Kia Rio 2013 News

Hyundai invented drive-away pricing in Australia and today it's bigger than ever. The Korean company knew it needed something special to get shoppers to sign on the dotted line back in the mid-1990s, and that something was a $990 bottom line across its models with an all-in selling price that removed the fear and uncertainty from buying a new car.Driveaway dealing started as showroom bait for the baby Excel and a new generation of first-time shoppers looking for a bargain at $13,990, in an inspired move by firebrand Hyundai executive Simon Pinnock, and has spread like a virus throughout the Australian motoring landscape since then.Lots of companies now use a driveaway deal to clear their superseded stocks, or re-ignite interest in a fading favourite, or just put some punch into their showroom push. It works, and it usually works well.Right now, Kia is heavily into driveaway dealing as its shifts from 2013 to 2014 models and is even applying the all-in effort - which can save up to $2000 in on-road costs and dealer delivery at a non-luxury brand - to its new-year arrivals. You can get a Rio manual hatch for $15,990 driveaway, compared with a recommended retail sticker at $16,290 before on-roads, and the latest deals even run up to the Carnival people mover and top-end Sorento SUV.Over at Hyundai there is a similar push, not just because of the competition from Kia but because Korea's biggest carmaker intends to be a top-three success in Australia within five years. It knows that driveaway dealing gets people into showrooms and starts its efforts at the very bottom - the i20 is now $13,990 on the road - to try and create loyal buyers who gradually move up through the range.Hyundai and Kia could be accused of racing to the bottom on the price line, but Nissan is doing even sharper deals at $18,990 on-the-road as it looks to turn its all-new Pulsar models into the biggest showroom success of the year. The cars are already locked and loaded, and being rolled onto ships in Japan every month, with the driveaway deals in Australia planned to ensure they go straight to homes without spending any wasted time parked in a dealership.We're also seeing deals with the 'drive away, no more to pay' kicker line being pushed by everyone from Holden and Ford to Subaru and Toyota, even if they are short-lived or wrapped in a different package. But that's not the end of the dollar deals, as cheap finance - down to zero at some brands - is making a bigger impact.Finance deals are partly about winning customers, but also to do it in a way that does not influence the vital resale value on a car. That's because the second hand price is determined by the 'transaction price' - the dollar number as the car is actually retailed, not the showroom sticker - and that can be badly affected by heavy discounting and even driveaway pricing. Price: from $13,990 driveawayEngine: 1.4L four-cylinder, 73.5kW/136NmTransmission: 6-speed manual or 4 speed auto, FWDThirst: 5.3L/100km   Price: from $18,990 driveawayEngine: 1.8L four-cylinder, 110kW/178NmTransmission: 6-speed manual/auto, FWDThirst: 6.6L/100km   Price: from $18,990 driveawayEngine: 1.8L four-cylinder, 96kW/174NmTransmission: 6-speed manual/CVT auto, FWDThirst: 6.7L/100km   

That might sound like a silly answer to a serious question, but it's the best solution for optimum shopping in the back end of 2013. You see, Korea now makes better Japanese cars than the Japanese. And that's a fact.There are some exceptions, and some categories where the Koreans are still getting a foothold, but a Hyundai i30 or a Kia Cerato is a far better choice than a Mitsubishi Lancer, a Kia Sportage makes more sense than a Honda CR-V, and a Hyundai Santa Fe is much better buying than a Toyota Kluger.This Korean tide has been rising for a while, but it's now filled showrooms with quality cars that are backed by industry-leading five-year warranties with capped-price servicing costs. The two Korean juggernauts are also serious about tuning their cars for Australian drivers and roads, which is becoming a serious selling point and also a battlefield for bragging rights between Hyundai and Kia.Even Daewoo, which was absorbed into the Holden empire to provide cut-price cars such as the Barina and Captiva, is now doing a better job as the engineering and design expertise from Fishermans Bend is absorbed deeply into the Korean content on the cars. And don't forget that the Aussie-made Cruze compact, despite its local tweaking and assembly in Adelaide, began its life at the GM Daewoo division in Korea.Without getting into a history lesson, the seismic shift between Japan and Korea comes down to three things. First is the deep-seated rivalry between the two countries, second is the well-lit path to success blazed by Japanese makers including Honda and Toyota, and third is the Global Financial Crisis. How's that?Well, nothing makes a Korean businessman happier than beating a Japanese rival, even though the Japanese were the first Asian companies to achieve success in motoring thanks to cars like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and the classy machines that followed. These days, the Nissan GT-R is a legend and the Toyota LandCruiser is an icon.So the Koreans assimilated the Japanese business model for cheap, reliable and sensible cars - think of the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Rio - and then found a way to build them with similar quality at a lower price. There was a time when the cabins of Korean cars stank - because of the 'release agent' applied to plastic parts - and the assembly was slipshod and downmarket, but not today. They also have aircon with Japanese efficiency, always a pointer to intelligent engineering in Australian weather.But it's the GFC which has made the biggest difference. While the Japanese brands panicked, cutting costs and stretching the lifetimes of their cars, the Koreans accelerated their development plans, brought new models, and invested in their dealerships in Australia.The results are obvious now as many Japanese cars - we're talking about the Honda Civic and Subaru Impreza - have lost their previous edge, while others - think Mitsubishi Pajero and Subaru WRX - are way overdue for a remake.In the meantime, Hyundai is now plotting a move upmarket with its luxury Genesis models and Kia is setting a global standard for quality styling thanks to its recruiting of design genius Peter Schreyer. Best of all, when you're buying, it's the driveaway pricing that's been a Korean signature since Hyundai blazed that trail in the 1990s to get nervous shoppers over the line.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

