Richard Drew/Associated Press 2012 Kia Rio sedan.Shown on Thursday: 2012 Kia Rio sedan and hatchback.
Is it real? The 2012 Kia Rio is the Korean company’s redesigned entry-level model.
What they said: Kia has good reason to boast; the company’s sales are robust, and the cars look like segment leaders. But did we really need to know the Rio’s seat foam was soy-based and biodegradable? The 2012 Rio looks much too nice to compost.
What they didn’t say: The Rio is the mechanical twin of the redesigned Hyundai Accent. For those who prefer more conventional compact-car body work, you’ll like the Hyundai.
What makes it tick? Power is provided by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder producing 138 horsepower and mated to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. Kia has also fitted the Rio with stop-start technology, which shuts off the engine when idling in traffic or stopped at a light. Once the driver releases the brake pedal, the engine restarts automatically. Kia says the Rio will return 40 m.p.g. in highway driving.
How much? How soon? The Rio sedan and hatchback start at $12,990. The hatchback version of the Rio goes on sale this summer, while the sedan arrives in the autumn.
How’s it look? Is it O.K. to lust after a Kia economy car? Those urban-dwelling hamsters in the Kia Soul commercials are awfully cute, but it’s the company’s new styling that deserves credit for making the brand’s products such attractive propositions.
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Slide Show: 2011 New York Auto Show
Brad Spurgeon, a longtime auto racing reporter based in Paris, discusses all things about Formula One: the competition, the gossip, the technology and the politics. Join him in the virtual paddock.