ALL-NEW KIA RIO
Press Information
Contents
01 Introduction
Revolutionary new Rio to power Kia sales boom 2
02 Styling and design
‘Premium presence’ for all-new hatchback duo 4
03 Comfort and convenience
‘Bespoke feel’ for sophisticated and spacious interior 5
04 Engines and transmissions
Four highly efficient engines with 75-to-109 ps outputs 7
05 Suspension and refinement
Improved stability, smoother ride and enhanced refinement 9
06 Safety and security
Comprehensive ‘active’ and ‘passive’ safety 11
07 Standard and optional equipment
Factory-fitted equipment details by model 13
08 Technical specifications
Technical details of the model line-up for Europe 17
June 2011
1 INTRODUCTION
Revolutionary new Rio to power Kia sales boom
· New model is a revolution, not evolution from its predecessor
· CO2 emissions for Rio range start from an industry-leading 85 g/km
· Available with five- and three-door bodystyles for the first time
Kia’s all-new, fourth-generation Rio, which made its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March, is set to shake up the compact car segment and accelerate the growth of Kia sales in Europe. New Rio has a bold and distinctive personality, bringing the latest B-segment model into line with the rest of Kia’s modern, design-led product range.
In addition to appealing to consumers’ aesthetic tastes, the new Kia Rio will lead the company’s efforts to significantly grow its market share across the world by offering industry-leading environmental improvements and low running costs.
CO2 emissions for the model range start at just 85 g/km. This impressive figure places the most environmentally-friendly version of Kia’s new model, the Rio EcoDynamics, ahead of all other B-segment vehicles currently on sale in Europe.
Tasked with the difficult job of improving upon the remarkable international sales success of the previous generation model, Kia’s engineers and designers have created a vehicle which combines European finesse with Korean spice to create a form language that also communicates Latin flair – for a truly global appeal.
“The new Kia Rio is a revolution, not an evolution from its predecessor. Rio has always been a commercial success, and with this new incarnation we have an attractive car with a feeling of sportiness – a car that people will want to buy for its looks, as well as its environmental credentials,” emphasises Benny Oeyen, Vice President Marketing and Product Planning, Kia Motors Europe.
Since its launch in 2005, global sales of the third-generation Rio have totalled more than 860,000 units. It was the company’s third best-selling vehicle in overseas markets during 2010 with sales of more than 219,000 units.
The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455 mm, new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasising its purposeful stance.
Marketed for the first time in Europe with a choice of five- and three-door bodystyles, new Rio is set to completely redefine its position in one of the most competitive sectors.
Kia’s market research predicts that global demand for B-segment cars is going to grow significantly over the next two years as consumers increasingly shift to more economical, more fuel-efficient cars – downsizing to offset the continuous rise in fuel prices. Analysts forecast that global demand for B-segment cars will climb to 9.2 million units in 2012 and to 14.0 million units by 2014.
With two bodystyles for Rio, plus the already-popular Soul and Venga B-segment models, Kia is confident of capturing an even larger share of the increasingly popular compact car market.
To reduce fuel consumption and help achieve class-leading emissions, Kia engineers have carried out an extensive programme to shed weight across a broad range of components. As a result, new Rio is no heavier than the car it replaces – even though it is a significantly larger car than the third-generation model with extra equipment and offers additional options and features.
The five-door version will be the first variant to go on sale in Europe during the third quarter of 2011, with the all-new three-door model joining Kia’s line-up in the first quarter of 2012. Both versions will be manufactured exclusively at Kia’s Sohari plant in Korea.
With the introduction of new Rio, the Kia product portfolio has just taken the next important step towards becoming a family of vehicles which has an attractive and coherent brand style, while still managing to retain a very individual character.
2 STYLING AND DESIGN
‘Premium presence’ for all-new hatchback duo
· Bold and distinctive personality for all-new Rio model
· Balanced proportions create a refined presence, rare in B-segment
· Refreshed palette of 10 exterior paint colours
With new Rio, Kia has created a B-segment car that answers consumer demand for more quality and choice, as well as attractive, exciting design. The new model represents a complete departure from its predecessor and fits perfectly into the revitalised family of Kia products.
