The new Rio could very well be our main premiere at the Paris Motor Show, if only it were not a five-door hatchback that Kia sells in Europe, but a version for Asian markets. However, the K2 sedan (as Rio is called in China) is still, and the Parisian Rio, although it was still on the eve of the salon, still deserves that we take a closer look at it. After all, as the top managers of the Moscow office of Kia told Autoreview, this hatchback has many details that make it related to the future Rio for Russia.
See our video report for a visual breakdown. And here - photos, additional comments, as well as a story about another new Kia product - a charged pseudo-crossover Soul GT and a future mini-SUV.
Our Rio will look like a “European” in the face, and a “Chinese” in the stern. Russian marketers had a choice - to use a Chinese front end with headlights stretched to the sidewalls for the sedan, or to Russify a more stylish and concise "Euro-nose". They say that the Chinese version was abandoned not only for aesthetic reasons, but also based on the fact that our average age of Rio buyers is noticeably lower than in China. Although Russian lighting technology will still be simpler than European - without LED lights, which will be placed on the bumper to reduce costs.
0 / 0
And the taillights of the Asian car turned out to be beautiful - they will not be changed.
The five-door Euro-Rio has grown a bit across the board, so for example it now has a 10mm longer wheelbase than our current sedan at 2580mm. But judging by the Hyundai Verna / Solaris co-platform, which has already been officially introduced in China, the new four-door modification should have an even greater distance between the axles - up to 2600 mm, which means the interior will become more spacious.
The interior of Rio is very good, but in the course of Russification it will inevitably become simpler. First of all, as materials - soft plastic as on the front panel of the Euro-hatchback, we will not see. But in the Russian version there will be heated rear seats and an additional electric stove.
Instruments, steering wheel, climate control unit will not change much, and the basic screen of the multimedia system will be simpler.
0 / 0
The suspension of our Rio will not change conceptually (McPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear), but, as usual, it will be set up more comfortably than the European one. And the engines are fundamentally different, although it would be more accurate to say - fundamentally the same, that is, the familiar aspirated 1.4 and 1.6 with manual gearboxes or with “automatic” will remain in service. The European line of engines, which starts with a 70-horsepower 1.4 diesel and ends with a 120-horsepower 1.0 T-GDI petrol turbo engine, is definitely not our option.
By the way, if we compare Rio sales volumes in Russia and throughout Western Europe, it turns out that our market is much more important - 97,000 cars against 64,000 in 2015. Although with the advent of a new generation, Rio in Europe promises to at least catch up with Russian indicators.
In addition to the Rio, the Soul was another important novelty at the Kia booth - as a result, it underwent not only a slight facelift, but also a serious “warm-up”: now the range has a “hot” version of the Soul GT with a 1.6 T-GDI turbo engine (204 hp). ) from the cee "d GT hatchback. But if cee" d suffered due to the lack of an automated transmission, then Soul GT immediately offers a seven-speed preselective "robot" 7DCT. True, the work of a similar tandem of a tour engine and a "robot" on the Hyundai Veloster Turbo hatchback was far from ideal, so let's hope that this time the Koreans will cope with the task better.
In any case, Soul promises to be noticeably faster - acceleration to 100 km / h in 7.8 seconds, top speed - 200 km / h. In addition, he had more powerful front brakes. After the departure of the 190-horsepower Nissan Juke crossover from Russia, there are no similar “hot” SUVs in our market, but Soul GT should not be expected until next year.
Another thing is that demand in this segment is now directed to completely different cars: when will Kia launch its Hyundai Creta analogue? Managers of the Russian office say that they have decided not to bring the small Chinese platform Crete to the market for the time being - it was allegedly not created for our market and does not meet all the requirements for consumer qualities and cost. Therefore, Kia has taken a strategic pause in anticipation of a global subcompact crossover, which is now being developed with Europe and other countries in mind. They say it will be released in 2018. Until then, Kia will take on Crete the same way it does now, with aggressively priced Souls and Sportages.
