New US spec KIA Rio saloon aka sedan

[nouze]

Damn, I never thought I will say this but I love the way this baby looks. It makes the current EU spec Rio feel like a 10 year old car.

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/04/all-new-2012-...
http://youtu.be/xj389mAsP40?hd=1

[va1o]

Wow, for a budget Kia that looks very impressive.

[soad]

You know what? Quite like it - seems decent value too. Just my 2p

[Kiltox]

Lot nicer than the upcoming EU Rio:



Kia sent me a brochure the other day offering the chance to win a trip to the press release of the new Picanto - 6 weeks after I bought the current model

[Godzuki]

Kia, and Hyundai both stepping up to the plate recently.

[VeeFour]

Aren't those the same car - just that one has a boot?

They'd never sell a small, Fiesta-ish sized saloon in the UK.

[Kiltox]

They're certainly stepping their game up with interior quality too

[poing]

VeeFour said:

Aren't those the same car - just that one has a boot?

They'd never sell a small, Fiesta-ish sized saloon in the UK.

Yup they look the same to me too except for a few minor style tweeks, windows and door line etc all look identical.

[Kiltox]

The front end of the US version is nicer though - no doubt the EU version needs to cuddle pedestrians

[VeeFour]

Kiltox said:

The front end of the US version is nicer though - no doubt the EU version needs to cuddle pedestrians

Just minor styling tweaks in the plastics, the headlights and all metalwork are exactly the same.

[OwenK]

By 2020 the preconception of Korean cars being low-quality and low-budget will have vanished, I'm sure - they are really putting out some good stuff these days. More power to them I say - if I was looking at new cars I'd definitely be considering some of them (especially the Forte coupe - tasty!)

[Kiltox]

OwenK said:

By 2020 the preconception of Korean cars being low-quality and low-budget will have vanished, I'm sure - they are really putting out some good stuff these days. More power to them I say - if I was looking at new cars I'd definitely be considering some of them (especially the Forte coupe - tasty!)

They're doing what Toyota did in the 90s tbh

[VeeFour]

Kiltox said:

They're doing what Toyota did in the 90s tbh

Which is? - can't see many similarities myself.

[Kiltox]

VeeFour said:

Which is? - can't see many similarities myself.

Reliable uncomplicated good value for money cars that aren't terrible?

[hornetrider]

VeeFour said:

They'd never sell a small, Fiesta-ish sized saloon in the UK.

Eh?

Edit: Oh, saloon.

[VeeFour]

Kiltox said:

VeeFour said:

Which is? - can't see many similarities myself.

Reliable uncomplicated good value for money cars that aren't terrible?

I look forward to their near supercar Supra equivalent, their small targa or ragtop sportscar, and their 4wd turbo rally slag, then....

Toyota in the 90s was all about performance cars for me.

[Kiltox]

VeeFour said:

I look forward to their near supercar Supra equivalent, their small targa or ragtop sportscar, and their 4wd turbo rally slag, then....

Toyota in the 90s was all about performance cars for me.

I doubt their core UK sales match that experience though

[Caulkhead]

VeeFour said:

Kiltox said:

They're doing what Toyota did in the 90s tbh

Which is? - can't see many similarities myself.

Cars for people who consider them white goods rather than for enthusiasts.

[vrooom]

Korean already did supra...

Hyundai genesis, it came with 400hp V8, and is RWD... i think it $25k over in US.

[OwenK]

vrooom said:

Korean already did supra...

Hyundai genesis, it came with 400hp V8, and is RWD... i think it $25k over in US.

Not quite, 300hp V6, not bad though, looks are a bit off to me all things considered.

Regarding the remark about Toyota, I'm sure the chap probably meant 70s Toyota, where they went from a perception of producing rubbish rustbuckets that were the budget option and ripped off the established marques of the era, to producing proper new well-engineered designs and things like sports cars worth their salt etc - and now today they're (one of, if not the) biggest single manufacturers on the planet.