Kia Rio

player4

Spy Pictures 2006 Kia Rio:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/images/gallery/8288_image.jpg

http://www.thecarconnection.com/images/gallery/8289_image.jpg

Article:

With its camouflage nearly off, here is the first glimpse of the redesigned Kia Rio. The Rio will share a platform with the upcoming Hyundai Accent, although the Accent is expected to reach dealerships months earlier.

Full Article:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?n=178&sid=178&a- rticle=7451

iluvmysephia1

looks a bit bolder in body design than the old one. I think it'll be a hit with consumers worldwide.

gwido

According to the article, this concept prefigures the next Rio:

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/paris_2004/0411_kia_sport- /

backy

If the production car looks like this (sans 18" wheels), and it drives well, Kia will sell a ton of these cars. It's a great-looking car--much nicer than the Mazda3 5-door IMO.

jchan2

there's the issue of sticker price. Will it be raised significantly?

chrisducati

Wait a second... Is the Five door shown going to be in addition to the sedan and Cinco... The Hatch back shown has a much smaller cargo area behind the rear seat than the current Cinco. That is the strong point in the Cinco. It can haul a lot of stuff with the rear seat up and even more with it down... The new hatch looks like it is in the Scion Xa and Chevy Aveo range for cargo room behind the rear seat. Kia, don't screw this up

iluvmysephia1

at the NA Auto Show in Detroit on January 11, 2005. Should be fun to see how it will look. I'm talking about the 4-door sedan model, the 5-door(Rio Cinco)will debut in March of 2005, I believe in Europe. We'll start with this one, though...it looks great, the pictures of the yellow one linked in post 5. Take a look. Kia will score nicely with this Rio. 1.5L 4 cylinder motors and a longer wheelbase, wider track and more torque and power delivered to the wheels is what Kia is promoting in this new rig. Gonna be fun to check it out!

igor2

here are the official pictures.

The 4door (official)

the 5door concept

along with CGI's of the NEW HONDA CIVIC!!..

 

http://motoring.asia1.com.sg/cgi-bin/motorbb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=g- et_topic;f=7;t=001959

alpha01

Seems to be a very attractive little small car. Rear end is more stylish and less bulbous than the Spectra. Overall, from these pics... a job well done!

 

~alpha

csandste

especially when compared with the new Civic, and I say that as a Hyundai owner who wishes Hyundai/Kia the very best...

gwido

Here are the pictures of the 5 door Rio that will be presented at the Geneva Auto Show next week:

http://www.caradisiac.com/php/essai_tun/doss/doss213/pop25.php
http://www.caradisiac.com/php/essai_tun/doss/doss213/pop26.php

Looks great IMHO. It seems to be shorter than the current 5-door Rio though.

csandste

Way to go Kia. I was getting bored to death.

occupant1

If I can get a 2005 sedan now, early in the year, for $5888 (no air, radio, or power steering), what incentive do I have to wait for the 2006 model?

Will there be a model available like that, with no options, no air conditioning, with the 5-speed, that I can get new for dirt cheap?

a_l_hubcaps

occupant1-

Maybe not THAT cheap, but yes, there will be a strippo model. See the press release. Base has no A/C, no wheel covers, no power steering. I think this is kind of cool, actually. Not many people will buy that version, but there's something neat about a car that comes with absolutely nothing...like a modern Model T or Beetle.

-Andrew L

iluvmysephia1

of this 2006 Kia Rio5 better than the front view. They are calling this the Rio5, right? I saw the rear view picture on another website earlier tonight and it called the new Kia the Rio5. Very interesting design, an improvement from the last design, by far IMV(in my view). It's really got a European look and I think Kia designed it for Europe-they're growing by leaps and bounds there now.

chrisducati

It definitly shows that this hatchback version was designed for Europe. The Cinco was styled more for american tastes and was never a big hit in Europe. I am a hatchback fan, more for the utility of the vehicle. I actually like the styling of the old Cinco much better. This new car will have a very small cargo area behind the rear seat. My sister has a 2004 model and I like it. While this new car may drive better and have more passenger room, it will not have cargo space. No more hauling a TV behind the rear seat. No six suitcases for the families trips. There better be a good roof rack system for the new car, owners will need one.

randydriver

I wonder what kind of mileage it is suppose to get, and how much heavier it has become with the makeover.

jchan2

I've never seen a car on the road without air conditioning. It sounds interesting to have a car that resembles a modern Model T- just the basics- seats, doors, airbags and a transmission.

chrisducati

until recent years... like the last ten, in some northern areas may cars didnt have A/C. My aunt lives in Northern Wisconsin. When I'm there I look at the car dealers in her town. For the most part if A/C isn't a standard item they do not order it. Odder yet was the surprise that the hotel rooms didn't have A/C either... just open a window if it is warm!

jchan2

Here in the southeast you'd be crazy to order a car without Air Conditioning. The summer days here can get to almost 100 degrees and during the winter can dip down to 6 degrees.

a_l_hubcaps

My '86 Pontiac has factory A/C but it doesn't work, and the cost to recharge an old R-12 system is ridiculous. So I've gone without it for the five years I've owned the car. It's just on the edge of bearable here in the NJ/PA region. I've learned to bring a water bottle with me when I drive in the summer. I can imagine it would be really awful to drive down south without A/C.