) of Russian production, assembled at the Hyundai Motors Manufacturing Rus plant near St. Petersburg. Recently, the car has gone through a planned restyling, which is designed to refresh the interest of buyers in one of the market's bestsellers.
The Koreans officially presented the updated Euro version of Rio in October at the Paris Motor Show 2014. Such cars are now officially sold in neighboring Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Unlike the Russian model, this version of the Korean assembly boasts a wider range of bodies: the 5-door hatchback and the classic sedan are also accompanied by a bright youth three-door.
Outside is beautiful
By the way, the practical 5-door modification also looks stylish and dynamic. Once again, I bow to the design and managerial genius of Peter Schreyer, who in a fairly short period of time was able to transform many Kia models from unremarkable “gray mice” into a very worthy and modern product that today competes on equal terms with the leaders of the global auto industry. True, according to rumors, a talented designer and manager will soon leave the Korean company, and Luke Donkerwolke from VAG will take his place.
The facelifted Euro-Rio really looks great from whatever angle you look at it. I especially liked the updated feed of the car - with a black plastic insert "a la diffuser" and reflectors in the form of boomerangs: unusual and beautiful. Restyling was also reflected in the shape of the radiator lining, front bumper and front foglights.
By the way, the flagship Top package also includes LED daytime running lights in the headlights, as well as rear LED optics. But our average performance of Mid is content with the usual "eyes".
The size of the wheelbase of the European Rio is exactly the same as that of the hatchback of the Russian assembly - 2570 mm. But the rest of the dimensions are different. The car is 70mm shorter (4050mm), 15mm lower (1455mm) and 20mm wider (1720mm). Although, if you put both cars side by side, the novelty visually seems even more compact and squat.
The ground clearance of the car is purely “European”: 140 mm, which is 20 mm less than the Russian-made model, adapted to local road realities.
Interior is good too
As in the case of the exterior, the interior of the car is very stylish and of high quality: it looks and feels better than that of a fellow Russian assembly. The interior pleased with thoughtful ergonomics: everything is simple, convenient and intuitive.
I would classify the not very comfortable central armrest with a very short stroke as a miscalculation: the elbow of the right hand practically does not reach it. And on the left, on the door card, they placed a small recess for small things - just in the place where you want to rest your left hand.
The landing is low, but the driver's seat has height adjustment, and the steering column is adjustable in two planes, allowing you to choose the optimal position behind the wheel. The leather-wrapped multifunctional "steering wheel" lies comfortably in the hands.
The air conditioning control unit is organized very stylishly and functionally (climate control is available only in the top configuration). Unusual large keys are not only extremely convenient, but also evoke some associations with expensive supercars: bravo to the designers!
At night, the red backlight of the standard multimedia system is a little tiring for the eyes - however, its brightness can be adjusted to your taste. A convenient niche behind the gear selector is provided for a phone or smartphone. Above it is a 12-volt outlet, as well as USB and AUX connectors.
The glove compartment of a decent size can accommodate A4 documents without any problems, and also received cooling and backlighting. Small things can also be stored in the door card pockets and in the center armrest box.
The luggage compartment has a very modest volume - 288 liters in the stowed state. If you fold the separate backrests of the rear seats, you get an almost flat area of 925 liters. The threshold of the compartment is located quite high. Under the floor there is a niche with a spare wheel-stowaway.
But in motion - not so much ...
For the test, we got a car in the Mid configuration, equipped with a 1.4-liter gasoline 16-valve engine (with distributed fuel injection) with a capacity of 109 hp. and outdated 4-band "automatic". In terms of dynamics and behavior on the track, such a car is significantly inferior to the Russian version with a 1.6-liter engine (123 hp) and a more advanced 6-speed automatic transmission.
