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FreewheelingScotland.com — Driving the way forward

January, 2012

WhisperingRio is oh soGrande

WhisperingRio is oh soGrande

THERE WAS A TIME when only luxurybrands such as Rolls-Royce, Bentleyand Daimler offered a blissful, totallysilent environment in which to travel.The rest, well we just had to grin and bear

the mix of various levels of decibels thrownout by the engine, gearbox, exhaust andtyres as we trundelled merrily along our way.But how times have changed for today,

thanks to those lightweight sound-deadening materials strategically placed

throughout a vehicle, coupled with all therest of a modern car’s high-tech wizardry,very little noise now seeps its way into apassenger cabin . . . unless of course we’rebehind the wheel of a rampant sports car.And this is no more evident than in the

latest offering from South Korean giant Kia,for their new Rio 1.4-litre petrol hatchbackhas to be one of the quietest B sector carson the marketplace.So much so, that with the machine sitting at

junctions waiting for that small break in thetraffic in order to nip into the flow, on morethan one occasion I thought the car hadactually packed up on me.So, what’s the new Rio really all about?

Well, this Korean-built supermini takes overthe mantle from the previous model whichbuilt-up a reputation for offering no-frills

KIA RIO 2

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motoring at a great price backed by the bestwarranty in the business.But the newcomer now offers much more,

as Kia gear up to meet an explosion ofdemand in the supermini sector expectedover the coming years as more and moreprivate owners and fleet managers alikeseek to downsize to reduce running costs.Now the Rio comes with much more style

than before, thanks to input from Kia’s chiefdesigner Peter Schreyer who oversaw suchmetallic masterpieces as the Audi TT, newVW Beetle and Mk IV Golf.

And you can also see some of those strongSEAT Ibiza/Leon design cues in the Rio, nodoubt influenced by Schreyer’s previouswork for the sporty Spanish marque.Quality, too, has been increased, with

plastics, upholstery and switchgear far superior today than Kias of old.But it is in fuel economy and emission

KIA RIO 2

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me of those strongues in the Rio, noyer’s previoush marque.reased, with

witchgear far f old.and emission

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stakes where Kia have done the hard work,for all four engines in the range – a 1.25-litreand 1.4-litre petrol pairing and a 1.1-litre and1.4-litre CRDi diesel duo – offer anythingbetween 51.4mpg and a mind-blowing88.3mpg, with the sole exception of the 1.4-litre petrol unit fitted with a four-speedautomatic gearbox which returns 44.1mpg.CO2 figures range from an unbelievable

low 85g/km in the three-cylinder 84bhp 1.1-litre CRDi EcoDynamics version to128g/km in the 1.4-litre petrol, with the automatic figures slightly higher at 150g/km.In busy town traffic the Rio, as expected,

does its job more than competently, silentlykeeping up with the masses without fuss.But I was even more impressed after a trip

from Glasgow down to Scarborough where,thanks to the car’s supportive seats and notoverly firm suspension set-up, I arrived freshand pain-free, unusual for me in a car of thissize.However, to be fair, the Rio doesn’t

particularly like bumps and rough surfaces –not many cars do – but it did handle themotorway and dual-carriageway sections aswell as many other larger, more expensivevehicles.Three distinct trim levels make up the Rio

range, simply 1, 2 and 3, while a 1 Air modelhas been added which offers air conditioning to the two entry level models.

KIA RIO 2

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KIA RIO 2

Standard features throughout the rangeinclude items such as daytime runninglights, body-coloured bumpers, door handles and mirrors, speed-variable frontwipers, headlamp levelling, front electricwindows, tachometer and trip computer, splitfolding rear seats, 12-volt power socket andan MP3-compatible RDS radio and CD playerwith USB and AUX ports, so you will neverfeel in any way short-changed in this Koreanbelter. Level 2 adds 16-inch alloy wheels, fog

lights, rear electric windows, a coolingglovebox, heated/folding door mirrors,leather trimmed steering wheel and gearshiftand a centre console armrest, while

premium black upholstery adds the finishing touch.

Range-topping level 3 sports 17-inch alloys with low-profile

tyres, privacy glass, LED daytime running and rear

combination lamps, automatic air con, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control and heated frontseats.

But the pièce de résistance for anybuyer has to be Kia’sfully-transferrableseven year/100,000miles warranty.It makes you wonder,

but if Kia can do it,what’s really stoppingother manufacturers from doing the same?

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KIA RIO 2KIA RIO 2

Price: £13,095. Mechanical: 1396cc, 107bhp four-cylinder petrol engine, driving front wheels through six-speed manual gearbox. Max speed: 114mph. 0-60mph: 11.1 seconds. Combined mpg: 51.4. CO2 emissions: 128g/km. BIK: 15 per cent. Warranty: seven years/100,000 miles

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KIA RIO 2