KIA Rio 5-Door

On the inside as well, Kia has made noteworthy changes to the dashboard layout, with the cabin exuding nice and premium build quality and fit and finish.

The three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel with silver-finished lower spoke and the very informative MID in instrument console make up for a decent looking driver’s cockpit. The all-black dashboard gets a wide centre console with a large protruding touchscreen infotainment system complete with smartphone connectivity options and Tomtom navigation. This system is flanked by wide trapezoidal AC vents on either side.

The lower portion of the dashboard gets small controls for automatic climate control, with the other features of the cabin including electric sunroof, heated front seats, faux leather upholstery, cruise control, push-button start with keyless entry, tilt and telescopic steering, driver seat height adjustment and rear AC vents. The seats feel supportive and spacious enough, making it a comfortable place to be in.

The current facelifted version of the Kia Rio 5-door has seen the hatchback receiving subtle updates to its exterior design, which has made it look slightly more premium and upmarket than before.

At the front, the Kia Rio 5-door has a wide look, all thanks to the sleek and wide front grille laid out with the manufacturer’s ‘Tiger Nose’ theme, and gets chrome garnish on its upper and lower surfaces. The swept-back headlamps have grown larger in size and now incorporate new projector units. The scooped fog lamp inserts do give the Rio 5-door an aerodynamic look, with the large air dam at the middle making the front look big and wide.

The Kia Rio 5-door looks long and premium, and now gets a curvy theme for the C-pillar and wheel arches. To add premium essence to the profile, Kia has added machined alloy wheels and chrome garnish on the window shoulder line. The most significant visual change happens at the rear, with the LED tail lamps getting slightly rounded edges and at the same time, minor tweaks to rear windshield and boot lid.

The Kia Rio has got a comfortable suspension setup consisting of Macpherson struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear, with their soft setup aiding in absorbing undulations with ease. The light steering setup aids in maneuvering urban traffic with ease, however, it lacks that fine-weighted feel at higher speeds.

The Kia Rio 5-door is being made available with two four-cylinder engine options – a 1.4-litre petrol and 1.6-litre petrol, both of which are paired to a 6-speed automatic gearbox as standard. While the 1.4-litre petrol motor produces 100 PS of power and 133 Nm of torque, the 1.6-litre mill develops 123 PS of power and 151 Nm of torque. Both the engines feel powerful and are refined for what they offer.

With safety features like front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, electronic stability control, rear parking sensors with camera, lane departure warning, forward collision avoidance alert, hill start assist, straight-line stability control and vehicle stability management, the Kia Rio has one of the most impressive safety features list in its category.

The Kia Rio with its mildly updated exterior look and interior cabin with additional features than before now has bounced back with additional novelty and premium appeal which was fading off gradually in its pre-facelifted avatar. The drivetrains feel properly refined and powerful as before, while the soft suspension and steering balance, as well as an extensive list of safety features, make it a great car to have in the premium hatchback category.