Rio, Hyundai Getz, with nearly half a dozen models offering a good warranty and new features, according to Pomroy.The disadvantage is that you're buying a car that may be a little more basic than a bigger second-hand model from three or four years ago.Larger second-hand cars also come into play here, with petrol prices contributing to lower price tags.

Nick Adamidis, national sales and marketing manager for automotive research company Glass's Information Service, says people are being forced to sell their cars cheaply."The new-car market has been booming for the past few years and as a result there's an oversupply in the market place, which means that used cars are not necessarily bringing the prices people believe they are worth," he said."The price of fuel has had a big effect on cars with V8 engines, for example, which are depreciating faster than other vehicles as people try to get rid of them."People now expect a discount if they are buying a V8, because of their petrol usage."In 2000, a three-year-old V6-engined Holden Commodore Executive sedan could be bought for just over 50 per cent of its original purchase price, but today buyers have to pay only 44 per cent of the original price.Mr Adamidis said drops in tariffs on imported vehicles were also driving prices down."It affects the whole market, because if the makers of imported vehicles drop their price by $2000 or $3000 then the local makers have to drop their prices as well to stay competitive," he said."It's a great time to be buying a used car — it's a buyers' market."But we've still got a fair way to go. In the US and the UK, where the markets are more free, the average car, after three years, is worth 30 per cent of the original purchase price."In Australia, the average is 45 per cent, but we're heading in that direction and we'll get there in the next five to seven years."The drop in used-car prices has also been noted by the NSW Department of Commerce, which manages the Government's fleet.A department spokeswoman said State Fleet had tracked a downward trend in the prices it was getting for its used vehicles.Large, locally manufactured cars have had the biggest drop with much less in the small car segment. The drop in prices was spurring sales, however, with clearance rates at government auctions over the past two weeks of 99 per cent and 94 per cent, respectively.David Smith, senior manager of divisional services for the Motor Traders' Association of NSW, said prices would continue to fall."Some of the less fuel-efficient cars are definitely feeling it, but small cars are holding their value fairly well," he said."That's a reflection of the new-car market, because a lot of people are buying smaller cars and a lot of them are being traded in."He said that used-car dealers were the ones being squeezed by the price falls."There are a lot of dealers out there who are doing it tough," Mr Smith added. BEST VALUE RETAINED*SmallSubaru Impreza ............. 62%Mini Cooper .................. 61%Mitsubishi Lancer .......... 59% MediumSubaru Liberty .............. 58%Mazda 6 ....................... 55%Honda Accord ............... 53% LargeToyota Camry(4cyl) ....... 45%Toyota Aurion ............... 42%Ford Falcon LPG ........... 42% 4WDNissan X-Trail ................ 64%Subaru Forester ............ 63%BMW X3 ....................... 61% WORST VALUE RETAINEDSmallKia Rio ......................... 38%Suzuki Swift ................. 38%Proton Savvy ................. 38% MediumKia Optima ................... 37%Kia Magentis ................ 37%Hyundai Grandeur ......... 37% LargeNissan Maxima ............. 37%Ford Fairmont ............... 34%Ford Falcon .................. 32% 4WDLand Rover Freelander ... 42%Land Rover Discovery .... 40%Ssangyong Musso ........ 40%* Based on wholesale prices of three-year-old vehicles in average condition.

