Revamped Kia Headed for Paris Debut

Kia has released renderings of the all new fourth-generation Rio subcompact that will make its global debut at the Paris auto show in October.

Developed under the codename YB, the ʼ17 Rio brings together styling and engineering from three continents, a spokesman notes.

The body was designed and developed at Kia Motor America’s studio in Irvine, CA, while Kia Motor Europe’s design center in Frankfurt oversaw the vehicle’s interior. Riding herd on overall development was the Kia-Hyundai R&D center in Namyang, Korea.

“Straight lines and smooth surfacing give the Rio a distinctive new character, while a longer front overhang and front end, longer wheelbase and upright C-pillar give the car an even more confident and balanced appearance than its predecessor,” Kia says in a statement.

“The all-new Rio will offer buyers class-leading practicality and safety technology, the latest connectivity features, and more assured and engaging ride and handling characteristics.”

No details were released on the upcoming model’s powertrain or other features.

The car will go into production in Korea toward the end of the year for sales launch in European markets, the spokesman says, but timing for the U.S. launch is unclear.

The Rio, including the K9 version produced and sold in China by Dongfeng Yueda Kia and its Pride derivatives in some markets, was Kia’s bestselling vehicle in 2015, with more than 473,000 units delivered globally.

U.S. sales jumped 50% in July and are up 10% year to date to 18,699.

The U.S. versions of the Rio are produced at Kia’s Sohari plant in Gwangmyeong, South Korea, which is the vehicle’s main global production facility.

In addition to the K9 variants produced at the DYK plant in Yangcheng, China, the Rio also is built at the Kia Motors Russia plant in St. Petersburg. The Rio was the third best-selling car in the Russian market in 2015.