Paris Motor Show: New Kia Rio gains small car sophistication

Kia wants to breathe new life into the Rio range with an all-new version which it's showing off in Paris.

Based on the same platform as Hyundai's current i20 hatch, the Rio looks remarkably similar to its Hyundai cousin, something that has generally not been the case in the past. While the lights and grille are Kia's own work (and draw on the efforts of styling studios in Europe, Korea and California) the overall shape and effect looks very like the i20. Perhaps it will look a little more distinctive when you see it out on the street. Kia says that "straight lines and smooth surfacing give the car a distinctive new character, while a longer front overhang and bonnet, longer wheelbase, and upright C-pillar give the car an even more confident and balanced appearance than its predecessor."

Inside, Kia is promising a very high quality cabin, with a large touchscreen to control the infotainment and very few physical buttons. High-tech connectivity options such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be available.

The primary engine will be the 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit already on sale in the Cee’d hatchback. In turbocharged form in the Hyundai i20, that engine has 100hp and Co2 emissions of 99g/km but it’s likely that eventually a non-turbo 75hp version will come along to replace the current 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. That engine will be the base model for the Rio, but expect the optional diesel model to be little more than a bit-part player at this end of the market.

Cabin space, if the i20 is anything to go by, should be excellent, and there is the faint prospect of a sporty GT model to rival the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST and the next-generation Suzuki Swift Sport.

The Rio is actually Kia's best-selling model globally, with 470,000 sold last year, so there will be some significant effort expended to make this new one superior still – not least because it will have to deal with more competition from the likes of an updated VW Polo and Ford Fiesta. Here in Ireland, the Rio is actually a much smaller seller for Kia – just 496 units so far this year, as compared to 864 Cee'ds and a whopping 2,704 Sportages. Will more space and a high-tech cabin be enough to convince more Irish buyers that the Rio is the right choice for them? We'll start finding out early next year.

The Rio’s joined on the stage in Paris by the updated Carens (new bumpers, lights, grille and wheels plus some improvements to the cabin trim and infotainment system) and the facelifted Soul (new bumpers, wheels, grille, interior upgrades plus a 204hp 1.6 T-GDI turbo version with an 8.8sec 0-100kmh time). While the Carens will doubtless please many family buyers here, the hot version of the Soul is unlikely to make it to these shores.