Kia Rio gets a bit of a FACELIFT for 2020 – and a bit of electric help

The Kia Rio – Kia’s Fiesta rival – gets a bit of a facelift for 2020 including new engines, new tech and a new clever gearbox.

The Kia Rio is arriving for 2020 with something of a facelift, with the usual tweaks to bumpers, lights and wheels – and some interior titivations – but the real updates are going on under the skin.

The updated Rio sees the arrival of Kia’s new EcoDynamics+ powertrain which uses the new Smartstream 1.0 litre T-GDi petrol engine with a 48V MHEV system which supplements output with power from a small lithium-ion battery powering the MHSG (Mild-Hybrid Starter-Generator).

This combination reduces CO2 emissions by up to 10.7 per cent (on the old NEDC cycle), and is helped by Kia’s intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) which is controlled purely electronically.

As well as the EcoDynamics+ setup, the new Rio is also available with new Smartstream petrol engines; a new 100PS 1.0 litre T-GDi and a new take on the 1.2 litre petrol with 84PS, with the 100PS engine offered with six-speed manual or DCT.

Inside there’s a new 8″ infotainment with Bluetooth, split-screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, live traffic and weather and online voice recognition, as well as upgraded ADAS system for stuff like Lane Keep and Forward Collision.

The new Kia Rio will go on sale in Q3, with UK prices and specs for the new Rio announced sometime before.