New Kia Rio 3-door arrives in SA

Cape Town - Kia South Africa has expanded its Rio hatch line-up with the addition of a new three-door model in range-topping TEC specification, taking the line-up to 12 models in the Rio stable.

The new TEC three-Door comes with all the features of its five-door sibling, but in a sportier, sleeker and more compact package, says the automaker.

Kia claims: "Its low-slung profile and clean lines boats an athletic edginess, while expansive interior gives occupants an awe-inspiring sense of space. The driver and passenger doors open wide, while the front seatbacks folds forward effortless to ease ingress and egress to both the rear seats."

Generous standard kit

Standard kit includes leather seats, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB and accessories jack, steering wheel-mounted remote controls and aircon. It has the same 17" alloys as its five-door sibling, and is available in a choice of eight body colours.

Under the bonnet there's a 1.4-litre Gamma engine, which features friction-reducing modifications and dual CVVT (continuously variable valve timing) good for 79kW/135Nm.

The Rio 1.4 six-speed manual goes from 0-100km/h in 11.5 seconds before reaching a top speed of 183km/h. A four-speed auto transmission is available as an option.

A sunroof is standard for the new Rio 1.4 TEC and is available as a R7000 option on the four- and five-door TEC models.

The new model is sold with Kia's five-year/150 000km warranty and a four-year/60 000km service plan.

Prices:
Rio 1.2 Manual (4- and 5-door) - R 203 995
Rio 1.4 Manual (4- and 5-door) - R 228 995
Rio 1.4 Auto (4- and 5-door) - R 241 995
Rio 1.4 TEC Manual (3-, 4- and 5-door) - R241 995
Rio 1.4 TEC Auto (3-, 4- and 5-door) - R 254 995