-Andrew L

jemtec

Andrew,
You can actually recharge your system with a retrofit R134 Kit.
They run about 50.00, come with a 2 Oz can of oil, and 3 cans Of R134, along with a high and low side connector, and the main Refilling connector that screws onto the can and has the valve on it.
I've redone several R12 Systems over the years.
First step.. Take your rig in and get the old stuff sucked out, (most places will recover and recycle it for FREE).
If you do the re charging (its easy to do im telling ya), but get help from someone you know if you aren't sure where the High and Low Side Ports are, or even if you dont feel comfortable doing any of this.
The Low Side typically is a Larger connector than the High Side... and the High Side is almost always mounted closest to the Radiator.
The replacement connectors screw over the old valves, the Low side becomes a larger one with a Blue Cap, and the High Side Becomes a Slightly larger connector with a Red Cap.
Make sure that when you recharge it, you put the Oil in first, have your AC turned on full blast, and engine running.
Then (this isn't perfect science, but your car WILL blow cold air compared to none at all!)
It needs to be 85% of whatever the amount the Factory originally put in the system.
So, if its say, 23 OZ of R12, that comes out to, 19.55 OZ.
Its VERY important you remember this. if you dont, it can damage your Compressor! I say its "not a science" because each can is 12OZ.. So, you can add one, but only a bit over 3/4 of the other.
Just make sure you keep your finger on the shut off valve for the R134.
Some people say that you should "consider" replacing all your system O-rings.
Honestly, with 99% of the rigs out there with R12 made in the 1980s, you will be just fine leaving it completely stock.
What makes the diff is that the Oil you charge it with in the Kit will have the necessary lubricant, and sealing qualities that work great with R12 Systems.
Just something to consider.
If you know where your Low and High side is, Get your Numbers figured out for the best amount to add of R134, You can have your AC up and running in about 15 minutes.
Just MAKE sure you get your old stuff evacuated, (will help get some of the old oil out) and the R12 is GONE. They Don't mix.
:P

a_l_hubcaps

jemtec-

Yeah, I'm aware of the R-134A retrofit, but I've heard mixed reviews. Some people say it works fine, others say it causes all kinds of problems. So I've been reluctant to give it a try. Although the car is 19 years old, it's not a piece of junk, and I don't like to make haphazard repairs.

Well, I guess I dragged this discussion a bit off topic...

-Andrew L

jchan2

Will it have side curtain airbags?

gwido

Yes, it will. From the official press release:

"The new Rio also offers class-leading interior volume and six standard airbags, including full-length side-curtain airbags."

You can find it here

gy563

http://www.kia.co.kr/filerootmain/Showroom/pride/pride.html

Here's official web page of kia's New Pride ( which is 2006 Rio here in the united states)

gy563

Korean model of NewPride(2006 Rio) comes with lot more feature than American models (ex. Front heated seats, leather seat, mp3 player, temparature indicator, red special model, choice of 10 different exterior colors, etc.) also if you go to Korean web site and look at the interior it's slightly different than one that showed on the international auto shows. (Korean model interior is bit more stylish)

jemtec

Andrew,
I can see your qualms but consider this:
Unless your current compressor is already hosed, I would give it a whirl.
Personally, Ive had perfect luck with 10 different vehicles (asian and domestic) so far, and not a single hitch.
The big thing is to be sure you are as accurate as you can be with the refill.
Always put in slightly less R134.
There are many people out there that dont understand how a R12 Compressor has a different head pressure (piston that compresses the gas) when using R12 Freon and you need to be sure you dont overfill because of the different molecular makeup of R134.
Ive met a couple people that overfilled them, and damaged their compressors from really overdoing it.. (overheated them).
Its really just simple math.
Just be sure to do an 85% fill of R134 to your Recommended Fill of R12, and realize that the only possible component to take a crap on you is a possibility of well worn R12 Compressor.
If your Car is in as good a shape as you say, Im sure you will be fine.
Heres another tidbit..
My most recent R12 to R134 Kit conversion I did recently was in a 1993 Honda Civic CX.
327,000 Miles.. ALL ORIGINAL components!..
Flawless install, and it blows cold.
Be aware that R134 Isnt as cold as R12, (85% the coolness of R12 is accurate, Interesting that its the same as what you have to fill it to. LOL) but its also 10 times cheaper!
Yeah, you can run a risk in anything, but I say go for it.
You have absolutely nothing to loose.
Look at it this way.. If your compressor is on its way out, its better to learn about it with a R134 Retrofit, then to refill with very expensive R12 and find out that way.
I can see your worries, but its really a piece of cake.
Jeff :shades:

