Kia Rio News

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has issued a five-star safety rating to a Chinese-built model, the MG GS, while the Kia Rio range and higher-spec Suzuki Swift has scored five stars

Kia has taken the wraps off the fourth-generation Rio sedan at the New York motor show, but it has been ruled out for the Australian market by the Korean company's local arm.The Korean car-maker offered the previous-generation Rio sedan in Australia, but it was dropped due to slow sales.A number of brands have discontinued their light sedans from the Australian market in recent years, leaving only the Hyundai Accent, Honda City, and Mazda2 sedan as booted options in the segment.The new four-door Rio features improvements already seen here in the Korean manufacturer's popular hatch that went on sale in January this year.Kia's new car is a little bigger, has more refined styling, with similar performance, as well as plenty of extras inside and under the skin.Overall length in the sedan is up 15mm while the wheelbase is 10mm longer than the previous-gen sedan.The exterior has more upright A-pillars and a creased shoulder line running front to back, making the new sedan look a little bigger again than it really is.In the US where the Rio sedan will be sold, it is offered with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder GDI engine delivering 97kW/161Nm matched with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.In Australia, the Rio has the same engine as the previous model, a 74kW/133Nm 1.4-litre four-cylinder unit mated to either a six-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission.The cabin has been redesigned to align with the hatch to enhance new technologies. The centre console offers a bi-level tray to make storing smartphones and small tablets easier.Other features include a 7.0-inch centre touchscreen for multimedia that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A factory-developed satellite navigation system, a digital radio and a USB charger for the rear-seat occupants are optional.Standard safety features include six airbags, 'Electronic Stability Control' (ESC), ABS brakes and 'Hill-Start Assist Control'. The Rio also has a reversing camera, automatic dusk-sensing headlights, daytime running lights and rear parking sensors on all models.

A turbo engine and sports suspension will later this year cap the more subdued Kia Rio light hatchback range that launches this week, featuring in a new, more performance-focused variant.

Kia has unveiled its new weapon in the battle for city car supremacy, pouring critical comfort and technology upgrades into its all-new Rio.

Drive-away is the go when it comes to new car deals in October.

The top end of town has snubbed next week's Paris motor show but the biggest auto event on the European calendar will have plenty of new sheet metal.

The first official images of the all-new Kia Rio have been released, with the Korean city car bigger, boxier and more posh than ever before.

The small-car segment has plenty of options - the players are frugal yet safe and well-appointed. Here are the best buys under $16K.

Kia's classy but ageing Rio hatch gets a makeover to maintain appeal.As people age, cosmetic surgery becomes more palatable. This approach is equally applicable to cars - midlife makeovers 'freshen" a model to maintain its appeal among buyers.Such is the case with the Kia Rio, our 2011 Car of The Year, which was nipped, tucked and launched at the Paris show with revised front and rear styling - and who doesn't appreciate a nose job and butt lift? - plus a raft of technology upgrades.The base versions will be here in late November, without many of the key enhancements, including engine stop-start and optional satnav.The Rio is still an attraction in this field even if it is no longer at the head of the packKia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says prices for the enhanced package will increase a little. No surprises there, given the light car segment the Rio competes in is as price sensitive as a budget beer drinker - forget the brand, focus on the value.That means the $16,290 Rio S five-door is unlikely to climb beyond $17,000. It should also encourage dealers to negotiate hard to shift the last of their existing stock.Haggle as if you're in an Asian street market and the baby Kia will be a bargain.In standard guise the Rio S has a multi-point fuel-injected 1.4-litre engine and six-speed manual transmission (four-speed auto adds $2000).It is one of the more accommodating in its class and a pair of adults in the back will have little cause for complaint in terms of head or legroom. The boot is equally good at 288L, if not up to Honda Jazz standards.On the road the Rio S is a good, if not great, drive. The engine is a willing performer but needs to be worked to extract decent acceleration. In auto guide, fuel consumption increases significantly.In contrast the 1.6-litre Si model needs far less throttle to reach and maintain the speed limit and uses less fuel as a result. It can be paired with a six-speed auto, which doesn't hurt either.The 1.4-litre engine is also fractionally more expensive ($2432) than the 1.6-litre unit ($2383) to maintain over the life of the standard seven-year capped price servicing.Dynamically the Rio is all you want in a light car. It's no VW Polo or Ford Fiesta but has well-sorted suspension and a reassuringly solid chassis. It lacks a bit in steering feel but unerringly goes where it is pointed. The only real omission is cruise control, fast approaching mandatory status.Occupant comfort was obviously a priority and the Rio is still one of the better vehicles to spend time in. The front seats are first rate, though larger drivers may find the bolsters push on their outer thighs (a small price for lateral support). The rear pews are also up to the job of avoiding butt and back fatigue on decent trips. The Rio is still an attraction in this field even if it is no longer at the head of the pack. Don't pay the list price and you'll get a car that's engaging enough to still impress for the duration of its seven-year warranty.

Kia's announcement of an Australian-first seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty could benefit buyers of others brands as they try to match it.One of Australia's fastest growing car brands, Korean company Kia, is about to upset its big name rivals by announcing a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, the longest in Australian automotive history. Kia’s sister brand Hyundai was the first company to offer a five-year, 130,000km warranty in Australia 15 years ago -- in 1999 -- as a response to quality concerns over a bungled safety recall the year before.Hyundai then increased its warranty coverage to five years and unlimited kilometres in 2006.RELATED: Small car price war about to heat upFrench car maker Citroen then raised the bar in March this year, offering new-car buyers an unprecedented six-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.Kia's new benchmark of a seven year, unlimited kilometre warranty will put the market leaders under increasing pressure given brands such as Toyota, Holden, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Volkswagen, Subaru, Honda, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz only offer three years coverage. It means buyers of most mainstream brands will eventually be the winners as they try to raise their level of warranty coverage to either match or get closer to Kia's seven-year stretch. But none are yet to react.The longer warranty period will likely boost the resale value of Kia cars at trade-in time because used-car buyers will get the balance of the new-car warranty.Most new cars are sold after four years, according to industry figures. This means a typical secondhand Kia would give used car buyers three years of factory-backed protection against faults.The Kia warranty is part of the company's ambitious sales push in Australia after a decade of weak results.Kia is just outside the top 10 sellers but its sister brand Hyundai -- which sells, in effect, the same cars under the skin but with different body styles and different branding -- is in the top four.It is the largest gap between the two jointly owned companies in the world.Kia recently poached Hyundai Australia's sales and marketing boss Damien Meredith to head the Kia division locally and this is his first step towards doubling sales within four years."This is a watershed moment," said Mr Meredith. "Kia customers now have a peace of mind that can't be matched in the Australian new car market."The deal includes free roadside assistance for seven years -- if the car is serviced at a Kia dealer once a year.Kia has also extended its capped price servicing program to seven years -- one of the longest in the car business -- and that prices of routine maintenance will remain the same as before."The two year increase in warranty, capped-price servicing and roadside assist is absolutely transparent and we will not be asking our customers to dip into their pockets to fund the extra benefits," said Mr Meredith.