2017 Kia Rio (4th Generation)

The Kia Rio S 5-Door Is Four Wheels And CarPlay For $20,200. What More Did You Need?

This might be the best car that Kia makes these days, and there are a lot of good Kias.

Verdict

The Rio is nice in that it has all of what you need and none of what you don’t. It is also nice, though, that what it suppliers to you feels of good quality. Yes, it’s small. Yes, it’s basic. It’s also comfortable and very easy to live with, CarPlay being a big factor. The Rio is more than just a little box on wheels. It’s charming about it, too.


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Kia Rio to exit UK and mainland Europe, no replacement expected

Ford Fiesta rival is the latest supermini to bow out as buyers flock to crossovers

The Kia Rio supermini will exit the UK market later this year - and it is not due to receive a direct replacement.

The European-spec Rio, which is produced at Kia’s Sohari factory in South Korea, will no longer be shipped to the UK nor other European markets, with the higher-riding (but closely related) Kia Stonic crossover lined up to serve as an alternative for buyers in the supermini segment.

The Rio is currently in its fourth generation and 148,000 examples have been delivered to customers since it first went on sale in 2001. It is currently available from £16,150 with a choice of 1.2-litre petrol and 1.0-litre turbocharged mild-hybrid engines. However, new cars are available from dealer stock only, as Kia winds down European deliveries.

The supermini has struggled in European sales charts in recent years, with 32,506 Rios sold in 2022, representing a 9% drop on 2021 figures, according to Jato Dynamics. Its direct rival, the Vauxhall Corsa, sold 164,119 units in the same period.

Meanwhile, UK sales figures seen by Autocar show that the Rio accounted for just 3800 of the 90,000-plus cars Kia sold here in 2021 - the most recent full year for which figures are available. It is not expected to have contributed significantly to Kia’s UK record year in 2022, when the brand sold more than 100,000 cars for the first time, 6076 of which were Stonics.

The Korean manufacturer, which turns 80 next year, suggested that the continued trend towards compact crossovers resulted in a drop in demand for the low-slung Rio.

 
Kia Rio likely to disappear from South African line-up after this generation

The Kia Rio has been an instrumental part of the Korean brand’s success in South Africa and globally, and through four generations it has evolved into a mature hatchback contender.

However, indications are that generation five will not reach our shores as a spokesperson for Kia Australia has told Drive that the next-generation Rio will not be produced in right-hand drive.

The Australian publication said it believed that the Rio would live on as a budget model in certain developing markets, although the lack of a RHD variant would of course exclude it from South African consideration. According to numerous reports, the Rio is also being discontinued in the UK and Europe.

The current Kia Rio remains on sale locally, priced from R299 995 to R383 995. The Polo-rivalling hatchback is still a steady seller, with Kia having sold an average of 205 Rios per month in the past three months.

It has however been outshone by its Kia Sonet sibling, which found an average of 307 new homes per month.

 
It’s Official: Kia Rio to Exit South Africa at End of 2023

First the Fiesta, then the Micra. Now this? Yes, the Kia Rio nameplate will exit South Africa at the end of 2023, after 22 years on the local market. Here’s why it’s leaving…

The Kia Rio nameplate will be “phased out” of the South African market towards the end of 2023, with the firm’s local division confirming the news in a statement to Cars.co.za.

So, what’s the thinking behind the decision to cull what has become one of the automaker’s most recognised badges in South Africa over the past 22 years? Well, Kia Motors South Africa effectively has no choice in the matter, as the next-generation model will not be produced in right-hand drive.

It’s the same reason the Soul was discontinued in SA back in 2019. As an aside, the C-segment Cerato was pulled from the local line-up towards the end of 2018, despite still being built in right-hand-drive form.

 
Kia Rio (2011-2017) Buyer’s Guide

Verdict

Which hatchback alternatives should you consider in this segment? Well, the most obvious rival comes from within the same family in the form of the closely related PB-generation Hyundai i20. The Rio’s cousin used the same 1.4-litre unit (and gained the 1.2-litre motor later in life) and was initially available with a larger 1.6-litre petrol engine, too. There was even the option of a 1.4-litre turbodiesel mill.

Of course, other competitors include B-segment heavy hitters such as the fifth-generation Volkswagen Polo, sixth-gen Ford Fiesta, third-gen Toyota Yaris, Renault Clio IV, Opel Corsa(in both fourth- and fifth-generation form) and second-gen Mazda2.

If you’re shopping towards the lower end of the UB-series Rio hatchback range, also look at the original (Fiesta-based) Figo and the first Volkswagen Polo Vivo. Specific rivals for the Rio Sedan, meanwhile, include the Chevrolet Sonic Sedan, Hyundai Accent and Volkswagen Polo Sedan.

