Kia Motors Europe will launch the all-new Kia Rio at the 2014 Paris Motor Show today, featuring a number of design improvements to the new model.
However, many of these will not be available for the Australian model when it comes out in 2015.
Under the direction of Peter Schreyer, president and chief design officer of Kia Motors and Hyundai Motors, the Rio design team in Korea has updated the Rio’s ‘tiger-nose grille’ and given the car a newly-designed front bumper and fog lights.
Three new alloy wheel designs (available in 15, 16 and 17-inch) refresh the Rio’s profile and a new rear bumper completes the exterior makeover.
Every engine in the enhanced Rio range is available with Kia’s optional fuel-stretching start/stop (ISG) technology (automatic start-stop, advanced alternator control and an upgraded starter motor, as well as the fitment of low-rolling resistance tyres.). The ISG feature will not be available for Australia at launch.
For Australia the enhanced Rio will be available with a choice of a 1.4L engine coupled to a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic and, in the higher specification grades, a 1.6L engine which comes standard with a six-speed automatic.
New optional features for the 2015 Kia Rio will include a new DAB digital radio and a new generation of Kia’s audio-video navigation system with a 7.0-inch display screen, improved processing speed, and faster route calculation, however these options will not be offered in Australia.
The 2015 Kia Rio is expected to go on sale across Europe early in 2015, with Australian dealers expected to launch the Kia Rio sometime after the European launch in mid-2015.
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