Kia’s April performance couldn’t quite match the record rainfall the country endured but the brand continued its remarkable 2012 performance delivering 5,120 new vehicles to customers during the month.
Although that figure was down by just over 100 units compared to the company’s record April at the height of scrappage in 2010 the market share in April rose to 3.6 per cent – continuing a dramatic growth rate so far this year. Total sales so far in 2012 reached 22,331, up from 18,311 in 2011.
Kia’s all-new luxury flagship saloon, the K9, has gone on sale in Korea, introducing Kia to an entirely new segment of the global automotive market. The striking new rear-wheel drive will be launched in a number of key overseas markets starting in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Kia Motors Corporation has announced major increases in sales volumes, revenue and profit for the first quarter of 2012.
With 635,000 vehicles sold across the world – an increase of 12.4 per cent over 2011 – the company recorded revenues of 11.8 trillion Korean Won (£6.5 billion), up 10.6 per cent, and net profit of 1.2 trillion Korean Won (£625 million), up 26 per cent.
Standard Equipment
Kia Rio 1.2
Exterior
Comprehensive active and passive safety systems
For new Rio, an all-new bodyshell was created using a higher percentage of ultra high-strength steel (UHTS) than the third-generation model, enhancing the structure’s strength and rigidity. To improve progressive deformation during a frontal impact, special attention was given to strengthening the engine-bay’s longitudinal side members, the fender apron and the transverse dashboard bulkhead to absorb and disperse forces more effectively.
Improved stability, smoother ride and enhanced refinement
Developed from the previous model, the New Rio’s suspension and running gear has been totally re-engineered to carry over that popular car’s responsive handling while improving stability, ride quality and refinement – in line with heightened customer expectations.
Two highly efficient petrol engines with 65 and 79 kW outputs
Kia will offer new Kia Rio customers a choice of two highly efficient four-cylinder petrol engines – a 1.4-liter Gamma or 1.25-liter Kappa engine – generating 79 kW or 65 kW of power, respectively.
Bespoke feel for sophisticated and spacious interior
To complement the striking exterior styling of the sedan, the new Rio’s interior design has also been transformed, with a clean sophisticated theme. The concept follows the corporate Kia interior philosophy with the characteristic horizontal instrument panel, accentuating the feeling of width and space in the cabin. It is a theme that cleverly combines chic modernity with rationality and achieves a calm timeless quality.
With the new Rio Hatch, and now the Sedan, Kia has created a car that answers consumer demand for more quality, more choice, and an attractive, exciting design, without having to compromise on interior space. The bold and distinctive personality of the new Rio represents a complete departure from its predecessor and fits perfectly into the revitalised new family of Kia products.
Revolutionary new Rio family sedan to power Kia sales boom
Kia’s all-new, fourth-generation Rio, which made its world premiere at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, is set to spark a revolution in the compact car segment and power a boom in the growth of Kia sales. New Rio boasts a bold and distinctive personality, bringing the latest B-segment model smartly into line with the rest of Kia’s strikingly modern, design-led product range.