Industry figures released this week show the real boom in the market has been in four-cylinder cars valued at less than $25,000.Known as the light car segment, sales in the division are up 22.7 per cent for the year to date on last year, while the large car segment is down the same figure. Last month light cars were up by 31.4 per cent on August last year.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Peter Sturrock says this trend has increased over the past couple of years, with a recent acceleration put down to high petrol prices."Well, quite simply because they are more fuel efficient, small and less expensive to purchase in the first place and they're less expensive to run," Sturrock says.A total of 10,806 light cars were sold last month and 77,650 sold this year, which is 14,346 more than last year. Leading the line-up is the Toyota Yaris, with a starting price of $14,990, which recorded 2673 sales in August, taking the total to 18,064 for the year to date.Added to this figure are the remaining 304 Echos that Toyota has sold this year, before the nameplate was changed to be consistent with the Yaris badging used in Europe.Hyundai's small Getz, named Australia's Best Small Car for 2005 by Australia's auto clubs, has also achieved an increase in sales, with 1738 models sold last month, and 13,863 for the year, an 18.4 per cent improvement over the same period last year.Getz prices start at $13,990 and stretch to $18,380. The cheapest car on the market, the Holden Barina, starting at $13,490, has the third highest sales for the segment, with 1091 sales in August and 9567 for the year to date.The Barina is followed by the Suzuki Swift, Honda Jazz and Kia Rio, all recording between 5500 and 6800 sales each for the year-to-date and just under 100 sales in August.Sturrock says while fuel prices are contributing to a shift to these cars, good value at a low price is also converting buyers."The small cars now are very well equipped," he says. "Some years ago they were the basic models, but now they're well equipped with safety and anti-theft, occupant protection, airbags and ABS, and they often have Electronic Stability Control."Features in this segment on cars such as the Yaris and Getz include front airbags, an MP3 compatible CD system, airconditioning, power windows, central locking and ABS. Some even come with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and anti-skid technology.Holden's Barina offers airconditioning as standard, a feature that has to be bought as an option in the $34,990 base model VE Commodore Omega. The Hyundai Getz also offers a five-year/130,000km warranty.Toyota spokesman, Mike Breen, says this segment also offers a good alternative to second-hand cars."With the options that you can get on a brand new car, plus the new car warranty, it's quite appealing, especially to younger people," he says. And it seems a wide variety of buyers are purchasing these light cars, from students through to families and retirees.Hyundai spokesman Richard Power says its small cars, the Getz and Accent, are finding a market among a variety of drivers."We get quite a few young people buying it as their first new car and there's loyalty from senior motorists, who don't need a big car any more and are very attracted by the long warranty," he says. Overall, the car market has dropped by 3.4per cent on last year, with 642,383 vehicles sold, a decrease of 22,513 vehicles. August was also down from 2005 by 4516 vehicles.In the small car segment, sales are up 3 per cent year-to-date, with the Toyota Corolla the segment leader with 4147 sales in August and 31,705 Corollas sold this year. But small car sales also experienced a slight drop last month, down 1.3 per cent or 244 vehicles.Sturrock says that although the large car segment is down by 26,461 vehicles, it is still an important part of the market."It has reduced over time from what it was to where it is today," he says. "But it's still about 25 per cent of the passenger car market. You see very strong interest in the new Holden Commodore and the new Toyota Camry, there's been an excellent reaction."WHAT'S SELLINGToyota Yaris 18,368Hyundai Getz 13,863Holden Barina 9567Suzuki Swift 6703Honda Jazz 5936Kia Rio 5579Ford Fiesta 4407Mazda2 3934Hyundai Accent 3593Mitsubishi Colt 1516VW Polo 1337Peugoet 206 1071Citroen C3 486Proton Savvy 357smart fortwo 326Renault Clio 173Citroen C2 139smart forfour 132Fiat Punto 113Daihatsu Sirion 40Proton Satria 9Suzuki Ignis 1*Source: VFacts (light car sales 2006 to end August)Note: Yaris sales includes 304 Echo salesTHE CHEAPIESHolden Barina from $13,490Hyundai Getz from $13,990Proton Savvy from $13,990Toyota Yaris from $14,990Hyundai Accent from $15,990Mitsubishi Colt from $15,990Suzuki Swift from $15,990Ford Fiesta from $15,990Honda Jazz from $15,990Kia Rio from $15,990Mazda2 from $16,335Peugeot 206 from $16,990VW Polo from $16,990

