2017 Kia Rio on sale today priced from £11,995

The car is built on an all-new platform, with MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam at the rear. The bodyshell has been made stiffer than the existing Rio’s, the suspension has been made more rigid, new dampers have been fitted, and there are revised spring and damper settings, all of which Kia claims leads to a more comfortable ride and “more agile and immediate handling”.

Martins said that the Fiesta had been the benchmark for handling for the new Rio, and the Polo had been the benchmark for comfort. 

Design

Kia’s European design chief Gregory Guillaume told Autocar that he wanted to give a “quality look” to the car.

“We are trying to build on the momentum of the current generation with this new model,” he said. “It was a big step from the old Rio to the current one; now we have a good base and it’s a different step we’re doing.”

Guillaume said significant work had been done on the Rio’s proportions to give it a cleaner, higher quality look.  

“This has different proportions, it was more cab forward and wedge shaped before and looked ready to ‘bounce’. Now we have more self-confidence, the cab is backwards, the bonnet is longer, and we emphasise the short rear overhang. It looks more stable and has a more solid look to it.

“We’re trying to give a quality feel to the car. We’re not premium, but we want to give as much quality as we can at the price point.”

Guillaume confirmed there would be no three-door version of the new Rio, as demand for this version was dwindling across the whole industry. So Guillaume said Kia focused on designing a five-door Rio pitched at the heart of the segment and with wide appeal. 

“We wanted to do a proper B-segment vehicle,” he said. “Not too fashionable or trendy, a good product with style and a clean design. We spend the most time on proportions, not on loud, shouty elements.”

Technology

Kia has equipped the new Rio with a host of new safety equipment as part of a desire to achieve a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, including autonomous emergency braking. The body is also largely made from high-strength steel to further improve safety. Martins said that buyers of city cars and superminis were “really concerned about safety so we put a lot of effort into this” in the new Rio. 

The Rio is Kia’s best-selling model globally, but it's only third in Europe where it's surpassed by the Kia Sportage and Kia Cee’d. Kia’s European marketing chief Artur Martins told Autocar that the firm wants to go from selling 70,000 Rios a year in Europe to 100,000 per year.