2018 Kia Rio: The Little Kia That Can, And Does

The subcompact car category is down over 22 percent so far this year, and within that category the Kia Rio, Kia's lowest-priced model, is down 55 percent. Both figures speak to the challenge of selling small, fuel-efficient cars in a market that shows little interest in either. It makes one wonder why Kia would even bother with a redesign of the 2018 Rio sedan and 5-door hatch.

If the Kia Rio were a U.S.-only model it likely wouldn't receive any redesign love, but Kia (like all modern automakers) is a global company operating with a global perspective. The Rio is sold in several markets and is a worldwide sales leader. Over 400,000 versions of the Kia Rio were sold last year, and Kia expects 1.6 million units to be sold over the life of this new generation. And, with a starting price below $15,000, the Rio represents a likely entry point for future Kia customers.

This helps Kia justify the engineering resources it takes to upgrade the Rio for 2018. And, because the Rio's top market is Europe, the chassis tuning emphasis is on capable handling dynamics as much as ride quality. The new 2018 Rio is also built in the U.S. now, helping Kia avoid currency fluctuations while letting the automaker add convenience and technology features. These include new driver's assistance tech like forward collision warning and automatic braking.

The new Rio's exterior offers a more chiseled appearance versus the outgoing model. The designers wanted the car to transmit a dynamic and stable look, with a prominent beltline, wider flanks, a longer hood and swept-back headlights. Kia's trademark "tiger nose" grille gives the Rio a distinctive look while a more upright windshield benefits interior space.

Inside the Rio a new dash with a lower instrument panel further adds to the car's feeling of roominess. The lower dash is balanced by an elevated display for easy control of the central touchscreen. Other interior conveniences, including a standard 5-inch touchscreen display, satellite radio and a cell phone storage pocket, contribute to the new Rio's upscale feel, but keep in mind the base LX model won't include power windows or cruise control.

An upgraded UVO3 infotainment and telematics system is standard on the 2018 Rio EX. The system features 19 services through Kia's latest downloadable app. These include tracking the vehicle's location and diagnostics. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have been added for 2018, along with a cell-phone-powered navigation system. This means the Rio has no native navigation, but Kia reps told us the company's research showed consumers prefer their own navigation system and interface over an imbedded system.

Powering the 2018 Rio is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine making 130 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque. While peak power and torque dropped this year a broader torque curve offers grater power at a more useable RPM range. Kia reps told us the new Rio is quicker when crossing intersections, merging on the freeway or pulling from a side street into busy traffic. The engine sends power to the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual, with fuel economy rated at 29 city, 37 highway and 32 combined mpg for the automatic and 28/39/32 for the manual.

Acceleration numbers haven't been released yet, but we can confirm the Rio is adequate in terms of power. It's not a quick car, but for vehicles in this category it's more important to keep up with traffic while avoiding a noisy or buzzy cabin -- especially when calling on maximum acceleration. The Rio succeeds, offering satisfying thrust and a relatively serene environment, even when mashing the pedal.

More satisfying still is the small Kia's balance of smooth ride and confident handling. An all-new MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension design, including revised spring and damper rates, lets the Rio easily dispense with all but the largest road imperfections. Handling precision improves from a new steering column with increased splines, while chassis strength and rigidity benefitted from an increased use of high-strength steel. The Rio now has multiple structural paths, spreading crash energy in small offset crashes and other impact zones.

The Rio remains a subcompact car, which means cargo capacity is limited. However, the cargo area features a flat load floor with a wide liftgate opening and a low liftover height. There's also a new panel shape under the rear load floor to increase chassis strength and reduce road noise. The sedan offers 13.7 cubic feet of trunk space while the 5-door hatch features 17.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats (2.4 feet more than last year's Rio hatch). That number jumps to 32.8 cubic feet of storage space when the rear seats are folded down.

The 2018 Kia Rio goes on sale in October with a starting price around $14,000 for the base LX sedan with a manual transmission (the automatic adds $1,000). The 5-door hatch costs around $300 more, but you have to buy a top-line Rio EX to get many of the benefits mentioned here, including the driver assistance features, the new UVO3 infotainment system and the contrasting interior colors. Prices for the EX haven't been released yet, but figure a price closer to $20,000 for that model. As an introduction to the Kia brand, the 2018 Rio serves as an effective ambassador.