The test hatchback accelerates completely without enthusiasm: 0-100 km / h in 13.2 seconds (against 11.2 seconds for the model from the Russian Federation). For sharp and aggressive driving, such a car is definitely not suitable. A classic automatic transmission with a 4-speed torque converter looks like an outdated solution by modern standards, albeit a reliable one. Yes, she shifts gears softly and smoothly, but the price for this was sluggish dynamics and increased fuel consumption. So, when driving on the highway at a speed of 90-100 km / h, Rio "eats" about 6.2-6.4 l / 100 km, and in the urban cycle - up to 9 l / 100 km. In the on-board computer menu, you can select a special Eco-mode, but the effect of it is almost imperceptible, but the character of the car becomes even more sluggish.
The transmission does not have a sport mode, but it is possible to manually change gears with a lever. The power unit, despite its 109 horses, can hardly be called high-torque: a peak torque of 137 Nm is reached already at 4200 rpm. Against this background, the parameters of peppy and economical diesel installations available to European buyers of Kia Rio look much more advantageous. However, for the usual measured driving around the city, this 1.4-liter "gasoline" is enough.
The suspension of the Korean hatchback has a standard scheme for the B-segment: McPherson struts in front and a semi-independent beam on the rear axle. The chassis turned out to be quite soft and comfortable, but it is characterized by increased noise when working out the unevenness of the road surface. The car behaves stably in corners: more predictable than the Russian hatchback. Rio perfectly keeps the trajectory at high speeds (although this is not its element) and practically does not scour when it hits ruts rolled out by heavy trucks. Hard breakdowns of the suspension happened only when they hit frankly large pits.
In our country, Kia Rio is a model that is primarily popular due to its price / quality combination. However, things are different in Europe, because here, under this name, a completely different machine is being implemented. The car in the specification for the Old World was presented to the public in March 2011 at the Geneva Show, and in the fall of 2014, its updated version debuted on the stage of the Paris Motor Show.
The "European" Kia Rio is available in two body styles - a three- or five-door hatchback, but regardless of the modification, it looks bright and dynamic, largely due to the current corporate identity.
The most noticeable details in the appearance of the "Korean" are the large head optics encircling the narrow "mouth of the tiger", embossed bumpers and expressive stampings on the sidewalls, which add swiftness to the silhouette.
According to its external dimensions, the 3rd generation Rio hatchback belongs to the B-class: 4050 mm long, 1720 mm wide and 1455 mm high. The distance between the front and rear axles of the hatchback fits into 2570 mm, and its curb weight varies from 1127 to 1249 kilograms.
The interior of the "third Rio" is tailored in the "family" direction of the Korean automaker - a stylish instrument cluster with three "deep wells", a large steering wheel and an ergonomic center console, on which a 7-inch screen of the multimedia center is sheltered (in available trim levels, its place is occupied by a plug or a simple radio) and an air conditioning unit. The torpedo "flaunts" mostly hard plastics, but there are no frankly budget materials in the car.
The front seats of the “European” Kia Rio are distinguished by optimal support at the edges, soft filling and sufficient ranges of settings. Formally, a three-seat rear sofa with maximum convenience will take only two passengers, for whom there will be plenty of space on all fronts.
In the arsenal of the hatchback (regardless of the number of doors) is a modest luggage compartment that can accommodate 288 liters of luggage. The second row of seats folds into a flat cargo area in asymmetrical sections, increasing the maximum capacity to 923 litres.
Specifications. In the countries of the Old World, the third generation Kia Rio is equipped with two gasoline engines.
The base unit is a 1.25-liter unit that produces 83 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 122 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm, and a 5-speed “mechanics” is paired with it. Such a hatchback leaves behind the first hundred after 12.9 seconds, and its “maximum” is limited at around 168 km / h.
The most productive option is a 1.4-liter 107-horsepower, the return of which is 137 Nm, starting from 4200 rpm. There are two gearboxes for it - a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 4-band automatic gearbox. Depending on the modification, the car is capable of accelerating to 170-183 km / h, accelerating to 100 km / h in 11-12.7 seconds (in favor of a manual transmission).
