2012 Kia Rio is taking the sub-compact segment by storm

The all new 2012 Kia Rio is taking the US sub-compact automotive market by storm.

After driving a new Kia Rio SX for a week here in Central Texas, my view is that it is stunningly designed, well engineered, capable around town and on the road, very comfortable, fun to drive and very affordable.

View slideshow: 2012 Kia Rio taking the sub compact segment by storm

The 2012 Kia Rio has been awarded several design, engineering and consumer awards for 2012 including the prestigious IDEA (Industrial Design Society of America) award in the Transportation Category for "creating a car that answers consumer demand for more quality, more choice and a more attractive, exciting design" and a 2012 Red Dot Design award by the Design Centre of North Rhine-Westpahlia in Germany for its "innovation, functionality, ergonomics, durability and intuitive handling".

Additionally, Vroomgirls.com has named the 2012 Kia Rio as one of the "Six Best New Cars for your Teenager" for its modern styling, high fuel economy and exceptional value exhibited by its abundance of standard features, USB connectivity, steering wheel controls, media/navigation system and affordable price.

Therefore, it should be no surprise that sales of the 2012 Kia Rio for the first half of 2012 are almost double what they were for the same period of 2011, reflecting enthusiastic acceptance by the US consumer of the all new Kia Rio.

Our 2012 Kia Rio SX sedan was very well equipped with an MSRP of $17,500 and included the optional Premium Package for $2,200 plus carpeted floor mats with Rio logo for $95. With delivery, this Clear White with Black Leather trimmed interior Rio SX, running on uniquely styled 5-spoke 17 inch wheels, was $20,545.

The 2012 Rio is powered by a 1.6-liter GDI four-cylinder engine generating 138 horsepower@ 6,300 rpm with 123 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,850 rpm. One of only two vehicles in the segment to offer a GDI engine, the 2012 Rio delivers a fuel economy rating of 30/40 mpg (city/highway) for both the sedan and hatchback.

The Kia Rio has an available Active Eco driver setting that enables the engine and transmission to automatically adjust to more economical operational settings based on driving style and conditions.

Driving the Rio SX around the area locally, we were pleasantly surprised at how the new Rio drove and rode much larger than it actually is.

The power train on the Kia Rio is exceptionally well integrated delivering much stronger performance for the 138 horsepower engine than I expected. The six-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is matched so well that, at all times and in all local driving situations, I never experienced any hesitation or lag in engine performance or shifting of the transmission at any speed.

The test to confirm how good this power train was to take the 2012 Rio to a nearby locality with a twisting and turning two lane road that runs from lakeside 8.7 miles up the canyon side to the top above the lake with an elevation change of around 500 feet and, as the crow flies, a geographic distance of just under 4 miles.

Running the Rio on this road both up the grade and then back down to the lake, the Kia Rio performed like a sports car. I do have to acknowledge that this was the SX that is equipped with the sports tuned suspension system, so it did have a bit of advantage, but still performed better than I had expected.

The engine and transmission were in perfect synch. At each point that the engine was nearing maximum revolutions for the conditions, the transmission shifted easily to the next gear continuing the acceleration with no hesitation. In some cases, the shift was seamless to a point that, until I hit the accelerator powering out of curves, I was not sure it had downshifted.

The posted speed for this road is 45 mph. Curves are cautioned at 15 and 20 mph. The Rio SX handled every bit of the road both up and down between 30 and 45 mph with no difficulty.

Braking was smooth and firm, the suspension kept the Rio squarely on the road with almost no perceptible roll or other movement. Traction was firm at all times. The power train enabled near competition type driving of this road with excellent margins of control and safety both up and down.

We made these runs with the Rio in Active Eco mode and did not notice that the active setting impaired the performance of the engine and transmission at any point in these runs.

The 2012 Kia Rio is available in three trims - LX with manual transmission (MSRP $13,400), LX with six-speed automatic transmission (MSRP $14,500), EX with automatic transmission (MSRP $16,300) and the SX.