The 3rd-generation Rio represented a coming of age for the nameplate. Though the engines weren’t the punchiest – and the range-wide lack of stability control unfortunate – the Rio nevertheless featured solid perceived build quality plus an attractive design … which, we might add, has aged quite well.

While sales in today’s B-segment have dwindled compared to years gone by, there’s certainly still a market for a generally well-equipped, keenly priced used hatchback (and, to a lesser extent, sedan). And that’s exactly what this iteration of the Rio still offers.

 
Living With A Kia Rio For 10 Years! | Drive.com.au

Have had mine for 10 years too. So I can comment on a few things here.

* Boot button: Had the same issue, nothing some electrical tape couldn't solve
* Brakes: Not sure what he means here, wear and tear is not really the fault of the car IMO
* Volume control: Had the same issue a few years back, replaced the buttons myself and scored myself cruise control in the process
* Cruise control: Already commented here
* Rear wiper: He had bad luck I guess. That can be fixed with ebay parts though.
* FOB falling apart: Had the same issue, got some good replacement FOBs now
* Peeling door handles and sidemirror: Same issue. I have the same colour of that Youtuber - so it really shows. It looks horrible. In saying that, I have replacement mirror covers I need to install, and I'll get the door handles wrapped when I can find someone to do it.
* The sunroof switch has been **** from the moment I got it. 10y+ later, it's still ****.

Some bad luck I have had:

* A few of my door locks have failed. Had to replace them and those locks cost a bloody fortune. Saved a bit of dosh doing it myself though.
* The clockspring of mine went faulty, had to replace that, which also cost a fortune.
* The door interiors show a lot of wear and scratches because they used some kak coating which is damaged earlier.
* Front left door lock lost its little rubber thing that makes shutting the door relatively quiet. I haven't figured out how to fix this without replacing the lock.
* When I open the door, the lights in front on the ceiling don't turn on anymore. Not sure why.

Some good luck:

* Almost all of the electronics works
* It's fairly comfortable
* Aircon works well
* It's kind of spacious

Mine has had quite a rough life to be honest. It has lived outside most of its life. However, it is mechanically sound. It has some quirks and it's looking old now. But it's reliable. If I turn the key, it turns on and goes.
 
Have had mine for 10 years too. So I can comment on a few things here.

* Boot button: Had the same issue, nothing some electrical tape couldn't solve
* Brakes: Not sure what he means here, wear and tear is not really the fault of the car IMO
* Volume control: Had the same issue a few years back, replaced the buttons myself and scored myself cruise control in the process
* Cruise control: Already commented here
* Rear wiper: He had bad luck I guess. That can be fixed with ebay parts though.
* FOB falling apart: Had the same issue, got some good replacement FOBs now
* Peeling door handles and sidemirror: Same issue. I have the same colour of that Youtuber - so it really shows. It looks horrible. In saying that, I have replacement mirror covers I need to install, and I'll get the door handles wrapped when I can find someone to do it.
* The sunroof switch has been **** from the moment I got it. 10y+ later, it's still ****.

Some bad luck I have had:

* A few of my door locks have failed. Had to replace them and those locks cost a bloody fortune. Saved a bit of dosh doing it myself though.
* The clockspring of mine went faulty, had to replace that, which also cost a fortune.
* The door interiors show a lot of wear and scratches because they used some kak coating which is damaged earlier.
* Front left door lock lost its little rubber thing that makes shutting the door relatively quiet. I haven't figured out how to fix this without replacing the lock.
* When I open the door, the lights in front on the ceiling don't turn on anymore. Not sure why.

Some good luck:

* Almost all of the electronics works
* It's fairly comfortable
* Aircon works well
* It's kind of spacious

Mine has had quite a rough life to be honest. It has lived outside most of its life. However, it is mechanically sound. It has some quirks and it's looking old now. But it's reliable. If I turn the key, it turns on and goes.
Excellent, very good & handy share. Thanks!
 
Kia Rio (2017-2024) Buyer’s Guide

Though it has exited Mzansi’s new-vehicle market, the Kia Rio remains a compelling option as a used buy. Let’s examine the pros and cons of the 4th-gen hatchback…

In the opening quarter of 2024, the 4th-gen Kia Rio quietly left South Africa’s new-vehicle market, bringing down the curtain on this nameplate’s 23-year local run. Around a year earlier, the South Korean firm’s local distributor had confirmed to Cars.co.za the Rio would be “phased out” since its successor would not be produced in right-hand-drive guise.

Unlike the 3rd iteration – see our Kia Rio (2011-2017) Buyer’s Guide – the YB-series Rio was available only in 5-door hatchback guise in Mzansi (no sedan body style was offered). Known as the Pride in its home market and the K2 in China, the SA-spec Rio was sourced from Kia’s Sohari plant in South Korea.

 
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