The first official sketches of the next generation Kia Rio revealed this month show a powerful, bold design that marks the next big step in the company’s ongoing design revolution.
Longer, lower, and wider than the existing Rio, the new model is designed to inject emotional appeal into the B-segment, targeting progressive, energetic consumers in the 25-to-49 age range.
Described by Kia’s chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, as “sporty and elegant”, the B-segment newcomer has a swept-back profile and a character line rising out of the front wheel which gives it a sense of movement and fluidity, even when stationary. Inside, new Rio will offer a feeling of quality typically associated with larger, more expensive models.
“Downsizing is becoming more and more of a trend these days and a B-segment car as attractive as all-new Rio, with its driver-oriented cabin and interior trim options, will no doubt help consumers to be more comfortable making that switch. New Rio is the next big step in Kia’s design revolution and we anticipate this model becoming even more popular than the current vehicle,” comments Soon-Nam Lee, director of overseas marketing, Kia Motors Corporation.
The new Kia Rio will make its global debut at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday March 1. It will be ready for the Irish market for late 2011.
The current Kia Rio was the company’s third best-selling vehicle in overseas markets during 2010 with sales of more than 205,000 units.
