GT series cars--Overview of Kia Rio 2021

Kia Rio make a mild update even in 2021 model year with the smallest price increase. Then Let's see what changes it has made?

How practical is the space inside?

For the hatch of this class, the Rio did a good job. It has a huge interior space thanks to the low boom size, healthy width and relatively high roof line. This small hatch also carries the practical ideas of the rest of the Kia family, filling the cabin with bottle holders, corners and crevices for storing things. There is even a small console box and armrest, which is rare but very welcome to this part.

Front row passengers can see the large binnacle and bottle holder combination on the door, a decent glove box, a huge storage box, a separate shelf that holds USB and 12V sockets.

On the lower side, there are no additional exits in the console box, and the door trim is a little stiff with elbows for long-distance driving. The seats can only be adjusted manually, but provide League clearance and amazing width.

In the rear seat, the situation is not so optimistic. The large bottle holder on the door trim, the same comfortable seat trim, but without adjustable vent and power socket, there is only one pocket on the back of the left front passenger seat, which benefits passengers a lot. There is no pull-down armrest. At least the back is spacious, there is impressive legroom behind my own seat, and there is no lack of head space due to the low seat.

The trunk space is 325 liters (VDA), which not only benefits this level, but also competes with the next level of hatch, so full marks are given there.

What are the key data of engine and transmission?

The Rio GT series is the only one in the Kia Rio series to carry the brand's latest compact engine, namely the 1.0-liter turbo three-cylinder engine.It has been updated to the 2021 model year and now has a power output of 74kw / 172nm (power reduction, torque increase).

It remains one of the best performing models in this segment, far better than the old 1.4-litre engine used by other Rio models. It also helps that the 7-speed dual clutch is automatic, compared with the hopeless four speed in other ranges. Rio Tinto only has front wheel drive.

How much fuel does it consume?

Rio's fuel consumption label says 5.4 L / 100 km, which is 0.4 l less than the car before the upgrade. Cars in this area tend to have considerable overshoot, and our one-week highway and city hybrid driving test returned a computer report of 7.1 L / 100 km. It's a bit over the top, but the car is fun to drive, so I tend to forgive it.

It can also drink basic grade 91ron unleaded fuel, which is rare, and welcomes small capacity turbochargers like this. Rio has a 45-liter tank.

What safety devices are installed? What is the security level?

Since 2017, all Rio's have ANCAP five-star safety rating, but this rating is before ANCAP requires the use of active safety programs to obtain the highest rating.

Rio has missed many active security programs, but the latest update brings a sports level supplement to the active security program. It includes automatic emergency braking with forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning and driver attention warning.

There are no blind spot monitoring, rear intersection traffic warning, and adaptive cruise control - rare features in the field, but if there are, the expensive Toyota Yaris raises the bar.

The ISOFIX is mounted on top of the other side of the Rio car, where the seatbelts are fitted, as well as an electronic tether, and the second row of airbags is mounted on the top of the car, and the third row is equipped with an auxiliary brake.

How much does it cost to own it? What warranty is available?

Kia is known for its seven-year and unlimited kilometer warranty, and only the mg3 can compete in this field, which is even better than the Mitsubishi mirage, although the car will soon end its life in Australia. The service price is capped during the warranty period. Rio Tinto needs to visit the store every 12 months or 10000 km (whichever comes first), and the price of each visit is between 285 and 625 US dollars. The average annual price of these products is $457, which is surprisingly not cheap when competing with some competitors.