The diesel part is formed by two turbocharged engines: a 1.1-liter, developing 74 "horses" at 4000 rpm and 180 Nm of torque at 1750-2500 rpm, or a 1.4-liter with a potential of 89 horsepower and 240 Nm at a similar number of revolutions . For units running on heavy fuel, only a “mechanics” for six gears is available, which helps him ensure that he conquers the 100 km / h mark after 13.4-16.1 seconds and peaks at 160-169 km / h.
All power plants on the third Rio in the specification for the European market meet Euro-6 environmental standards and are combined with start-stop technology by default. Gasoline versions of the hatchback in the combined driving cycle cost 5-6.3 liters of fuel, while diesel versions require only 3.3-3.8 liters of diesel fuel.
At the heart of the "third Rio" is a front-wheel drive platform with MacPherson struts in the front axle design and a semi-independent rear suspension with a torsion beam. For better handling, the “third” Kia Rio is equipped with an electric booster, and disc brakes on all wheels with ABS and ESP provide a high level of safety.
Prices. In the European market, the three-door hatchback Kia Rio is priced at 10,990 euros, for the five-door version they ask for 700 euros more.
By default, the car is equipped with six airbags, ABS and ESP, BAS and ESC systems, 15-inch steel rims, heated and electric exterior mirrors, and remote central locking. Amenities such as air conditioning, an audio system, power windows and even a spare tire are offered as optional equipment.
Any motorist will tell you: there is no foreign car in Russia more popular than the Kia Rio. It will take quite a bit of time and dealers will have a new generation car. Today, finally, we found out what the Russian version of the Korean sedan will look like and when it will appear at dealers.
Some may be surprised by the fact that the new generation Kia Rio is already available in Europe, recently sales of the model began in Ukraine. And we still don't have it. It turns out that we are "behind the whole planet"? Not certainly in that way. The fact is that a hatchback is sold in Europe, which has little in common with the Russian Rio. Our "Rio" is a "reprint" from the Chinese Kia K2, demonstrated in China last year. Why didn't she show up sooner? Because in Russia they first waited for the premiere of the new Hyundai Solaris, with which Rio is twin brothers.
It turns out that the new generation Kia Rio is unique only in appearance. The chassis and powertrains of the novelty are the same as those of the new Hyundai Solaris. Okay, let's talk about looks. The new "Rio" received a narrow grille, stretched headlights, a thin jumper connecting narrow taillights. An interesting detail: the platform for the rear number has moved from the trunk lid to the bumper.
Salon Kia Rio after the change of generations has become more solid and stylish. The strict style of interior design has remained unchanged, ergonomics have improved, however, according to experts, the screen of the multimedia system could be raised higher.
In terms of size, the new Kia Rio is larger than its predecessor, but only nominally: only 23 mm in length, 40 mm in width. Now it has a length of 4400 mm, a width of 1740 mm. The wheelbase has increased by 30 mm and now stands at 2600 mm. But the ground clearance has not changed: it is still equal to 160 mm. The developers have increased the volume of the fuel tank to 50 liters (now - 43 liters), and the washer fluid reservoir - up to 4.6 liters (now - 4.0 liters). It looks paradoxical that the volume of the trunk at the same time decreased by 20 liters - up to 480 liters.
According to the developers, the rear row passengers have become more comfortable: the distance between the rows has increased by 24 mm. Moreover, in the optional set for the rear riders there is a heated sofa. Also in the list of equipment there are heated windshield and steering wheel.
The engineers worked on the suspension settings and changed the hydraulics in the power steering from hydraulic to electric. Already in the initial equipment there is an automatic system for calling emergency services "ERA-GLONASS", as well as a course stability system.
About motors. The new generation Kia Rio will be equipped with a new 1.4-liter naturally aspirated Kappa gasoline engine with 100 hp. (previously it was 107 hp); its maximum torque has dropped to 132 Nm (previously 135 Nm); but it is achieved at lower speeds (four thousand rpm instead of five thousand). The other engine, the 1.6-liter Gamma, is borrowed from the previous generation car, although it has been upgraded. The return remained the same - 123 hp. (max. torque - 156 Nm). In both cases, 6-speed transmissions are used: manual and automatic.
