Kia plans on making a splash this year at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show with its surf/skate-themed 2012 Rio hatchback.

This gnarly Rio is the result of a partnership between Kia and Antenna Magazine, and is touted as being a “one-of-a-kind retro ride aimed at totally radical surfing enthusiasts.” To start off, Kia took a stock five-door 2012 Rio and went to town on it, giving it a “sunset-metallic golden-brown” coat and a custom front splitter made from wood (taking its inspiration from vintage surfboards). But it doesn’t stop there – this Rio comes outfitted with an extreme exhaust system, gold-finished aluminum wheels and a new set of side skirts. Inside, this Rio boasts shelves for storage, a retro record player and a retro-style video game system.

Under the hood, you won’t find any surprises. It’s powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, just like any other standard Rio.

Along with its surf-inspired Rio, Kia also has five other sport-themed concepts on display that it has developed with high-profile partners (including a Michelle Wie themed Soul).

See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 SEMA Show Preview here and look for live coverage starting November 1st.

Read AutoGuide’s 2012 Kia Rio 5-Door review here

Kia will be joining in on the B-Spec racing series fun by offering race-prepped versions of the new 2012 Rio 5-door, joining the likes of the Mazda2 and Honda Fit. The B-Spec racing series is designed for low-budget racing enthusiasts featuring compact hatchbacks with little to no engine modifications. Kia will be working with Kinetic Motorsports to get Rio 5-Doors ready to race and is planning to announce more details at the upcoming 2011 SEMA Show.

Based on other B-Spec racing vehicles, we can safely assume that the race-prepped Rio will feature a roll cage, racing seats, harnesses, suspension modifications and a new wheel and tire package. B-Spec series racers are designed to compete in SCCA, NASA, Grand-Am and World Challenge race series. With basically stock engines in all of the vehicles, the race-ready Rio will sport the factory 1.6L that pumps out 138-hp and 123 lb-ft of torque, significantly more than either the Honda or Mazda.

Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2012 Kia Rio 5-Door review and see a preview of the 2011 SEMA Show here.

Kia will launch their 2012 Rio Hatchback with a starting price of $13,600, plus a $750 destination charge (bringing the total to $14,350).

The base car will come only with a manual gearbox, while an automatic transmission equipped version will cost $14,700 ($15,540 with destination included) while the top-of-the-line SX model will set you back $18,000 ($18,750 with destination included). The Rio will come generously equipped with air-conditioning, power steering, stability control, ABS, a hill-holder for manual transmission cars, and a 1.8L 138-horsepower engine capable of returning 30/40 mpg.

The Rio will also offer a start-stop feature, a class exclusive, that will boost city fuel economy to 31 mpg.

There are a lot of important points to make about the all-new 2012 Kia Rio Sedan, but the most surprising is that it will be the first in the sub-compact segment to feature start-stop technology. Called Idle Stop and Go (ISG for short), the Rio will completely shut off its gasoline engine when at a stop and immediately restart it just before the gas pedal is pressed.

Powered by the same 1.6-liter direct-injection engine found in the new 2012 Hyundai Accent, the Rio also gets the same 30-mpg city and 40-mpg highway rating. Those EPA ratings don’t include technology like ISG, however, so real-world fuel economy could exceed the EPA estimates.

And as impressive as those fuel economy numbers are, the Rio doesn’t loose out in power either, making 138-hp and sharing the title of the most potent engine in the sub-compact class.

Kia continues to deliver in the design department as well, offering more style in the sub-compact segment than you’d expect. The Rio sedan even gets a slightly different front end to its Rio5 hatchback counterpart.

Available in three trim levels LX models include 15-inch steel wheels and not much else, while the EX trim brings features like power locks, windows and keyless entry as well as Bluetooth. The top-level SX trim includes fog lights, LED daytime running lights, dual chrome-tipped exhaust pipes, turn signal indicators, a leather wrapped steering wheel, the Microsoft UVO infotainment system with a rear-view camera and 17-inch wheels.

Options include that ISG setup as a part of the Eco Package, while SX models can be had with the Premium Package that delivers navigation, a push-button start, leather heated seats and a moonroof.

Official pricing has yet to be released, but the Rio will start at under $13,000.

GALLERY: 2012 Kia Rio

The all-new 2012 Kia Rio will sedan will debut at the New York Auto Show, with a strong possibility that it will house a significantly more powerful engine than its European counterpart.

