New Rio - Everything has changed but the name

Al Majid Motors Co. has recently released the new redesigned KIA Rio five-door hatchback and its four-door compact sedan for distribution within the UAE.

Although Kia has decided to retain the old name, Rio, the new version has been completely redesigned from the ground up to meet the current and future motoring needs of our young sporty B-segment customers. The competitiveness of the new Rio lies in the establishment of a new level of style, performance, and dependability. The all-new Rio features a longer wheelbase, a wider track and more horsepower than its predecessor.

"The new Rio is designed to offer customers more space and power. It provides the driver with higher performance, better handling, a smoother ride and enhanced fuel economy." commented Mr. Samir Tayeh, General Manager of Al Majid Motors Co. "The new Rio is a ‘next-generation’ Kia which builds on the enormous progress we have made in the last two years with the Sorento, Picanto, Cerato and new Sportage. The new Rio is a high-quality rival to quite able to surpass or at least match the best B-Segment products from famous brands."

The overall proportions of the new Rio; the deep front bumper, steeply raked windscreen, sharply truncated tail on the five-door, the shaping of the entire nose, the door mirrors, A-Pillars and upper door frames, plus tight panel fit, make the new Rio aerodynamically highly efficient.

The new Rio is an ideally sized B-segment contender as it has class-leading Cabin Space, which is 50 mm taller and 15 mm wider than its predecessor. Moreover, the 90 mm longer wheelbase offers more front and back leg and better comfort in general. These new Rio interior dimensions make it clearly ‘best-in-class’ for roominess.

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The Rio is a new model that also comes with new engines, delivering ‘best-in-class’ power outputs up to 36% more than rivals. In UAE, Rio will be available in 1.4-liter 16-valve gasoline engine which generates 97 ps at 6,000 rpm and 12.8 kgm of torque at 4,700 rpm.

Front McPherson Struts, rear transverse torsion beam axle, anti-roll bars and gas-filled shock absorbers for both front and rear will deliver the new Rio responsive handling and a supple, comfortable ride on pavement or dirt roads.

Safety is a top priority for Kia and the new Rio is well equipped with a broad range of passive safety measures to cope with everyday motoring hazards.

Kia has a reputation for providing excellent value for money and has a wide range of high quality equipment. The new Rio enhances that tradition by adding numerous items, including central locking, electric windows, height-adjustable driver’s seat with armrest, body color door mirrors and handles, this all along with a range of special ‘option packs’.

"We designed the new Rio to meet the rising expectations of our customers. We improved on quality and a fresher appearance," enthused Mr. Kevin Chung, President of KIA Motors Middle East & Africa Operation. "We have created a superb compact car that is more stylish, more practical and more enjoyable to drive than its predecessor. Styled to attract image conscious, modern consumers, the new Rio hatchback is a car that perfectly matches Kia’s ‘exciting and enabling’ brand aspirations."

The five-door hatchback and four-door sedan Rio models are both available in manual or automatic transmission and have two equipment levels LX and EX. They are destined to be immensely significant introductions for Kia in the hugely popular B-segment. Kia is confident of achieving significant sales with the new Rio, as the brand attracts more and more customers to its expanding dealer network.

Editors’ Note: Specifications and standard equipment may vary.

Kia Motors Corporation (www.kiamotors.com) - one of the fastest growing automakers in the world -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world’s premier automotive brands. Kia’s 16 manufacturing and assembly operations in 12 countries produce more than 1.1 million vehicles a year that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 155 countries. Kia today has over 32,000 employees and annual revenues of $14 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. Kia Motors Corporation’s brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company’s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

Al Majid Motors Co. (www.kia-uae.com), member of Juma Al Majid Group is the sole distributor for Kia vehicles in the UAE. AMMC currently sells Kia vehicles in UAE through a network of 6 showrooms, 2 dealers with 2 more new showrooms expected to be added soon and has a market share of 4.7%. To attend the ever growing KIA customers in UAE AMMC, has a total fleet of 12 service centres and 15 parts centres. Al Majid Motors Co is celebrating its 16th year of operation in UAE.

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