New Kia Rio SUV (spyshot)
A new Kia Rio supermini will be revealed
at the Paris Motor Show next month, but Auto Express spies have already caught the
jacked-up SUV version testing ahead of its arrival next year.
Kia will reveal its B-segment
crossover at next year’s Geneva show. It’ll go on sale in the UK towards the
end of 2017 priced from around £ 14,000. It’s expected to offer a range of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid
powertrains.
It’ll join a growing range of crossover
models in the Kia line-up, with the successful Sportage and new Niro hybrid
already helping the brand boast record year-on-year sales. The Rio SUV will be
the first Kia of its kind however, with bosses hoping to quickly capitalise on
the market growth of small crossovers in Europe.
The Rio SUV will get a very similar shape to its upcoming hatchback
sibling. The raised ride height is evident from the spy shots, while a slightly
roomier cabin and bigger boot will also feature.
Key Kia styling cues such as the ‘Tiger
Nose’ grille will feature, along with sporty design touches to help the car
rival the funky Nissan Juke. The cabin will be carried over largely unchanged
from the new supermini.
Kia is expected offer plug-in hybrid power
a little later in the product life-cycle. It’s highly likely engineers will
attempt to mate existing hybrid tech from the Niro with a more efficient
plug-in unit.
Source : Auto Express
