Latest infotainment, safety, and an updated 1.6L providing a little more efficiency. Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 28, 2017 2018 Kia Rio Sedan w/ the MT – Starts at just $13,900 (excludes $895 D&H) in LX trim and offers 29/37 with the stick and 28/37 with the AT. 2018 Kia Rio At the ready! The all-new 2018 Kia Rio sedan and 5-door hatchback are the latest additions to the Kia model lineup. While few get excited about a new B-Segment offering(s), the previous gen was one of the most stylish B-segments available and I suspect the all-new Rio will bring its own unique personality to the table vs the somewhat bland offerings from most everyone else. 2018 Kia Rio Exterior Design The Rio’s front end wears the latest iteration of Kia’s ‘tiger-nose’ grille, integrating new wraparound headlamps while the fog lamp surrounds have been moved outwards. The Rio sedans length is up 2.6 inches to 172.6 inches and the Rio 5-door is up .6 inches to 160.0 inches. Both profiles feature a .4” longer wheelbase to 101.6 inches and more upright A-pillars. The sedan and 5-door are both lower and wider as well. The rear of the Rio is now more upright with shorter overhangs and thinner taillamps. Like the front-end, the rear view of the car is wider. The Rio rides on 15” steel wheels that have been pushed toward the corners while the EX features alloys. 2018 Kia Rio Interior Design The Rio’s interior is larger and more modern with improved instrument panel, more ergonomic layout and upgraded interior materials. Horizontal lines running the width of the dashboard mimic the exterior design and give the cabin a wider and more expansive look and feel. For convenience, the center console offers a bi-level tray to better accommodate portable devices such as smartphones and small tablets. I am going to miss the swoop feature lines in the passenger side dash as those made the previous gen really stand out. Thanks to Rio’s larger dimensions, the sedan’s passenger space is 89.9 cu. ft. while the 5-door hatchback measures 90.5 cu. ft. Front occupants will enjoy more head room, leg room and shoulder room while those in the second row will benefit from greater leg- and shoulder room. These improvements are the result of re-profiled door trims, new material for the headliner and a reshaping of the dashboard. Cargo volume has been increased proportionately. The sedan now consumes up to 13.7 cu. ft. of cargo while the hatch can take in 17.4/32.8 cu. ft. with the seats up/folded down. 2018 Kia Rio Trunk Great to see B-Segments with usable trunk volumes! The front seats have also been redesigned to enhance comfort. They feature a slimmer design yet add more cushion and padding to reduce driver fatigue during long commutes and road trips. 2018 Kia Rio Infotainment The Rio offers Bluetooth hands-free functionality, 6-speaker stereo with XM and a rear-view camera. Available only on the top-tier EX trim is a 7-inch floating touchscreen interface, UVO3 voice recognition and smartphone integration through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. <-- The one to consider. 2018 Kia Rio Drivetrain Available in three trims – LX, S and EX – the all-new 2018 Rio is powered by a carryover but enhanced Gamma 130 hp and 119 lb-ft. of torque 1.6L GDI I4 with improved fuel efficiency, better responsiveness and low-speed driving dynamics. The engine enhancements help improve Rio’s fuel economy to 28/37 mpg city/highway (automatic, both 5-door and sedan). Equipped with the 6-speed MT, 29/37 mpg city/highway (both 5-door and sedan) is in the cards. Both best the previous generation by 1 mpg city/highway for the automatic and manual. Direct injection, variable intake system, low-friction oil seals, and piston cooling-jets were the help to its efficiency. An aluminum valve cover and block help reduce weight, while incorporating cast iron linings for increased durability. Either a six-speed MT or six-speed AT are offered in the Rio sedan and 5-door. 2018 Kia Rio Chassis The Rio’s all-new platform is larger than the previous generation model and underpinned by completely new suspension geometry. Weighing in at just 2,648 lbs. (w/ the 6-speed MT) and 2,714 lbs. (w/ the 6-speed AT), a new more refined driving experience with more agile handling and improved ride comfort was added while still using the tried, true, and inexpensive struts up front and torsion beam out back. The new Rio sedan and Rio 5-door received revised spring and damper setup that helps make the car more compliant and comfortable. Stopping power comes from 11-inch discs up front and drums out back, while the EX model is fitted with 10.3” discs behind. The all-new Rio can be equipped with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) in higher end trims. Rio’s solid structure makes use of advanced high strength steel to help increase durability, collision test performance and torsional stiffness for improved handling and ride quality. For reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), the Rio uses body sealing and bonding adhesives to dampen sound pathways throughout its construction. 2018 Kia Rio Safety The all-new Rio is targeting the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick designation and a 5-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features include six airbags, side-impact door beams, Electronic Stability Control, a four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM). 2018 Kia Rio Profile 2018 Kia Rio Pricing LX w/ MT starts at $13,900 (sedan)/$14,200(5-door) LX w/ AT starts at $14,990 (sedan)/$15,290.00 (5-door) S w/ AT starts at $16,100 (sedan)/$16,400 (5-door) EX w/ AT trim starts at $18,400 (sedan)/$18,700 (5-door) Accessory Pricing Cargo Mat: $95.00 Carpet Floor Mat: $130.00 Cargo Net: $50.00 Cargo Tray: $80.00 EC Mirror with Homelink and Compass: $350.00 As one of the few that enjoys driving the classic efficient and affordable new econo-box for the masses, I cannot wait to get behind the wheel of this little beauty too. Well maybe the EX with Android Auto and 7” screen anyway?
