2020 Kia Rio upgraded in Europe; Mild hybrid powertrain, new ADAS, UVO Phase II

Hot on the heels of the Kia Picanto facelift launch in Korea, Kia Motors Europe follows up with the introduction of the upgraded Kia Rio. The new B-segment hatch now offers a mild hybrid system and plenty of new infotainment upgrades. Let’s hope Naza Kia Malaysia will see fit to bring it to Malaysia.

The new Kia Rio’s upgrade this round is focussed on the car’s powertrain. Kia Motors not only introduced the new EcoDynamics+ petrol mild-hybrid system but also made major revisions to the existing petrol engine options.

Kia has phased out the old Rio’s Kappa engine and introduced a new engine known as Smartstream. The 1.0-litre T-GDi (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection) engine now produces 100 PS, while the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre engine has a power output of 84 PS.

The Mild-Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) powertrain is made up of the 1.0-litre T-GDi engine paired with Kia’s 48V MHEV system. The EcoDynamics+ powertrain works on supplementing the engine’s torque output with power collected in the 48-volt lithium-ion battery with the new Mild-Hybrid Starter-Generator (MHSG).

ADAS upgrades on the Kia Rio includes systems like Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Intelligent Speed Limit Warning (ISLW), Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Lane Follow Assist (LFA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Rear Occupant Alert. It’s a long list that will even give more expensive luxury cars a run for their money.  

Exterior and interior changes are minor. Cosmetic changes see full LED headlamps with DRLs available for all variants while the Rio comes with 2 new exterior colours, Perennial Grey and Sporty Blue. On the inside, the biggest change is the new 8-inch touchscreen and higher-resolution 4.2-inch digital display for the driver’s instrument cluster.

The Rio is the first Kia model in Europe that offers Kia’s new Phase II UVO Connect interface. Drivers will get online-voice recognition, live traffic information, weather forecast, fuel prices and even details for street parking but we’re sure this function is limited to certain countries.

Like the newly launched Picanto, the Rio also offers Bluetooth multi-connect function that allows passengers to connect up to 2 devices at a time. Other than that, the Rio’s infotainment also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The Phase II UVO system also functions like the Mercedes me app, owners can easily check on their Rio’s vehicle report and get diagnostics notification, send route directions via the app, and even check location of their vehicle.

In Malaysia, Naza Kia Malaysia has discontinued the Kia Rio 1.4 EX. Currently, the company is focussed on the newly launched 11-seater Kia Grand Carnival and the upcoming Kia Seltos. Based on all the new 2020 Kia Rio has to offer, we’re hoping that Naza Kia will give the Rio a grand return.