The Fiat Punto is of particular interest at the Adelaide Motor Show because it signals the return to Australia of passenger cars under the Fiat banner. The Punto is the number one selling small car in Europe so far this year and is sure to shake things up in Australia when it arrives in the middle of this year. Returning to passenger cars in Australia with a small car is a well-researched move for Fiat, at least according to movements within the local industry.Holden boss Denny Mooney stated clearly that 2005 was the year of the small car, at least for the Elizabeth-based manufacturer. With new models fl owing into the country from around the world, obviously the bosses at many other marques think a similar way.The trend to smaller cars began in earnest last year – in line with rising fuel prices. A total of about 90,000 light and 215,000 small cars were sold last year, with lights up 6000 units on the previous year and smalls up 34,000 units. In September, Toyota’s 1.8-litre four-cylinder Corollas out-sold the Holden Commodore – widely considered to be Australia’s favourite car – by about 100 units.There is no suggestion that Mr Mooney and other Holden heads were simply reacting to that little towelling by Toyota when it began rolling out its lightweight Korean-built products including Barina and Viva late last year, but it is indicative of how local makers have had to arrange their product line-ups to be competitive. Holden, with its highly successful Astra models and the Barina and Viva ranges, now has its largest fl eet of small car options – many of which will be at Wayville.Toyota certainly has not dropped the ball. Its Echo replacement, the Yaris, is selling like little hot cakes in its hatch version – with the recently released sedan model also expected to draw plenty of attention in coming months.Ford Australia boss Tom Gorman said heading towards the end of last year that Ford had completely under-called the growth in the small car segment. Ford struggled to get the number of Focus vehicles it could sell out of its South African plant. But the Blue Oval badge company will this year try to excite the small car segment with its much anticipated XR5 Focus.All the while, Asian car makers including Hyundai, with its award-winning Getz, and Kia with an all-new Rio range, added to the competition.Nissan has chipped in with the new Tiida and the Suzuki Swift last year won CARSguide Car of the Year as the small car range grew dramatically. As the popularity of the segment grows, so too does the commitment to safety.Toyota, with its Yaris range, appears to be leading the way. But other manufacturers, particularly Hyundai – with its safety pack on the Getz – judged Australia’s Best Small Car by the nation’s motoring organisations – also have not ignored the issue of safety.

The national launch of the Echo replacement brought in media from around the country to witness what is becoming a battle of the boot bulge in the light car class.It follows GM Holden's recent launch of the sedan version of its Korean-built Barina. The only other light car sedan is the Kia Rio, also from South Korea. All will be on show in Brisbane.The first body blow in the battle was felt by Barina which scored a poor crash-test rating this week for its European equivalent — the Chevrolet Aveo — in the European New Car Assessment Program. Holden disagrees with the testing procedure and has asked for the car to be retested. Meanwhile, the Japanese-built Yaris received a maximum five-star occupant rating in the same tests.Barina delivered a counter blow, coming in at $14,490 for the five-speed manual and $16,490 for the four-speed auto, which undercuts the Rio at $15,990 (manual) and $17,990 (auto).Yaris will cost $17,690, up $1200 on the Echo manual sedan, and $19,190 for the auto, an extra $1400, but still under the $20,000 barrier.It now includes a host of standard safety features such as ABS, brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution, while Barina features ABS as part of an $1190 option pack which also includes 15-inch alloys. Rio does not have ABS.Yaris, Barina and Rio sedans come with dual airbags standard, but Yaris has optional front side airbags and full-length curtain shield airbags for an extra $750.Barina features the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine as the hatch with 76kW of power, the Kia also has a 1.6-litre engine with 82kW, while the smaller 1.5-litre Yaris engine produces a comparable 80kW. The 1.3-litre VVT-i engine option is only available on the Yaris three-door hatch.The Yaris sedan is in a different league with its high level of standard specification that includes electronic throttle, electric power-assisted steering, and tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel.There is a host of accessories, including touch-screen satellite navigation, a six or four-disc MP3-capable CD changer, parking sensors and 15-inch sports wheels.Yaris sedan is longer and wider than the Echo sedan, but with the same turning circle of 9.8m and a lower roof. Toyota claims it is now a roomier car for passengers as well as cargo with a 475-litre boot, up nine litres on Echo.The chassis has been made more rigid to match the larger footprint on the road with a substantial front cross member and a series of body braces and reinforcing panels. The more rigid chassis also contributes to lower cabin noise which is further reduced by an aluminium cylinder block, a fully balanced crankshaft and an aerodynamic body.Suspension also has been beefed up with multi-leaf control valve dampers to reduce body roll as well as soak up bumps in the road.The new sedan is one of the first developed under Toyota's Eco-Vehicle Assessment System which measures the environmental impact from its production to its use and even to its eventual disposal.Environmental impact is reduced through use of water-based paint, elimination of PVC, fuel-efficient engine, power-saving air-conditioning and easier dismantling for recycling.Yaris sedan comes in nine colours; six are new and three are shared with the hatchback. Inside, Toyota introduces a new colour option they call "grege", a combination of grey and beige.Toyota executive director of sales and marketing David Buttner says the sedan bridges the gap between the hatch and the Corolla "without disadvantaging any model".