2012 Kia Rio Hatchback Receives Price Drop
The 2012 Kia Rio five-door hatchback will start at less than $14,000, Kia announced Monday. The affordable small car will go on sale next month and cost $13,600 with a manual transmission and $14,700 with an automatic. A destination fee of $750 will also be added to the sales price.
The 2012 Rio hatchback’s pricing reflects a price drop of almost $1,500 for the base model compared with last year’s base Rio five-door. When comparing the 2012 and 2011 Kia Rio hatchback with an automatic transmission, the price difference is slightly smaller, but buyers will still save almost $400 over last year’s model.
Kicking Tires says that the 2012 Rio five-door’s base price is less than its competitors, including the 2012 Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Chevrolet Sonic.
The 2012 Kia Rio has been completely redesigned and its new look reflects the styling of Kia’s current lineup. The Rio five-door will come in three trims: LX, EX and SX. Kia says the sportier SX trim level will start at less than $18,000. The 2012 Rio hatchback comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 138 horsepower and either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Kia says it expects the Rio five-door to get 30/40 mpg city/highway, which are the same fuel economy figures the EPA gives for the four-door 2012 Rio. Standard features include air conditioning, USB and auxiliary audio inputs, satellite radio and anti-lock brakes.
Inside Line reports that the Rio hatchback’s engine will have an optional start-stop function. “The start-stop technology provides an increase in fuel economy and is a feature typically seen on more expensive cars, such as BMWs and Porsches,” Inside Line says. “The start-stop technology turns the engine off when the vehicle is not in motion, such as at a stop light or in traffic.” Though start-stop won’t be available on the earliest 2012 Rio hatchback models, Kia Motors America says it should make its way to consumers in early 2012. The 2012 Rio five-door is expected to hit dealerships in October.
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