ROAD TEST: KIA RIO 1.4 DIESLE EXWith great looks, a keen price and a tempting warranty the new Rio can hold its own against the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris and the Renault Clio, writes MICHAEL McALEER, Motoring Editor
IF EVER THERE was a symbol of the seismic shift in the Korean motor industry, it’s the difference between the old and new Rio.
For years the Rio was the ultimate getaway car, so bland that any eye witness would struggle to pick it out from the grey concrete buildings and tarmac. “They got away in a car, definitely had four wheels and I think it was made of metal,” was about the height of the descriptions you could garner. Owners struggled to find their own cars in empty car parks.
It was merely a token gesture from the Koreans, seemingly happy to compete on the fringes of the mainstream market, but never quite ready to go blow-for-blow with the heavyweight brands in the most challenging segment of the new car market: the supermini. Populated with household names like Yaris, Fiesta and Polo, the Rio was simply there to make up the ranks.
In that regard the new Rio is a revolution, but only the latest in one of the most exciting revamps of a car brand in years.
For those in any doubt about the speed with which the Koreans are closing in on established and respected brands, consider this: the funky-looking Soul crossover is now the oldest model in its fleet.
It took the Japanese two decades to become serious players on the global motoring stage. It has taken the Koreans a decade. The question now must be how long might it take before we see the Chinese in a full-on battle with European and US brands? But the Chinese are perhaps tomorrow’s problem for the old-school brands. Today they must consider Korea.
The Rio was the last piece of the jigsaw to be changed and the outgoing model was the square peg in the brand’s portfolio of round holes. It was a value proposition but buyers paid the price in terms of comfort, driving ability and styling.
In terms of looks, the Rio now has design traits that bear comparison to the far more stylish Alfa Romeo MiTo. That’s high praise indeed. And while the petrol variants lack some pep, the 1.4-litre diesel is a great little all-rounder, falling into the lowest tax band while offering smooth power delivery with decent torque.
The new Rio is a pleasant surprise to drive. From its effortless, if slightly vague, steering to the smooth gearbox and supple but stable ride quality, it’s a really easy car to drive.
Its handling and powertrain might lack the mechanical accuracy of some rivals, but despite the major revamp in styling, did anyone really expect Kia to turn the Rio into a full-blooded hot-hatch?
While it doesn’t give much in terms of feedback, there’s a smooth, natural flow to the steering and transmission that’s a match for anything on the market. You pay a price perhaps when you try to throw the car about on more challenging roads, but then Rios were not designed for that sort of buyer.
This is a small family car that delivers in terms of space, comfort and value, while never asking much effort from its driver. It soaks up the bumps and doesn’t complain.
The 1.4-litre diesel might be the best engine in the range in terms of both power and torque, but for those who know they won’t be spending much time outside the 80km/h limits the 1.25-litre petrol might be an option.
You lose a lot in terms of torque and overtaking would be a very rare treat, but there is a substantial saving to be made; €2,640 between the entry-level petrol and the 1.4-litre diesel.
Kia has another engine up its sleeve, just in case there’s a major change in the tax bands under the Government’s recently announced review of emissions tax and bands, due to come into effect in 2013. Currently on offer in Britain, but not here, is a 1.1-litre diesel version of the new Rio, with emissions of just 85 g/km. By all accounts it’s an underpowered and insipid little engine, but it might make sense to cash-strapped buyers in the future.
There are a few flaws that could be ironed out. For a start even the diesel doesn’t always have enough power to pull you away from the lights without a little blip of the throttle. That suggests the engine is set to rev low to keep down the fuel consumption figures, but it’s potentially annoying for the young drivers the car is targeted at, who don’t want to be stalling at the lights.
Then there’s the air-conditioning system, which has about as much puff as an asthmatic chain smoker, even at supposedly full blast.
It might seem like a very trivial complaint, but it means you spend much longer than normal waiting for the windows to demist on these cold mornings.
One of the biggest boons for the Kia brand remains its seven-year/150,000km warranty. There are, of course some limitations: the paintwork is covered for five years, audio equipment for three years, batteries for two, but the biggest benefit is that the warranty is transferable to any used buyers. And while some annoyed rivals have suggested that the 150,000km is the real cutting point, how many Rio owners will average 21,500km a year, or over 400km a week? Simple fact is the seven-year warranty is a great deal, all the more attractive during a time when household budgets have no room for unwelcome financial shocks.
The Rio is up against some real heavyweights that in previous times would have blown it out of the water. Not any more: this is a viable contender with a competitive price and a really tempting warranty proposition that can hold its own against rivals like the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris and the Renault Clio.
The Fiesta would still top our shopping list in the supermini category, but the Rio runs it a close second.
FACTFILE
ENGINE1,396cc four-cylinder diesel engine putting out 89bhp @ 4,000rpm and 220Nm of torque @ 1,750rpm.
PERFORMANCE0-100km/h in 14.2 seconds.
ECONOMY4.3 L/100km (70.6mpg).
EMISSIONS113g/km (Band A €160 motor tax).
FEATURES15" steel alloys (16" alloys on EX); Dual front, side and curtain airbags; ESP stability control with brake assist, ABS and Hill Start Assist; air-con; Bluetooth phone connection; iPod/USB connection; steering wheel audio controls; daytime running lights.
PRICE€18,190 (€15,550 for 1.25-litre petrol LX version).
RIVALSToyota Yaris D-4D Luna €18,550 (€160 motor tax); Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TDI Comfortline €18,550 (€160 motor tax); Renault Clio 1.5 dCi Dynamique €18,000 (€160 motor tax); Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi Titanium €18,650 (€160 motor tax); Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.3 JTDm Turismo €18,495 (€160 motor tax).
OUR RATING8/10
One of the best buys in a very competitive class