The 2012 Rio is loaded with standard features starting with the LX trim that includes body-color door handles and side mirrors, rear wiper and washer, multi-reflector headlamps and 15-inch steel wheels with 185/65R15 tires The Rio 5-door also comes with a standard rear spoiler to improve aerodynamics.

Moving up to the EX trim brings additional standard conveniences, including power door locks with keyless entry and a chrome front grille surround, giving Rio a more sophisticated and sleek look.

The top-of-the-line SX offers higher levels of sporty refinement with the standard 17-inch wheels with 205/45R17 tires, a sports tuned suspension system, fog lamps, LED accent lights and rear combination lamps, dual chrome exhaust tips, power-folding outside heated mirrors with turn signal indicators and, for the Rio 5-door, projector headlamps and a rear camera with display.

Inside, the cabin of the Rio is generous in space, features and functionality. The 2012 extended wheelbase adds to interior passenger space front and rear. There is more than ample cargo space for weekend getaways or trips to the grocery store with an impressive 13.7 cubic feet for the sedan and 15.0 cubic feet in the hatchback. The 60/40 rear seats, folded down flat, add additional cargo capacity.

The 2012 Kia Rio is also exceptionally quiet and smooth riding.

The new 2012 Rio has a new longer, wider and lower platform. It employs high-tensile-strength steel in 63 percent of body. The lightweight design offers high torsional stiffness for improved handling, ride quality and refinement.

Built on a unibody frame, the front-wheel-drive Rio utilizes an independent front suspension system. MacPherson struts, coil springs and a stabilizer bar are used in the front with a torsion beam axle suspension in the rear to engage drivers with responsive handling and provide the utmost comfort in a variety of driving situations.

The 2012 Rio has increased noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) reduction with hood, dash and trunk lid insulators and as well as expandable foam in the A and C pillars and Thinsulate™ in the A and B pillars.

Standard on the LX trim is a driver's seat height adjuster and six-way adjustable driver's seat, tilt steering column, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, trip computer, electric power steering, 60/40 split folding rear seats and a cargo cover for the hatchback.

The EX trim includes standard power windows with automatic up/down on the driver's window, cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, Bluetooth wireless connectivity with steering wheel-mounted voice activation controls to enable hands-free operation for compatible mobile phones and a sleek metallic finish throughout with leatherette door trim.

The SX trim offers a more upscale and athletic look and feel with standard metal pedals, metal grain, a Supervision™ meter cluster, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, dual map lights, dual illuminated vanity mirrors, UVO powered by Microsoft voice-activated infotainment system with rear camera display.

The three available optional package upgrades are designed for each trim level. The Rio LX has the Power Package, which adds power windows with automatic up/down functionality on the driver's window, power door locks with two-turn entry system and remote keyless entry.

For the EX trim, the available Convenience Package includes 15-inch alloy wheels, the UVO powered by Microsoft™ voice-activated infotainment system with a 4.3-inch color touch screen and rear camera display, automatic headlamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power folding side mirrors with turn signal indicators, front fog lights, dual illuminated vanity mirrors and dual map lights.

The more luxurious Premium Package available on the SX trim, adds a navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic™ (replaces the UVO system), push-button start with Smart Key, leather seat trim, heated front seats and a moon roof to give an open, airy feeling.

For 2013, Rio will also have an available Idle Stop and Go technology that will allow shut down and seamless restart of the engine when the car is stopped to further improve gas mileage. There will also be steering wheel paddle shifters available to enhance the sporty driving feel and performance of the Rio. And cargo capacity will be enhanced by an available under floor cargo tray.

The 2012 Rio and Rio 5-door are covered by Kia's comprehensive warranty program, which offers consumer protection at an exceptional value. Included in this program are a 10-year/100,000-mile limited power train warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty and a five-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty. A five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan also is part of the comprehensive vehicle coverage.