There is no doubt that the new Kia Rio will cost more than its predecessor. The car of the current generation can be purchased for 651 thousand rubles. The top modification "pulled" for "nine hundred and a tail", but, as some experts suggest, this time "a million will be overcome."
And about the main thing. Sales of the new generation Kia Rio will begin in Russia in August. The list of configurations and prices will be announced later - on the eve of the start of sales. First, a sedan will come to our market; hatchback Kia Rio will have to wait until the end of the year.
The Korean small-class car Kia Rio, perhaps, is known to absolutely everyone in our country. But few people realize that the Rio, sold with us, and the model with the same name, but sold on the European market, differ very seriously from each other in some positions. The European Kia Rio debuted earlier. It happened on March 1, 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show. And only two months later, the Koreans announced that a separate model would be created for Russia. No sooner said than done. Already on August 15, 2011, the conveyor of the plant in St. Petersburg left the first cars intended for sale on the Russian market.
Exterior
Finding ten differences between Kia Rio, designed for the European and Russian markets, will not be difficult. If in our country Rio attracts its future owners by the fact that it is sold in a sedan, although more practical hatchbacks are also available to our customers, the European Kia Rio does not offer such a variety. Hatchback only! Extra centimeters for Europeans, who have long understood that in urban conditions an extremely compact car is needed, is useless. There are also differences in design. Kia Rio, intended for sale in the European market, flaunts a branded radiator grille, stylish front optics, large taillights, giving this compact little car a bit of solidity. In a word, the European hatchback Rio can be safely put on a par with recognized leaders in the field of design. The Russian Kia Rio looks different - stricter and, which is very subjective, a little more modest. However, if we focus on the sales volume of this model, the owners are satisfied with just such a design. Do not forget that the Russian Rio has not yet been restyled. It is possible that after it we will see a completely new appearance.
Interior
But inside the differences between the European and Russian versions of Rio are much smaller. A stylish three-spoke wheel, a combination of instruments in deep "wells", an excellent quality of finishing materials for a model of this class - all this is characteristic of absolutely all Kia Rio. So, the only significant difference can be considered only that for an extra charge you can install a huge color screen on the European Rio, on which, for example, you can display a picture from the navigation system. The Russian Kia Rio, even in the most expensive version, is content with a much smaller monochrome display. Although it is unlikely that anyone will be upset about this. Like it or not, in our country Rio is positioned as a very high-quality, but still relatively budget car. He does not need such expensive options. Specifications
In technical terms, there are even fewer differences between versions of the Kia Rio designed for different markets. Under the hood of a compact European hatchback, you can see a 1.4 lira (107 horsepower) gasoline engine or a more powerful power unit, which develops 123 “horses” with a volume of 1.6 liters. The same engines are installed on those cars that are produced in St. Petersburg. The Koreans can only be blamed for the fact that our Rio is deprived of economical diesel engines. However, gasoline units are also very economical, so it is unlikely that fans of the Kia brand were too upset because Rio could not be filled with diesel fuel. But the choice of gearboxes is definitely pleasing. The weakest engine can be combined with a four-speed automatic transmission or a "mechanics" with five steps. And for Rio with a 1.6-liter engine, “mechanics” and “automatic” with six steps are offered at all. So the future owners of the Korean car will not disappoint. He not only gives them the right to choose, but in an incomprehensible way makes this choice the only right one.Results
Who would have thought that a Korean company would be able to design and bring to market such a truly amazing model. And if earlier European giants did not consider Kia seriously, now they are forced to reckon with it. The European Kia Rio turned out to be reliable, stylish, economical. This is what potential buyers from the Kia brand were waiting for. No worse and a car for our market. Accessibility, reliability, excellent driving characteristics and a spacious interior can be counted among its trump cards without any exaggeration. Ideal cars! And it doesn't matter what country you live in.
