a serious player in the well populated hatchback market
BY MICK CHAN
K ia ’ s 2012 best seller has
arrived in Malaysia . Last month , Naza Kia provided a media preview of Kia ’ s latest B-segment entrant , the Rio , ahead of its official Malaysian launch . Priced within the RM70,000 to RM80,000 bracket , the 1.4-litre Rio plays in the same ball park as the Suzuki Swift , Chevrolet Sonic and the Ford Fiesta .
Like the Rio , the Swift , Fiesta and Sonic are all powered by 1.4-litre naturally aspirated engines , with suspension duties assumed by MacPherson struts and coil springs up front , and a torsion beam with coil springs at the rear .
As standard , the Rio 1.4 EX comes with LED daytime running lights , power folding mirrors with integrated turn signals , and a six-speaker audio system with MP3 and auxiliary audio inputs . The pricier SX variant adds 17-inch alloy wheels , front fog lamps , sunroof , backlit instrument cluster , automatic air conditioning and defogger , rain sensing wipers and a smart entry system which includes an engine starter button .
Swathes of grey in the interior meet the eye at first , punctuated by slivers of metal-look trim on the dashboard fascia
and steering wheel . Perceived quality is satisfactory to the touch , although the in-dash head unit leaves quite a bit of unused space and could possibly accommodate more compartments for added storage space .
The main instruments are clear to these eyes , although subjectively a different typeface may provide improved clarity . The steering column adjusts for reach and rake , while the steering wheel itself features additional controls for the infotainment system .
The front seats in the Rio use manual adjustment , while the rear , Isofix-equipped seats feature 60:40 split
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