chrisducati

Isn't that the way it always is! The best for the rest. America seems to always get left out when it comes to cool stuff. I admit that there are going to be people that wouldn't pay for leather in a Rio.

gy563

New Pride (2006 Rio) Exterior Colors


New Pride (2006 Rio) Interior


New Pride (2006 Rio) Special Red Verion

These are all Korean Models

jchan2

It looks like the Korean Rio has Automatic Climate Control. Any chance we'll get that feature also?

gy563

Not that I know of...

iluvmysephia1

black or silver. Looks better than past Rio's, IMHO.

randydriver

So when is this car suppose to be released here?

lexi4life

This summer.

gy563

I wounder how much this car will cost here in the United States?
(I heard that In Korea, price of this car is about 9,000~12,000 U.S. dollars (with all the options we are not getting, like mp3, front heated etc...)

lngtonge18

The only thing I can't stand about the new Rio is the large black mouldings. Will these definitely be coming here? Will you be able to get them body-colored? They are just too large and look odd. I LOVE the rear tailight design on the hatchback though. Very European. So far though I prefer the upscale looks of the Accent over the Rio.

chris65amg

That car is so cute! I like the interior as well. Lucky Koreans

btp

Hi Jeff - I have a 93 Honda Civic DX and purchased the R12 to R134 kit. I'm having problems distinguishing between the "High" and "Low" side - both ports are near each other. One is closer to the front bumber and the other is on a second line set a few inches behind the other one (the second one is closer to the engine block). Which one would you consider the Hi and Low if oyu recall from your Honda conversion?

Also - if I choose NOT to deplete my old R12 by a technician, could I simply manually deplete the old R12 in the air at my home by pusing in the nozzle on one or both ports? Is this illegal? I read that this could be dangerous so it would be done in open air, of course if I am legally able to do it this way. Would it remove all the old R12?

Thank you and I look forward to getting cold air again in my Honda.

Brent

cookie55

Does anyone know if the Rio hatchback is coming to the U.S.?

kb4

Yup.

jemtec

Hi brent.
I wouldnt recommend discharging your R12 (whatever left) manually.
Mainly because having a "tech" remove it helps get some of the R12 based oil out of the compressor, and helps your system have a "vacuum" in it.
Shops will usually do this removal for free.
Call the shop first and tell them what you are doing and that they can have your old R12, and heard they can remove it for free.
Go to a place that specializes in AC repairs and installs.
About the Legality issue.
It is"illegal" to just dump R12 into the atmosphere so I myself went the route of taking it in and having someone take the old stuff out.
R12 and R134A, when released, can be dangerous if someone was to break the shrader valve (the little "pintle" valve thats inside of the High and low side ports)
Its also used on Valve stems of Automotive tires.. etc etc.
When leaving the system, R12 and R134A will freeze objects that are near the valve as the gas leaves.
Just like when you spray something out of any can.. (spray paint, WD-40..whatever) the can gets cold when you spray enough of the product.
They make it sound almost deadly.. I suppose it could be if you managed to somehow put a can of refrigerant to a High side valve ( which is under "pressure" instead of "vacuum" like the low side is).
The High and Low side valves use different size ports.
The Low side is larger in size than the high side and you will notice that the valves that come in the kit (threaded aluminum units with a valve in them) may or may not have a Blue or a Red Plastic Cap.
The Blue Cap is (blue=cold or "low") meant for the low side, and only fit on the low side valve.
The Red Cap is the High side (red=hot or "high").
You might get stuck with Black caps, but you will see that they are not the same size and are not interchangable.
Make sure when you install the valves over the original valves, you dont reef them down.. Tighten enough to snug.. if you reef, you will bend the pintles on either the new or old valves!
The R-134A connector (that the cans spin on)they give you in the Kit, will only connect to the Lowside port as its sized with safety in mind.
Its totally foolproof.
About refilling,
Be careful of your measurements.
Turn the A/C button on, full cold temp on the slider, set the fan speed to "High" and run at an idle.
Look at your R134A connector hose that came in your kit.
It has a brass fitting, where the cans screw on to.. Make sure your valve is turned out so the sharp metal "pin" isnt going to puncture the can as you screw the can onto the connector.
When you turn the valve to the right, it will screw downward, and eventually puncture the can..
You fill by opening the valve again after you feel the resistance of puncturing, then the gas will start flowing as you turn the valve back out again.
Make sure the can is "upside down" with the cans valve pointing down.
It helps with filling.
You can attach and remove the connector in the same way you do with Airtools.
There is a coupler, and you lift up on the coupler, press the connector down on the port with a small amount of pressure.. and release the coupler to lock.
Using these above steps:
Fill the 2 oz Oil can first.
Then add the First can of R134A.
It will take about 3/4 of a can additional once you have finished filling the first can.
Simply, disconnect the coupler, reset the valve position, (there might be a slight discharge of gas remaining in the can), load your next can.
There is no danger when you do this.
I figured 19oz was the figure for a refill at 85% fill rule for R134A. (its 23 Oz if you refilled with R12 again). On your Honda.
The Cans only hold 12 Oz each, so BE Careful on the 2nd can because you can overfill if you arent paying very close attention.
Once you have partly installed the 2nd can.. turn the valve out to close it again and to prevent further filling.
Be quick about it!
Once disconnected from the Low Side, you will be left with a bit of R134 in your can.
It will probably very slowly leak out of the valve when sitting, so be prepared for that.
Fortunately.. R134A is way cheaper than R12!
Just make sure that you absolutely dont overfill your R134.. Its better to be slightly "low" than too "high".
The cans will go from Full to empty in about 45 seconds when filling.
Keep in mind that R134A is basically 85% of the coldness of R12, so it will never be as cold as R12.
But its much better than nothing.
Good luck.