Viewed head on, the car has its own unique interpretation of the Kia corporate grille, which is integrated with the front lamps to create a twist on the Kia family look. In this latest form, the Kia logo now sits above the grille. Below the grille, the treatment of front bumper and spoiler again shows signs of the bold Kia design DNA.
In profile, the ratio of metal to glass, combined with the car’s forward-leaning wedge shape and low roofline, give new Rio a dynamic, sporty stance, similar to that of its siblings Picanto and Venga. The newcomer shows its connection with the Sportage, too, through its strong and stable rear, high shoulders, fast rear screen angle and coupe-like silhouette.
This bold but elegant appearance is strengthened by the distinctive feature line which adds tension to the flanks and accentuates the dynamic stance of the car. The careful balance of window graphic, wheelbase and overall proportion create a premium presence rare in this segment.
To maximise the impact of new Rio´s striking appearance, Kia’s colour and trim team have developed a refreshed palette of 10 body colours – White, Black, Bright Silver, Signal Red, Fresh Beige, Electronic Blue, Deep Blue, Wendy Brown, Graphite and Caramel Yellow – which help underline the car’s refined and stylish character.
3 COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE
Sophisticated and spacious interior
· Variety of trim options give new Rio a genuine premium feel
· Compact Kia offers ‘big car’ features and high-quality interior materials
· New Arkamys ‘Virtual Sound’ audio system raises listening pleasure
To complement the car’s exterior, Rio’s interior design has also been transformed, with a clean, sophisticated theme. The choice of materials and attention to detail in fit and finish give the cabin a refined, premium feel.
As in other recently-launched Kia models, the signature interior architecture – with its three cylinder instrument cluster, precise instrument graphics and clear functionality – have been retained, and the horizontal dashboard layout accentuates the feeling of width and space. New are the centre stack’s toggle switches, which are neatly integrated into the central heater unit, and control some of the secondary functions.
The sophistication of this interior concept is also reflected in three distinctive trim concepts featuring a choice of interior colours – Brown, Black or Desert Grey.
This is the first Kia to feature the new and innovative ‘Virtual Sound’ system, developed by audio experts Arkamys and tuned specifically for this model. The system overcomes the vehicle’s acoustic constraints caused by the typical positioning of speakers low down in the door panels, to deliver a deep, immersive and realistic sound experience. Different modes offer either ‘Power Treble’, which increases listening pleasure for all occupants by lifting the sound and improving voice clarity, or ‘Surround’ which uses state-of-the-art signal enhancement to envelope front seat occupants in a wave of sound.
Following the strategy of offering customers more choice, available features for the European market will include: LED daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers and automatic defogging, leather seat upholstery, smart-key entry system with engine start/stop button, RDS radio CD player with MP3 compatibility plus AUX, iPod and USB connections, Bluetooth® handsfree (with voice recognition available from December 2011), cruise control, climate-control air-conditioning, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. In some markets, the dashboard will come pre-wired to accept the optional portable navigation system, or with an integrated navigation system with a seven-inch screen and incorporating a rear-view camera.
The cabin is more spacious than its predecessor’s, enhancing occupant space and cargo capacity. The base of the windscreen is moved forwards by 156 mm and up by 18 mm, while the wheelbase is 70 mm longer and the bodyshell 25 mm wider. Front legroom is increased by 45 mm, front headroom by 8 mm.
Trunk space in three- and five-door hatchback models is 100 mm wider and the capacity is now 288 litres – a 6.6 per cent improvement over the previous model – with the rear seats upright, and more than 900 litres with the rear seats folded down. The backrest of the rear seat is split 60/40 for maximum versatility and creates an almost flat load area when folded down.
Cabin storage includes a larger, 15-litre glove box, a larger centre console with three litres of extra capacity and pockets to hold a 1.5-litre bottle in each front door and a 0.5-litre bottle in both rear doors.
4 ENGINES AND TRANSMISSIONS
Four highly efficient engines with 75-to-109 ps outputs
· New Rio EcoDynamics model with 1.1-litre diesel achieves 85 g/km emissions
· 1.2 gasoline model rated at 109 g/km with optional ISG
· Automatic transmission option with 1.4 gasoline engine
In Europe, the new Rio will offer customers a choice of four highly efficient three- and four-cylinder engines – with a 75 to 109 ps power range – and an industry-leading CO2 base-line rating of just 85 g/km. Fuel consumption is as low as 3.2 litres per 100 km for the newly-introduced EcoDynamics diesel model.
