The Kia Rio is heading to China, where it will be called K2, and it previews the look of the saloon version.

Different markets, different names. So many models leave the factory with names that set them apart from other markets they are not intended for. For example, the Kia Rio, a car quite well known around the world, changes its name in China. In this important country for all manufacturers, it is called K2, it is slightly different from the model we saw at the Paris Motor Show and, in addition, it has elements that will later pass on to the saloon version.

This model wants to set itself apart from the compact model with a series of changes that bring it more actively closer to the style the version arriving very soon will adopt. The differences are marked in the grille, which is more inclined than on the compact, but which will probably be replaced by a black grille on the new model. At the rear we find a single light bar, with an unlit section joining one side to the other.

Its intention to be a model closer to the saloon means it is slightly longer and wider than the other model. In fact, the Kia K2 has a length of 4,400 millimetres, which is 22 millimetres more than the outgoing model, and a width of 1,740 millimetres, which is 40 millimetres more.

In the interior, we can find details that both models share, the compact one found in the rest of the markets and the one dedicated to China. The steering wheel, for example, is the same in both cases. The centre console is also identical in both models, and the controls, such as those for the air conditioning, are as well. The main difference between them is the integration of the central screen. In the Chinese model it appears better integrated into the whole, so it looks more natural.

The Kia K2 will come with a four-cylinder 1.4-litre engine, delivering 98 CV and a maximum torque of 133 Nm, alongside another 1.6-litre unit that offers 121 CV and a maximum torque of 151 Nm. Chinese buyers of the 1.4-litre version can choose between an automatic or a six-speed manual gearbox, while the other will be linked exclusively to the automatic gearbox. Will this also be a preview of the saloon? We will have to wait a little to know for certain.

Source | Carscoops