A serial hoon who rammed a car and tormented its driver for a joke, believing it was a mate, says he is now a "changed man". Nine-times disqualified driver Glen James King thought it would be a lark to give his mate a "touch up" when he spotted a Kia Rio outside the Nerang Council Chambers in October last year.Confident the Kia belonged to a well-known hooning mate, King began tailgating and nudging the car with his own Skyline. Unknown to him, the driver was a stranger who had already had his car egged early in the day and phoned police fearing he was being targeted in a vicious road rage attack.The driver became even more terrified as King followed him into Nerang, playing cat and mouse and rear-ending him multiple times. The Kia driver swerved into the Nerang Skate Park car park but King blocked him in, causing the Kia driver to drive illegally over the footpath to escape.King continued to chase the Kia for 30 minutes from Nerang to Surfers Paradise through red lights,car parks and main roads. In desperation, the driver of the Kia drove the wrong way down Ferny Ave in a bid to seek police protection but ended up crashing outside the Surfers Paradise Police Station.Solicitor Michael McMillan said King, a mechanic, parked and ran back to check on the driver and it was only then he realised he had been chasing a terrified stranger. King confessed to police and was yesterday sentenced to 150 hours of community service and banned from getting behind the wheel until 2015.Mr McMillan said his client was horrified by the incident and claimed to be a changed man after the birth of his daughter this year. "I'm sure he realises now what a terrifying ordeal it was for the other people in the car," he said. Magistrate Kerry Magee blasted the serial driving pest."I have trouble understanding the mentality of someone who thinks endangering others' lives is amusing," she said. "Community service will make you put something back into the community whose safety you compromised." 

We’ve asked some dealers which are the best deals they have going – and why. It may be an extra equipment pack, it may be a great price, or it may be a fantastic finance deal. See the latest dealsTim Kennett at Belcar says their best deal is a Mercedes-Benz CLA 200. “Priced from $49,900 this highly sought-after immaculate update model has it all. Seat memory, sunroof, multi-spoke alloy wheels and suave black leather interior just to name a few features.” See the latest dealsChris Myers of Chris Myers Car Sales in Magill says his best deal is a Mazda 6 diesel wagon priced from $41,650. See the latest dealsScott Parker of Jim Best Ford in Clare says his best deal is a Ford Ranger XLT dual cab turbodiesel for $60,244. “This Ranger has had one owner, low kilometers and is immaculate,” he says. See the latest dealsSteve Vo at Peter Warren Toyota in Liverpool says the best deal he has this week is a Toyota Landcruiser GXL Turbo Diesel Auto for $83,990 driveaway. “Average wait time is 3-4 months to build, RRP is $94,414. Unbelievable clearance with drive away no more to pay price,” Steve says.See the latest dealsMark Courtney at Macarthur Kia in Narellan says the best deal he has this week is a Kia Rio S priced from only $15,290. “Featured packed, funky and cool, this the Reborn Kia Rio. This stylish little package has all the goods without breaking the bank,” Mark says.  See the latest dealsJon Clark-Monks for The Highway Autogroup has a wonderful Mercedes B180 CDI in Blue with full black leather interior. See the latest dealsStewart Rhodes of John Hughes Prestige in Victoria Park says the best deal he has right now is a Volkswagen Touareg priced from $62,990. See the latest dealsPeter Castieau of Warehouse Autos in Balcatta says his best deal is a Toyota FJ Cruiser for $52,476.85 drive away. “Impossible to find this good at this price. Travel around Australia tomorrow,“ he says.  