In many countries, diesel power is the preferred option in this segment and Rio will be available with two versions of Kia’s ‘U2’ power unit. The 1.4-litre is fitted with a wastegate turbocharger and generates 90 ps, while the three-cylinder 1.1-litre has a variable geometry turbocharger and produces 75 ps.
Buyers who prefer gasoline can select from a 1.4-litre Gamma or 1.2-litre Kappa engine. The updated ‘Gamma’ power unit has friction-reducing modifications and dual CVVT (continuously variable valve timing), to achieve responsive performance and competitive fuel consumption. With maximum output of 109 ps, this engine powers the fastest Rio – accelerating to 100 kph (62 mph) in 11.5 seconds and reaching a top speed of 183 kph (114 mph).
Kia’s advanced ‘Kappa’ family of engines features dual CVVT, a cast aluminium block, off-set crankshaft, maintenance-free timing chain and low-friction ‘beehive’ valve springs. These technologies significantly improve efficiency and reduce exhaust emissions. The 1.2-litre engine delivers 85 ps.
Regular models will have a CO2 rating of 109 to 124 g/km. In Europe, these figures can be further reduced on many models by specifying Kia’s optional fuel-saving ISG feature, which switches off the engine when stationary.
Equipped with ISG, Rio’s emissions range from 94 to119 g/km, enabling the models under 100 g/km to qualify for local emissions-based tax savings, where available. For these models, fuel economy will range from 3.6 to 5.1 litres per 100 km, contributing to lower running costs.
For the new Rio EcoDynamics model, powered by the 1.1-itre diesel engine and equipped with ISG, various additional emissions-reducing measures are implemented, including a drag-reducing front grille and rear spoiler, low-rolling resistance tyres and a ‘Shift-Up’ gear indicator to encourage an economical driving style. To reduce weight, some equipment items featured on higher-spec models, such as the rear window wash/wiper system and rear audio speakers are deleted. Consequently, kerb weight is cut by 36 kg to 1,080 kg and emissions are lowered to just 85 g/km, while fuel consumption is improved to 3.2 litres per 100 km.
Standard transmission for both diesels and the larger gasoline engine will be a six-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.2-litre engine has a five-speed box. A four-speed automatic gearbox will be available as an option on the 1.4-litre gasoline engine.
Powertrain line-up for New Rio
Capacity Power Torque Transmission
Gasoline
1.4 109 ps 137 Nm 6-sp / 4-sp automatic
1.2 85 ps 121 Nm 5-sp / ----
Diesel
1.4 90 ps 220 Nm 6-sp / ----
1.1 75 ps 170 Nm 6-sp / ----
5 SUSPENSION AND REFINEMENT
Improved stability, smoother ride and enhanced refinement
· Strengthened suspension and increased wheel travel for a smoother ride
· Host of improvements help achieve best-in-class refinement
· Optional 15-, 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels
Developed from the previous model, the new Rio’s suspension and running gear has been engineered to carry over that popular car’s responsive handling, while significant improvements have been made to stability, ride quality and refinement.
The electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering now features a combined torque/angle sensor to protect against side wind gusts. It is geared for 2.82 turns lock-to-lock, and the steering wheel is adjustable for both height and reach.
Mounted on a sub-frame to isolate road shocks, the MacPherson strut front suspension is largely unchanged, with small alterations to accommodate the new model’s longer wheelbase, wider track and revised weight distribution.
The CTBA (coupled torsion beam axle) at the rear is stiffer, reducing under-steer, and the strength of the connection between the trailing-arms and the stub-axles is doubled, improving stability. Wheel travel is increased by 10 mm and the geometry is improved to reduce bump-steer and deliver a more compliant ride.
In Europe, an all-disc braking system – with 280 or 256 mm ventilated front, and 262 mm solid rear discs – is standard on all models. The performance of the braking system is supported by ABS anti-lock, electronic brake force distribution and emergency ‘brake assist’ systems.
The standard wheel and tyre package is a 15-inch steel wheel with 185/65 R15 low rolling resistance tyres. To suit customer preference, 15-, 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels with lower-profile tyres will be available as options. A tyre mobility kit is standard, with a spare wheel available as an option.