The Kia Rio GT-Line reveals its styling, and we now know its first details

The worldwide unveiling of the new Kia Rio is still about a month and a half away, specifically during the 88th Geneva Motor Show in March, but Kia have preferred to give us an early look at the first images of the Rio in its GT-Line version, as well as providing more details about the engine that will equip this version.

The Kia Rio GT-Line will be based on the same premises that led to the creation of this version for the Sportage and the Picanto previously: versatility, fun driving and a sporty look. These premises are inspired by other Kia models that do have an exciting GT version, I am referring to the cee’d GT or the Optima GT, models which, thanks to their characteristics and price, together with the great leap Kia has made in terms of finish quality and design, represent a very acceptable and interesting option.

As with the rest of the GT-Line versions, the Kia Rio features a distinctive, sporty styling. On the outside it stands out for its characteristic tiger-nose front grille in gloss black, which is made even more prominent by its chrome surround. Chrome also appears on the window frames, while gloss black also features on the rear spoiler and various trim pieces on the bumpers and sills. The exterior styling is completed by exclusive 17-inch GT-Line alloy wheels, LED fog lamps with a design similar to those of the cee’d GT and pro_cee’d GT, dual exhaust outlets and 5 body colours.

Changes have also been made inside to achieve a sporty yet sober and elegant look. Notable is the use of black synthetic leather for the seat upholstery, the same material that also covers the steering wheel, which is slightly flattened at the bottom. Metallic finishes also have their place in the interior of the Kia Rio GT-Line, present on the door handles, the gear lever and the dashboard, complemented by a new finish that imitates carbon fibre.

Once seated behind the wheel, you will find numerous technologies for driver assistance and safety, such as six airbags as standard, frontal collision prevention, pedestrian recognition and lane change warning, among others. Also worth highlighting is its large 7-inch floating HMI screen, which includes the navigation, the infotainment system and the rear-view camera. Finally, its double-floor boot has a capacity of 325 litres.

Mechanically, Kia has revealed that the Rio GT-Line will from the outset come with the 1,000 cc T-GDi three-cylinder engine, which can deliver between 100 and 120 CV, as well as 172 Nm of torque. This engine will be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, and is homologated at 4.7 l/100 km with CO2 emissions of 107 g/km. Later on, specifically from the third quarter of 2018, it will receive new naturally aspirated 1,200 cc MPI petrol engines, along with a seven-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox.

We still do not know the price the Kia Rio GT-Line will have in Spain, but what we do know is that it will reach our market at the end of the first half of 2018.