You may have missed this snippet of news, we certainly didn’t. It’s all about the new Kia Rio, the fourth generation went on sale in the UK at the end of last month with prices starting at £12k. We’ve said it it before and we’ll say it again, in the auto industry whenever a new successor is released it’s always slightly bigger/more efficient than the previous generation. Also, it’s always usually better to drive, in this instance Kia have upgraded the all new Rio with new suspension and steering geometry for what they say is a ”more grown up” driving experience. The Rio will now be sold as a five-door model only. There are 10 versions in three trim grades – badged 1, 2 and 3 – with a limited-run, range topping First Edition model, priced at £17,445. All are extensively equipped, say Kia, even grade 1 is fitted as standard with air conditioning, front electric windows with an automatic function on the driver’s side, remote locking, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors… You also get a 3.8-inch display screen, Bluetooth, automatic light control, bi-function projection headlamps and cornering lights and LED daytime running lights. There are body-coloured bumpers, door mirror casings and door handles, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and 60:40 split rear seats. A four-speaker audio system is standard, while safety provisions include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC). The new Rio is the first car in its class with Autonomous Emergency Braking as part of Kia’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). It also features a Lane Departure Warning system. Both are standard from grade 2 upwards and optional with grade 1. The Rio now offers Kia Connected Services powered by TomTom and featuring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. These are standard with grade 3 and the First Edition models. Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian recognition takes data from radar and a camera to detect sudden and potentially dangerous braking by a vehicle ahead, and activates the brakes. same way. Kia’s three cylinder 1.0-litre T-GDi (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct-injection) engines are offered in the Rio for the first time. The 1.0-litre T-GDi engine is available with either 99 or 118bhp, in both cases with 171Nm of torque. They join revised versions of Kia’s 1.25-litre and 1.4-litre petrol engines, and two versions of the European-designed and European-built 1.4-litre CRDi turbodiesel.