The Kia concept was one of four outrageous models hown at the Las Vegas 2011 SEMA show. The vehicles were conceived and built in-partnership with the popular lifestyle magazine, Antenna. It's outfitted with everything the modern-day surfer needs for a perfect day and night at the beach, including an authentic Grain wood surfboard mounted on the roof. The Rio 5-door has been lowered with a modified suspension for more aggressive handling, and the aggressive exterior design is accentuated by eye-grabbing 17-inch three-piece gold wheels, a stunning sunset-metallic golden-brown paint scheme, a custom body kit with a front splitter made of wood to match the surfboard on the roof and a redesigned rear fascia with center-mount dual exhaust.

Big-engined family cars are marking time as carmakers find new ways to make tiny engines do the same work. Even engineers say the change over the past 10 years has caught them out. Few would have bet on a 2-litre, four-cylinder Falcon. Kia’s powertrain manager in Europe, Dr Joachim Hahn, says the move to downsize engines wasn’t predicted a decade ago but clearly makes sense. He is planning a 1.1-litre diesel engine for the Rio small car that will achieve a fuel economy of about 3.5 litres/100km - about half the current average for the small car class. “Downsizing is a strategy we see as being the future,’‘ he says. Even the GT (Kia’s new large-car concept) will work well and lose little of its sporty nature when fitted with a 2-litre, four-cylinder engine.’’ The 1.1-litre three-cylinder diesel claims 85 grams/km of CO2 emissions - a figure that Dr Hahn says was “unachievable’’ 10 years ago. “For us in Europe, getting small car emissions down gives us the freedom to make bigger cars - so maybe the GT can have a V8.’’ Kia experimented with its Optima when it entered the US market last year by dropping the V6 engine in its predecessor and offering only four-cylinder engines. “We held our breath,’‘ he says. But no one complained. We replaced the V6 with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and we had better than expected sales and customer feedback.’’ But Dr Hahn cautiond about taking the downsizing to far. “There are many variables,’‘ he says. Some markets expect performance from the car and a small engine will have to work so hard to meet expectations that any fuel economy benefit will be lost. “For example, we could put the 1-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine into the Cerato. But it may not suit al customers in all markets.”

China is clearly on top of the car world in 2011.

It's one new development that will be joined by an expanded range of turbo engines as Kia lures an increasingly sophisticated list of buyers. Under development is the three-cylinder turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine that Kia's German-based power train manager Joachim Hahn says will soon replace units of 1.6-litre and higher. That indicates there's a new direction for Rio and, for some markets, even the bigger Optima sedan.He clearly lays out a path for Kia that is high on engineering sophistication and with concentration on petrol - rather than diesel - power for the future.  In arriving at the 1.2-litre, Mr Hahn - "it means 'cock','' he says by way of introduction - says Kia also developed a two-cylinder version."But though we could save a bit more fuel, it was noisy and had vibration problems,'' he says.  "To fix the vibration we would have to put in balance shafts and that would increase friction and cost so we would have found more benefits in a three cylinder.''He says Kia has made significant changes in recent years as it developed new engines.  "In the past few years we started quite strongly in diesels,'' he says.  But we found new technology in developments such as the 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine for the Picanto (small car) that uses variable valve technology to maximise power and minimise fuel consumption and emissions."Consumers won't accept a lack of power in a small car. They also won't pay extra for new technology because small cars are generally price sensitive. So that rules out turbo-charging for the lower end of the market because it's too expensive."Diesel engines are also too expensive for the Picanto market. It can add about $3000 to the cost and customers won't pay that.  "So, in the case of the Picanto's engine, it is a three cylinder with variable vales and a variable inlet manifold - this is relatively inexpensive technology that won't harm the price of the car.''The carmaker is also introducing bi-fuel - that's LPG and petrol - to its small-car range in some markets because it can slash missions.  A Picanto, for example, with a bi-fuel engine can achieve a very low 90 grams per kilometre of CO2.Kia will add turbo-charging to many of its engines destined for the more expensive end of its market.  "Turbo-charging is clearly on our road map,'' he says."Combined with direct-petrol injection, it is our new future.''  Kia makes a turbo-petrol engine for the Optima for the US market which has 200kW and a flat torque curve.Kia says that model will be considered for Australia but demand in major markets - such as the US - may push out its launch time.  He sees a different type of turbo-charging for diesels and new challenges for petrol-fuelled engines."We are looking at downsizing the capacity of diesel engines,'' he says. "Normally, it is petrol engines that get smaller.  Now we are looking at a smaller capacity diesel with two-stage turbo-charging. It's a high challenge but it s potential to further cut diesel fuel use and emissions.''One of the unexpected problems he sees for the near future is government regulation to reduce the amount of particulates - generally soot from an exhaust in a diesel vehicle - from petrol engines.  "Petrol engines do produce particulates,'' he says."Now we believe that these may be targeted and tat means we have to apply more technology to future petrol engines. Previously this wasn't an issue for us. "It's just another challenge.''

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.