Within the framework of the Paris International Auto Show, which started in late September 2016, the South Korean automaker KIA held a public demonstration of a new generation of its world bestseller - the fourth-generation five-door Rio hatchback, aimed at the European market early autumn - during the online presentation).
Serial production of the car was launched at the end of 2016 (at the Sohari plant in South Korea), and its implementation in the countries of the Old World started in the first quarter of 2017.
Outside, the fourth generation Kia Rio looks stylish, attractive and quite strict, and smooth surfaces and straight lines give its appearance an expressive character. The main "attraction" of the five-door is a boldly designed front end with a "family" radiator grill, menacing look of headlights and a mouth of the air intake. But from other angles, the car is good-looking - a balanced silhouette with a sloping roof and embossed sides and lean stern with arrow-shaped lanterns and a "swollen" bumper.
"Euro-Rio" of the fourth incarnation "plays" in the subcompact class according to European standards and has the following dimensions: 4065 mm in length, 1450 mm in height and 1725 mm in width. The front and rear axles of the hatch intervene with a 2,580 mm wheelbase.
One of the key advantages of the "fourth" Kia Rio is a cool interior that not only looks fresh and grown-up, but also demonstrates sports inclinations. The front panel with the center console slightly turned towards the "pilot" and the protruding multimedia "tablet" looks really nice, and the "climate" is controlled by means of a spectacular block with "floating" buttons. A multi-steering wheel with embossed outlines and a stylish, but extremely informative instrument panel harmoniously complete the picture.
Inside the car, high-quality finishing materials prevail, represented by pleasant plastics and glossy "decor", and the seats, depending on the version, can be dressed in fabric or artificial leather.
The five-seater hatchback interior is equipped with comfortable front seats with a distinct relief and wide adjustment intervals. At the rear, there is an ergonomically shaped sofa that can accommodate three passengers.
The luggage compartment of the fourth generation Kia Rio is very roomy by the standards of the class (325 liters in the "stowed" form), and the shape is correct. The second row of seats fits flush with the floor with a pair of unequal parts, and a compact “spare wheel” and a set of tools “hide” in a niche under the raised floor.
Specifications. For "Rio" prepared a wide range of power plants, the flow of power from which is directed to the front wheels through a 5- or 6-speed "mechanics" or 4-band "automatic" (the latter is available only for the 1.4-liter "aspirated").
- The hatchback offers two petrol "aspirated" 1.2 and 1.4 liters with four in-line "pots", multipoint injection and 16-valve timing, developing 84 and 100 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 121 and 137 Nm of torque, respectively at 4000 rpm.
- One step higher is the 1.0-liter three-cylinder T-GDI engine with a turbocharger, 12 valves, direct injection, variable valve timing and a Start / Stop system, which is provided in two boost options: 100 or 120 "stallions" and 172 Nm at 1500-4000 rpm in both cases.
- Diesel turbocharged units with Common Rail injection are also installed on the car: the three-cylinder version with a volume of 1.1 liters produces 75 "mares" at 4000 rpm and 170 Nm of available potential at 1500-2750 rpm, and the 1.4-liter "four" - 90 " horses "and 220 Nm at identical rpm.
How nimble and economical the car is, the South Korean automaker has not officially disclosed.
At the heart of the "fourth" Kia Rio is a front-wheel drive "bogie" with a transverse engine. High-strength steel grades are widely used in the structure of the car body - their number accounts for 51%. On the front axle of the five-door, an independent chassis with MacPherson struts is involved, and in the rear, a semi-independent architecture with a torsion beam is used.
"Korean" can "boast" a rack and pinion steering mechanism, supplemented by an electric power steering with variable characteristics. All wheels of the hatchback are equipped with disc brakes, working in conjunction with ABS, Brake Assist, EBD and other "gadgets".
Options and prices. In the European market, sales of the fourth generation "Rio" started in the first quarter of 2017 (moreover, cars are delivered to the countries of the Old World from South Korea). The cost of a five-door 2017 in Britain starts at ~ 12,000 pounds sterling (~ 910,000 rubles at the current exchange rate).
The hatch offers rich functionality - front and side airbags, a multimedia center with a 5- or 7-inch screen, navigation with voice control, an audio system with six speakers, 15-17-inch wheels and leather trim. In addition, the "Korean" will be able to boast of ABS, Brake Assist, EBD, ESP, an uphill start assist system, automatic braking technology with the ability to recognize pedestrians, a lane control system and other "chips".
