Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2011 | Page 63

MOTORING

Real clean sweep for Rio
The new Kia Rio has burst onto the
scene and is turning heads in the
supermini category of the Island car
market.
The all-new fourth generation
Rio underlines the company’s
determination to not only upgrade
the style and quality, but beat down
consumption and CO2 figures.
I test drove the Rio 2, 1.25-litre
84bhp petrol, courtesy of Northwood
Kia. It is the middle-of-the range
model, but still with plenty of
additional features such as the 16-inch
alloys, electrically adjustable and
heated door mirrors, front fog lights
and leather trimmed steering wheel
and gear shift.
There is also the Rio 3, a petrol
1.4-litre 108bhp, with 17-inch alloys
and numerous additional features

TEST DRIVEN ON
THE ISLAND
By Peter White

while the diesel range boasts the
1.1 CRDi ‘EcoDynamic’ with an
incredible 88mpg. It is the cleanest
diesel ever with the lowest CO2
emissions of any non-electric vehicle
on sale today, including hybrids and
eco specials from rival companies.
The ride is quiet at almost every
speed and it tackled the various road
surfaces with ease. You feel a sense
of control when driving the Rio, as
it handles the corners well and stays
tight to the road.
Inside, the Rio is surprisingly
spacious for a relatively small car. It is
particularly easy to get in and out of;
there is plenty of leg and head room
in the front and enough space in the
back to seat three adults. There was
also good visibility at all angles, made
easier by the several different options

for adjusting the seat. The boot is also
a good size with 288 litres of space.
The Standard Rio starts at
£10,595 OTR, with the Rio2 from
a competitive £12,495 OTR and the
Rio3 coming in from £13,795 OTR.
The Rio has undergone major
advances in safety, quality and style,
and backed by Kia’s unique seven-year
warranty it makes it particularly
appealing to Island buyers looking for
a small car with plenty to offer.

Northwood Garage
260 Newport Road, Cowes PO31 8PE
TEL: [phone] www.lesliesmotorgroup.co.uk
www.visitislandlife.com

63