The current Kia Rio lags behind its subcompact competitors in several areas, particularly in terms of fuel efficiency and ride quality. The Korean manufacturer looks to be righting these wrongs with the all-new fourth-generation Rio.
As with the outgoing car, the Rio will be available as either a sedan or a hatchback. With its all-new platform, the Rio sits lower, wider, and just ever so slightly longer than before, adding about a half-inch in overall length for both sedan and hatchback.
That's not a huge increase, but Kia says that thanks to a 0.4-inch-longer wheelbase, passenger space has increased in both the front and rear seats. Adding to interior comfort are redesigned front seats; even though they look like a slimmer design, Kia says the cushions have more padding than before.
Kia also ramped up the Rio's interior tech. The top-level EX trim gets a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system, along with voice recognition, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
The last Rio wasn't as miserly with fuel as you might think, especially for its size. The hatchback managed just 29 mpg overall in our testing, with the sedan just slightly better at 30 mpg. The 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine essentially carries over for the fourth-gen car, according to Kia, but it now makes 130 hp—8 hp less than before. Why? Kia says the power has been adjusted in the interest of improved fuel efficiency. Estimated numbers have not been released yet.
The transmissions will remain the same: either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.
Kia engineers reworked the Rio's front independent and rear torsion-beam suspension in the interest of giving the car a more compliant ride. That's a good thing, because although the last Rio was a responsive handler, it was pretty stiff over even mildly bumpy pavement.
In terms of advanced active safety equipment, the new Rio will now be available with automatic emergency braking, which wasn't offered on the last car.
The 2018 Kia Rio should be available by late summer or early fall.