At the Geneva Auto Show last month, Kia unwrapped the Rio hatchback, sporting a turbocharged direct-injection 1.2-liter 4-cylinder engine. North American models, however, are likely to feature the same 1.6-liter gasoline direct-injection engine as found in the new 2012 Hyundai Accent, which makes an impressive 138-hp and should achieve approximately 41-mpg on the highway.

Kia hasn’t confirmed as much, but with the Rio a sister car to the Accent and Hyundai-Kia’s long standing powerplant sharing, a 138-hp Rio is a safe bet.

GALLERY: 2012 Kia Rio Hatchback

Find a full preview and coverage of the NY Auto Show here.

Autoblog has revealed that the 2012 Kia Rio will make its debut at this April’s New York Auto Show, with an expected 1.4L 4-cylinder making 108 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque.

Expected transmissions are a 6-speed manual and an automatic, rumored to be a 4-speed. The sedan will complement the hatchback previously revealed at the Geneva Auto Show. Also possible is a 138-hp direct-injection 1.6-liter 4-cylinder, similar to the one offered in the 2012 Hyundai Accent.

AutoGuide will have complete coverage of the New York Autoshow starting April 20th, so stay tuned to our site for more photos and videos.

[Source: Autoblog]

Kia has just released the first details and photos of the new Rio sub-compact ahead of its world premiere at the Geneva Auto Show in March. A sister car to the Hyundai Accent (details on the 2012 model here), the Rio gets a unique styling and for now will only be available as either a 3-door or 5-door hatchback. The 2012 Hyundai Accent, revealed at the Montreal Auto Show, will be sold as both a 5-door hatch and a sedan.

The new car is 2-inches longer, one inch wider and roughly half an inch lower than the outgoing model, with a wheelbase that has increased by almost three inches – which should notably improve rear seat room.

Details on the U.S.-spec model are not yet available, but the European versions will get either a 69-hp 1.1-liter diesel, or a turbocharged gasoline direct-injection (GDI) 1.2-liter that’s touted to get as much as 50-mpg. When it does arrive in the U.S., it should share the Accent’s direct-injection 138-hp 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that makes 123 ft-lbs of torque.

Get full coverage starting March 1st and see AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

GALLERY: 2012 Kia Rio

Several spy photos of what appears to be the upcoming 2012 Kia Rio reveal that the Korean automaker’s subcompact sedan is posed to borrow heavily from the design of the all new Optima.

A sister car to the Hyundai Accent, power is expected to come from the same engine choices: either a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder or a 1.6-liter four-banger. The 1.6-liter engine gets DOHC and variable valve technology to produce roughly 120-hp at 6300 rpm and 114 ft-lbs of torque, while the 1.4 delivers roughly 105-hp and 100 ft-lbs. Both engines come with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. Fuel economy with the smaller engine should be roughly 41-mpg with the manual and 38 mpg with the automatic. Different engine and transmission combos could be offered in North America, as we expect something better than a 4-speed auto-box.

GALLERY: 2012 Kia Rio

[Source: Auto.qq.com via  Kia-World.net]

Following roughly a year after the debut of the all-new Hyundai Accent, Kia will unveil its third-generation Rio sub-compact in early 2011. Set for a dramatic makeover (much like the Accent) the Rio will get styling inspired by the Forte and Forte Koupe as well as the new Optima Sedan.

Like the Accent power is expected to come from either a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder or a 1.6-liter four-banger when it first launches in its home market of South Korea. The 1.6-liter engine gets DOHC and variable valve technology to produce roughly 120-hp at 6300 rpm and 114 ft-lbs of torque, while the 1.4 delivers roughly 105-hp and 100 ft-lbs. Both engines come with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. Fuel economy with the smaller engine should be roughly 41-mpg with the manual and 38 mpg with the automatic. Different engine and transmission combos could be offered in North America, as we expect something better than a 4-speed auto-box.

Other new models set to join the Kia fold include a 5-door Forte hatchback. There’s speculation of an Optima Coupe and Optima Wagon as well, not to mention the Kia K9 luxury car based on the Hyundai Genesis rear-drive platform. And finally, there are continued rumors of a rear-drive Kia coupe based on the Genesis Coupe.

[Source: Kia-World]