The all-new, fourth-generation Kia Rio will make its world premiere at the Paris motor show next month, and Kia has pre-empted that event by showing off a trio of design renderings of its most popular hatchback (it’s in fact Kia’s global best seller with more than 473 000 sold in 2015).
Making use of Kia’s design centres in Germany, California and Namyang, Kia says the all-new Rio sports, ‘straight lines and smooth surfacing to 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.’ Take the design sketches with a pinch of salt, as there is always a bit of wriggle room with elements like a low stance, large alloys and sporty look.
So, it’s all the regular design talk then, and not much to learn about the car till Kia reveals the real deal on September 29th, but the Korean firm is also praising the new hatch in a practical sense, saying ‘the all-new Rio will offer buyers class-leading practicality and safety technology, the latest connectivity features, and more assured and engaging ride and handling characteristics.’
Sounds grand and looking at the interior rendering we see the centre console is dominated by a large touch screen, one that will feature Kia’s latest generation Uvo infotainment system.
After the Paris debut, the next-gen hatch will enter production at the end of 2016 for Europe, with timing for South Africa announced closer to launch; likely in early 2017.