That steering wheel is too busy , and just plain goofy. And the silver-grey interior doesn't help much. The price for the most basic 5-door hatch is pretty sweet. But they didn't even have a pic of the hatch to show us ? I guess they don't really plan to sell many hatchbacks.
Glad to see the hatch will still be offered, since the Accent hatch is going away - which means that for me it is no longer a candidate vehicle. I've rented the current Accent a couple times recently, and found it surprisingly enjoyable to drive on long roadtrips (not to mention good for mid 40s without even trying). Only downside is it can be painfully loud on the highway, with some types of pavement. On a recent roadtrip in Central Oregon it was so loud at 55-60 mph, I realized at one point that in order to merely hear the words to the music I was listening to over the road noise, I'd turned the radio up dangerously loud. I mean to the point that after a couple hours, I noticed a temporary effect on my hearing. I know road noise is a perennial problem in many B-segment cars (the Versa/Note a very notable exception, and maybe also the Fiesta?), but I thought it was really bad even for the class. Let's hope the claimed reduction in NVH is significant, and not just boilerplate from the marketing department.
Hi All: I am not sure about this one but it is creative. And I have an 18 Rio scheduled for next week, just in time for the NBA playoffs to conclude... With the all-new 2018 Rio arriving in showrooms now, Kia launched an all-new marketing campaign to reinforce the age-old adage that big things can come in small packages. The centerpiece of the campaign, entitled “Small Can Do Big”, a 90-second spot which mades its broadcast debut during Game One of the NBA playoffs between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. Directed by online producer and musician, Julian Smith, the spot features a Rio 5-door and a group of percussionists, musicians and DJs using Kia’s new subcompact as the main musical instrument. From the revving engine to the hood release latch and tailgate, nearly every part of the Rio that opens, closes or moves – doors, windows, center console, glovebox, door locks, turn signal, windshield wipers, chimes and horn – are incorporated into an unexpected musical score. Produced in conjunction with David&Goliath, KMA’s advertising agency of record, this campaign challenges viewers to dream big. Additional campaign elements include 60-, 30- and 15-second general and Hispanic market versions, as well as online and digital assets including integrations with Spotify and Snapchat.
Hi All: 28/37 mpg rated 2018 Kia Rio S On the Pacific. Initial top off at a Shell in Encinitas, California just off the I-5. Initial top off. aFCD, Trip A, and Garmin reset and the initial top off. The top offs - both initial and final - only took about 20-minutes each. This is one of the better vehicles to complete a calibration drive with. 2018 Kia Rio S Calibration drive 9-miles of stop and crawl before finally opening up. Final top off at a Shell in Carlsbad, California just off the I-5. Final Fill results: 60.6 mpg over 105.1 mi at 50 mph indicated and 106.6 mi on 1.752 gal = 60.84 mpg actual. What the calibration drive indicates is the aFCD is has a positive offset (1.004) and so close as to be negligible. The aFCD = actual on the all-new 2018 Kia Rio S. Time for the steady states. And just minutes prior to the 2018 Kia Rio S Speed vs FE drive last night. 2018 Kia Rio S Speed vs FE And the Speed vs FE detail? Temps from 66 to 67 degrees with a wind out of the NW at about 5 mph. Speedometer read 50.5 and 55.5 mph at 50 and 55 mph actual. 60, 65, and 70 mph indicated matched actual with minor parallax error. RPM at 60 mph = 1,980 RPM. The EPA highway of 37 mpg speed crossover occurred at an incredible 74.9 mph! The 2018 Kia Rio S trims EPA highway should be 45 mpg, not 37 mpg! That is a huge gap and congratulation to the Hyundai/Kia team for providing a Gamma engine designed almost a decade ago and keeping it competitive with efficiency like this. 2018 Kia Rio S Engine Bay Direct injected 130 hp and 119 lb-ft. of torque I4 The Rio’s mill pulling a 2,714 lb Rio S provides a stronger kick in your butt than its chief rivals from Toyota (Yaris hatch and Yaris iA) and Nissan (Versa) and close to the same power to weight as the well-received Honda Fit as well. Wayne
