Kia could introduce
a new small SUV to its family and sell it alongside the Stonic. Like many other
car manufacturers, Kia is acutely aware of the growing demand for SUVs and
crossovers and believes building a small SUV based the Rio hatchback could be
one way to boost its sales.
If Kia is to make a
Rio-based SUV, it is possible that the next-generation Stonic will evolve into
something a little big bigger to make room for the new model at the bottom of
Kia’s family. Such a vehicle would likely pair its Rio architecture with the
sporty styling of the Xceed.
In the meantime,
Kia is focused on its new Seltos, an SUV that slots under the Sportage and goes
up against the likes of the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, and Toyota C-HR. The
entry-level Seltos is sold with a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder
engine with 147 hp paired with a CVT while sitting at the top of the range is a
1.6-liter turbo petrol with 175 hp and working alongside a seven-speed,
dual-clutch automatic transmission. Certain markets will also receive a
1.6-liter diesel with 134 hp.
