Pricing has been announced for the upgraded Kia Rio supermini, which is available to order from today and can be specified with Kia 's first mild-hybrid petrol powertrain.
The range opens at £13,995 for a Rio with entry-level '1' trim, a new version of Kia’s 83bhp naturally aspirated 1.2-litre unit and a five-speed manual gearbox. Prices climb to £16,595 for the 98bhp 1.0-litre T-GDi with a six-speed manual, and £18,895 for the new 118bhp mild-hybrid option in second-from-top 3 trim.
The mild-hybrid engine is also available in range-topping GT-Line S trim with the choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox, priced at £19,895 and £20,895 respectively.
The new powertrain, which is the key upgrade alongside the design changes, pairs Kia's ‘Smartstream’ 1.0-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine with a 48V electrical system.
These enable the Rio to offer electric torque assistance and regenerative braking, maximising fuel efficiency and offering up to 52.3mpg on the WLTP cycle, depending on specification. So equipped, the Rio will accelerate from 0-60mph in 9.8 seconds with a manual gearbox, and emit between 122 and 126g/km of CO2.
Further setting the Rio apart is the introduction of Kia’s Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology, which enables the engine to switch between different combustion cycles depending on load to maximise efficiency, and a new clutch-by-wire intelligent manual transmission.
This latter innovation means there's no mechanical connection between the gearstick and gearbox and clutch - believed to be a market first. It's said to contribute to the mild-hybrid powertrain's greater fuel efficiency while maintaining the driver engagement of a conventional manual gearbox.
These upgrades also increase performance over the Rio’s previous ‘Kappa’ 1.0-litre T-GDi engine, with a 16%-higher peak torque output.
Peak power, however, is unaltered, with the Smartstream engine producing the same 98bhp or 118bhp as the unit it replaces.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Way back in May
My comments, so expertly dissected above, were intended to indicate the march of Hyundai/Kia over the last few years and perhaps it is true that in that little backwater of Europe the traditional brands are automatically regarded as superior. That's a cross you'll have to bear (bare?)
Look, I don't own one of these, have no connection with the company and get that they're not perfect. One aspect would currently stop me buying is the all black interiors: nuts in a warmish country. And a warming world...
Robbo
Aussierob
A view from Down Under
I take it there's no 3 door
That gearbox clutch combo