ARTICLE: That Old Familiar Feeling | 2012 Kia Rio EX 1.4L AT

[ghosthunter]

That Old Familiar Feeling | 2012 Kia Rio EX 1.4L AT
Words by Leslie Sy | Photos by Christopher Kho



I don't know about you, but I love my old, well-worn shoes. They just feel proper on my feet - fitting just right, comfortable, and familiar. They’re something that you put on and walk straight out the front door with without giving it a thought. And this is exactly how I felt about my weekend with the all-new 2012 Kia Rio.

On paper, the all-new Rio is your typical subcompact sedan, with a 1.4L engine under the hood that produces 107 horsepower and mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission with semi-manual shift control. Safety features include three-point seat belts, driver-side airbag, ABS, childproof locks, and side impact beams. But the car is more than the sum of its parts on paper.

CLICK FOR MORE: Kotse.com

source: Kotse.com

[niky]

Really a nice car... not an exciting-to-drive one like the Mazda2 or Swift, but outstanding in terms of quality... possibly the most complete package on the road today... if not for the lack of "oomph" compared to other competitors.

But still... when you're buying a commuter... who really needs more than the 1.2 liters on the base model?

[foifoi05]

But still... when you're buying a commuter... who really needs more than the 1.2 liters on the base model?

yeah.... is it possible for a 1.2hatch for the ph? :D

[ghosthunter]

yeah.... is it possible for a 1.2hatch for the ph? :D

With enough noise and demand, Kia might release a HB1.2 model.... you can start with Kia Philippines Facebook account. hehehe

[pop3corn]

With enough noise and demand, Kia might release a HB1.2 model.... you can start with Kia Philippines Facebook account. hehehe

you mean meron tlaga gawa sa Korea na 1.2 hatch. aba eh pag me ganyan baka gusto ko yan. ang kelangan ko lang eh urban rider, palipat-lipat lang naman ako ng condos, with my friends and families, sa fort, sa makati, sa rockwell, sa ortigas. okey yan 1.2Hatch, amporma ko siguro nyan tapos mura lang siguro yan wala pa 650k

ghost, kmusta ba ang 1.4 ng rio, hindi ba biten sa overtakan?

[ghosthunter]

ghost, kmusta ba ang 1.4 ng rio, hindi ba biten sa overtakan?

Nope, not bitin sa power. It does have enough power to overtake confidently on the highway. I was pleasantly surprised that it will still accelerate quickly beyond 100kph. Other cars like the City 1.3 iDSi slowly accelerates beyond 100kph.

[jut703]

But still... when you're buying a commuter... who really needs more than the 1.2 liters on the base model?

It depends, maybe the 1.4 is just as fuel efficient as the 1.2. If that's the case, I'd take the faster engine if only to have a car that won't run breathless on the occasional highway run. There aren't many 1.2 users to compare yet, maybe you guys over at Kotse.com should do a comparo haha.

[ghosthunter]

It depends, maybe the 1.4 is just as fuel efficient as the 1.2. If that's the case, I'd take the faster engine if only to have a car that won't run breathless on the occasional highway run. There aren't many 1.2 users to compare yet, maybe you guys over at Kotse.com should do a comparo haha.

Maybe soon... if we can schedule a Rio 1.2L from Kia.PH

[niky]

We will eventually drive the 1.2 at PCOTY... but that won't tell us much about economy. We'll try to schedule a drive.

[ghosthunter]

We will eventually drive the 1.2 at PCOTY... but that won't tell us much about economy. We'll try to schedule a drive.

It would tell us how underpowered the 1.2L is versus the 1.4L ...

fuel economy.. well... during the PCOTY it doesn't help that we usually floor the accelerator to the floor. hehehe

[niky]

Clamor for it, and it will come. :D

[pop3corn]

i have seen this sedan in person. hindi sya ganun kaganda, parang hindi ganun ka-propotional ang body nya, parang katulad nun mazda2 and fiesta sedan ang dating. and like mazda 2 and fiesta hatchbacks, yun lang ang maganda dito sa rio, yun hatch.

the accent looks 10 times better than this

[ghosthunter]

i have seen this sedan in person. hindi sya ganun kaganda, parang hindi ganun ka-propotional ang body nya, parang katulad nun mazda2 and fiesta sedan ang dating. and like mazda 2 and fiesta hatchbacks, yun lang ang maganda dito sa rio, yun hatch.

the accent looks 10 times better than this

For each person, their own preference in the design of a car.

[foifoi05]

With enough noise and demand, Kia might release a HB1.2 model.... you can start with Kia Philippines Facebook account. hehehe

haha! lezgo!

For each person, their own preference in the design of a car.

true, i think the sedan looks very well proportioned compared to the Mz2 and Fiesta sedans.

Comparing it to the accent is the same as comparing a Sportage to the Tucson. Both have their strengths

[jaguartiu]

I bought this car 2012 kia rio sedan 1.4 Ex bright silver with M/T. I choose this over the Toyota Vios 1.3 ex because it is more roomy bigger trunk space and look better. I was surprise I got 10 km/L on traffic and 16-18 km/L at high-ways not bad.

[miLes]

i've seen the hatch and it looks better than the sedan, the same with mzda2. both looks better in hatch. parang yung sedan humaba and lumiit yung pwet, hindi naging proportional

the rio hatch is a real looker! saw a white one just the other day ganda, btw what is the srp of the rio hatch

[ghosthunter]

the rio hatch is a real looker! Saw a white one just the other day ganda, btw what is the srp of the rio hatch

rio 1.4l at hb = p838k
rio 1.4l at = p718k

[renzo_d10]

GH, walang MT version for the 1.4L ? I reckon the 1.2L to be severely underpowered kasi, especially on full load.

[ghosthunter]

GH, walang MT version for the 1.4L ? I reckon the 1.2L to be severely underpowered kasi, especially on full load.

Based on the KIA pricelist, there is a 1.4L M/T sedan variant. It's only the 1.4 HB that comes in A/T only form.

The 1.2L sedan only comes in M/T only.

[niky]

The 1.2 shouldn't be any worse than a 1.3 in terms of ability to carry a full load. It's not really a 1.2, but a 1.25.

Just look at the specs:

Kia 1.25l: 83 hp 121 Nm

Toyota 1.3l 2NZ-FE: 84 hp 121 Nm

Honda Jazz 1.3 iDSi: 88 hp 121 Nm

Honda Jazz 1.3 VTEC: 100 hp 128 Nm

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So it won't have top end power, it has more than enough torque to compete in this category. Engine size ain't nuthin but a number.