2011 Kia Rio 4dr Sdn Lx Sedan on 2040-cars

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Kia reveals updated 2016 Rio hatchback and sedan [w/videos]

Kia makes vehicles of all different shapes and sizes (or many shapes and sizes, in any event), and the smallest of them all... well, that'd be the Picanto, but that's not sold here. The smallest Kia we get Stateside is the Rio, and it's just been updated for the 2016 model year and revealed here in Chicago. An update on the existing version rather than an all-new model, the new 2016 Kia Rio actually debuted in hatchback form at the Paris Motor Show a few months back. But this is the first time we're seeing the US model, where it's being showcased alongside its betrunked stablemate, the Rio sedan. Both bodystyles benefit from updated styling at both ends with new grilles and new lights front and rear. There are also some new paint options, and the interior has been updated with more high-density foam, higher-quality materials and revised trim. In addition to the choice of bodystyle, the Rio can also be ordered in three trim levels with varying levels of equipment, but they're all powered by the same 1.6-liter inline-four with 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. They're mated to a six-speed transmission in either manual or automatic forms, though the stick has been discontinued on the five-door hatch. 2016 RIO 5-DOOR DEBUTS AT CHICAGO AUTO SHOW The new year brings refreshing enhancements to Kia's entry-level sedan and hatch at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show - New front and rear valances add visual width and sporty attitude; two new exterior colors added - Interior enhancements include upgraded UVO eServices1 technology and a more premium look and feel CHICAGO, Feb. 12, 2015 – Chicago's gleaming skyline and indie rock music were the backdrops today as Kia Motors America (KMA) pulled the wraps off the 2016 Rio Sedan at the Chicago Auto Show. Making its global debut alongside the previously introduced Rio 5-Door (Paris, 2014), these two modern and dynamic subcompacts are the entry points into KMA's ever-expanding lineup of award-winning cars and CUVs. Refreshed inside and out for the 2016 model year, the pair offer sporty European design cues and generous interior accommodations while providing fuel efficiency. Both Sedan and 5-Door are expected to go on sale in the first quarter. "The Rio signifies everything the Kia brand has evolved into since coming to the U.S. market more than 20 years ago," said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning. "And like the brand, the Rio has grown up as it enters the 2016 model year.

Kia gives K900 Matrix spoof for Super Bowl commercial

Kia made a splash when it announced that Laurence Fishburne would revisit Morpheus, his bespectacled, blade-wielding badass character from the Matrix trilogy for a Super Bowl commercial. When we originally broke that story, we offered up a brief synopsis of the spot, produced by David&Goliath.
Now, we have an extended, 90-second version of the 60-second Kia K900 commercial that's slated to air during this weekend's Super Bowl. While it does stick to the brief we reported on a few weeks back, there's a big, ridiculous twist in the last bit of the video, not to mention a few easter eggs for fans of the movies. We won't spoil it for you, so scroll down and have a look.
After you've watched the video, scroll just a bit further down and have a look at Kia's official press release on the commercial.

Behind the scenes of our subcompact crossover comparison

The cameras had been set up for almost an hour, and now, the living room filled with the sweetness of freshly brewed blonde roast. The late-summer sun had just started peaking over towering maples. In a week the colors will start changing, the inevitable sign of the coming gray skies and snow. Half past eight, the editors arrived. The Scandinavian inspired house that served as the headquarters for our subcompact crossover comparison couldn’t accommodate all seven of us, so they had stayed at a turn of the century farmhouse down the road. While geese, chickens, cats and sheep made for an authentic Northern Michigan farm experience, ingredients for a good nightÂ’s sleep they were not. Within minutes Red Bulls cracked open and short, cocoa-colored mugs appeared, filled with a variety of caffeinated beverages.  “I thought we were gonna have fried eggs,” Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore said, smiling, before refusing a muffin. Associate Producer Alex Malburg ran from camera to camera, adjusting focus and exposure, trying to keep up with the ever-changing light, which poured into the room faster each minute.  “I was promised food. IÂ’m not filming.” Consumer Editor Jeremy KorzeniewskiÂ’s sarcasm thinly veiled his true feelings. To keep the group content I promised a craft-services buffet next time.  For the second time, we shot our comparison just outside of Traverse City. While we took advantage of a local off-road park for the first, this round proved a bit more tame, utilizing the hilly, winding, wine-country roads that define the region.  An air of nervousness could be detected. Only one person knew the outcome of our test, Senior Green Editor John Beltz Snyder. I found myself both impressed and surprised he had kept this secret overnight, though I came to find out later that he revealed the winner to Producer Amr Sayour on the drive to dinner the evening before.  The cameras started rolling, the audio recording, but the caffeine hadnÂ’t yet entered the bloodstream, with one exception. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale sipped his lime green Mountain Dew. That seemed to be working, as he passionately laid out his argument for the Kia Soul and his preference for winter tires over all-wheel drive. From behind the camera I silently disagreed with him. “No one buys winter tires,” Jeremy argued. As we consumed more coffee, the sun came up, and so did the energy of the debate.