2018 Kia Rio Debuts With New 3-Cylinder Engine, More Mature Style

The redesigned Kia Rio isn’t the most flashy debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show, but it is a significant model that a lot of people will actually buy.

The Kia Rio is the Korean automaker’s best-selling car worldwide, so this was a big debut for the brand. Kia promises the fourth-generation model is better to drive and that it has more advanced safety features than the one it replaces, all while still being efficient and affordable.

The car has been redesigned to give off a more mature vibe and it has definitely grown up in a lot of ways, besides being physically bigger than the one replaces. That size increase means the hatch has a larger cargo capacity than before.

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The dashboard and center stack controls have also been redesigned and are now angled towards the driver, while Kia’s new infotainment interface allowed the number of buttons on the center console to be cut down for a dashboard that’s less cluttered. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be offered. Kia says the Rio has the most spacious cabin in its class and also that it’s also the first car in its class to offer automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

North American powertrain details weren’t released at the Paris show, but Kia did say it will be powered by a turbo three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine and a diesel motor in other parts of the world. The gas engine gets 100 horsepower and 127 pound-ft of torque and is crazy fuel efficient.

Unfortunately, it’s not known if North Americans will get either engine, but do know that the 2018 Kia Rio will go on sale around the world in early 2017.