Kia’s all-new Rio sedan now available
AFTER the successful launch of the all-new Kia Rio last year, Columbian Autocar Corp. (CAC), exclusive distributor of the Korean car brand in the Philippines, has recently announced the availability of the model’s four-door variant called the EX-S.
“Kia has come a long way in advancing our line of cars and we are proud to finally introduce the latest variant that features more improvements for better driving experience,” announced CAC vice president for marketing, Dodie Gañac.
Like its hatchback version, the P848,000 EX-S proudly wears its own interpretation of Kia’s signature grille, which is somewhat slimmed down and blends well with the car’s dynamic headlamp design. While both hatchback and sedan versions exhibit highly sculpted, sloping shoulder lines and wedge-shaped exteriors, the EX-S sports a slightly dropped wedge line between the rear door and the trunk.
Aggressive stance
Like its hatchback version, the EX-S platform is defined by an aggressive stance achieved through an overall length of 4.36 meters, a width of 1.71 m and height of 1.45 m.
Employing high-tensile-strength steel (63 percent of body), Kia informed that the EX-S’ lightweight design offers high torsional stiffness that for improved handling, ride quality and refinement. To further refine its noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) level, the EX-S is outfitted with hood and dash (vibration) insulators as well as expandable foam in the A (the structures supporting the windshield) and C pillars (the one supporting the back window and the rear part of a vehicle’s roof) and Thinsulate technology in the A and B pillars (the vertical support between the car’s front door window and rear side window).
The EX-S incorporates some of the features of the hatchback to make driving in any weather condition or time of the day much safer and more enjoyable: auto-light feature, audio controls on steering wheel, rainsensing wipers, start/stop button system, 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, full auto-climate control as well as trip computer that displays outside temperature, distance travelled, door ajar and more.
Like the rest of the lineup, the EX-S is powered by a 106 horsepower 1.4-liter Gamma gasoline engine that features Continuous Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.