kia rio

ake a look at that. Just look at it. In my opinion, it is becoming pretty clear that there are car companies that "get it," and there are others that simply "don't." The 2012 Kia Rio is yet another impressive, affordable, and efficient vehicle that is debuting in New York. Although the Rio had been known as the bargain-basement vehicle at Kia for nearly a decade, this new Rio appears to be anything but. Taking styling cues directly from the incredibly impressive Optima, the Rio really stands out nicely against the competition from Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan and Honda.

The interior is pretty utilitarian, however, but still appears to be a nice place to be. Again, it takes its cues directly from the well-regarded Optima, and actually appears to have taken a page from Volkswagen with the way the center stack is laid out around that navigation screen. Power is delivered with Hyundai/Kia's new 138 BHP 1.6L direct-injection four-cylinder, sent through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. With stop and start technology making its initial debut on a Kia, the Rio will be good for 30 MPG in the city and the magic 40 MPG on the highway. Although there isn't a whole lot of talk about the chassis development or design, ultimately the Rio looks like an absolute blast to drive. Time will tell if it drives as good as it looks, but ultimately, this appears to be a wonderful car.

In other Kia news, the Soul is getting the significant update that we were promised. Although the look inside and out isn't dramatically different, nice touches here and there have attempted to move the Soul into an area that is more in-line with cars like the Optima and the new Rio. Power is delivered with the same 1.6L direct-injection four-cylinder, and a more-powerful 2.0L four-cylinder is also available. Fuel economy doesn't change radically, but is rated at 28 in the city and 34 on the highway.

To me, that interior looks absolutely fantastic. Although, it may just be the contrast of colors. Still, it just goes to show that Kia is putting a lot of thought into their vehicles. In a strange way, it reminds me of a more vibrant Pontiac of the '80s compared to an Oldsmobile (Hyundai) of the same time.

Update on Friday, April 22, 2011 at 8:55 PM by Brad

I think what is most-critical to pull out here is that Kia is willing to take some stylistic and engineering chances while no one else is. The look is different, the power delivery is ahead of the curve, and for your money, you're getting a fantastic little car. Even I hate to say it, I would not be ashamed to own a brand new Kia. Between the absolutely incredible Optima SX, the Forte Koupe, the new Rio and the updated Soul... Kia is a brand to worry about. Especially if you are Honda and Toyota, who seem to be stuck in their ways of making boring, "safe" transportation.