These latest spy pics show the 2021 facelift version of the Kia Rio hatchback. The fourth generation debuted at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, so an update was due at this point.
In 2019, Kia sold only 39,721 Rio, while the best-seller at this price point – Renault Clio – found 317,645 new owners. In the USA, where both the hatchback and the sedan are available, Rio proved barely viable with only 24,961 units sold last year.
The disguise the car is wrapped in prevents us from seeing smaller detail, but it looks like major changes are not going to happen. The radiator grille and headlights are going to be redesigned, and you can bet on an updated infotainment system, but aside from that, much is going to stay as it was.
The current Kia Rio range ships with four engines to choose from. There is a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated mill rated at 84 hp (63 kW) and 122 Nm (90 lb-ft) of torque, its larger 1.4-liter version with 99 hp (74 kW) and 133 Nm (98 lb-ft), a 1.0 TSI with 100 hp (75 kW) and 172 Nm (127 lb-ft), and its boosted variant with 120 hp (90 kW). The first one only supports five-speed manual transmission, while the second one offers a choice between six-speed manual and four-speed automatic. The weaker turbo also comes limited to five-speed manual, while its 120hp counterpart supports six-speed manual and 7-speed DCT. The facelift will likely bring along a hybrid configuration.
The new Kia Rio looks not quite ready for Geneva show reveal, so we would expect it to debut sometime in the coming fall.