jemtec

One Addendum to my last post..
Turn the valve IN.. to close.
Not Out.

jchan2

How much will it cost?

bamacar

highway. Still a good improvement over 2005, but the highway mpg for the manual should be 38-41 especially with the auto's numbers.

2006 RIO

gwido

Looking at the specs, you can see a significant difference between the high gear ratios of the manual and auto transmissions. I suppose that can explain the automatic's better highway mileage...

It's good to see improvement over the current model. But Kia will need to bring a hybrid version of the Rio (supposedly considered for 2007, along with a Hyundai Accent hybrid) to really compete on the mileage front.

chuck1959

I bought my mother a 2002 Kia Rio Cinco. It has been a great car. I was disappointed to see that they have screwed up the rear styling (as well as the Spectra 5). Looks like to me like they are trying to copy the Matrix/Vibe, Sicon (can't think of the model but it's a hatchback) etc. Yes, the new name will be the Kia Rio5,

someone1

Haha, of course, I'm Korean. In Korea, this car is named "(New) Pride" as most of Korean miss one of best models, that is old Pride.
Compared to previous Rio, new Rio has more larger dimensions as well as higher power. (I don't know how this new Rio will change in U.S.)
What I felt so far is that new Rio has became economical. Especially diesel version of Rio has really owesome mileage. Somebody ever told he was able to drive approximately over 950 kilometers with his diesel Rio when his car was filled up. (new Rio has 45L gas tank) Unfortunately I couldn't buy diesel one... I just bought gasoline one. However the gasoline one also provides nice mileage.

In addition, its exterior and interior are very handsome. Frankly, I can say it's european style rather than american style. Whatever it looks like, you will meet new Rio soon, then it will be up to you to judge.

doohickie

I wounder how much this car will cost here in the United States?

Funny you should ask. According to PRNewsWire,

The Rio sedan is available in two well-equipped models - Base and LX. The Base model starts at $10,570 and comes equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. The LX model starts at $12,445 and comes standard with A/C, AM/FM/CD audio system, power/tilt steering and a 60/40 split folding rear seat. It is available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Rounding out the Rio lineup, the Rio5 five-door comes in a sporty SX trim that includes all of the features found on the LX model and adds 15-inch alloy wheels with 195/55R15 tires, fog lights, rear spoiler, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, metal-grain interior trim and metal pedals. Starting at $13,500, the Rio5 SX is available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Estimate about $1000 for the auto trans.

doohickie

The Kia flash site for the new Rio used to say "Arriving in August". I just checked in and it now says "Arriving in September". Problems, perhaps? Or maybe can't get them delivered in time for a big rollout?
:confuse:

chuck1959

Day before yesterday, I bought a 2004 Rio Cinco with 1900 niles! I wanted a 2005 but they were out of then as well as every dealer here. Anyway, they told me the 06's were supposed to come the last week in August. I would have waited but I'm not to crazy about the restyle.