Driven hard, the exhaust delivers a satisfyingly sporty note; driving gently, there is still a just-discernible three-cylinder thrum. I achieved an indicated 40 mpg out of this car.

The other petrol car driven was the 1.0 T-GDi with 99 bhp and a five-speed gearbox. Fuel consumption for this car was 39.1 mpg over a very similar route.

The £17,245 ‘3’ diesel 1.4 CRDi was in its more powerful form, 89 bhp (with a 76 bhp diesel also available in the lower trim levels,’1′ or ‘2’ as opposed to ‘3’, and costing £13,495 and £15,245 respectively)…got it?!
Each diesel has that super six-speed gearbox.

So much work has been put into diesel development that, if it wanted, Kia could claim that there is virtually no difference in refinement between diesel and petrol performance in terms of NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). Even at low speeds, when diesels have long given the game away with their typical ‘clatter’, this Kia proves just what can now be achieved. A relaxed ninety-mile drive in varying traffic conditions produced an indicated 53.1 mpg; with the bigger 45-litre fuel tank, this would mean a range comfortably more than five hundred miles. The diesel engine emits less than the 100 g/km tax cut-off.

All the models tested were comfortable to sit in, on ‘faux’ leather, pleasant to drive and fun for the sportier types. Yes, zero to sixty times would not set the tarmac alight (fastest 9.8 seconds to 62 mph; slowest 13.5 seconds), but for all intents and purposes, they all proved entirely competent for climbing steep hills or overtaking trucks on motorways. Of course, the less powerful engines meant using the gearbox…which has already been mentioned as being a pleasure in itself.

On the inside, the All-New Kia Rio is very well built and neatly styled, the ‘First Edition’ having a dash console colour-coded to the exterior red.
Connectivity is now very much part of the industry ‘B’ segment market battle. Kia is right up there with their new Rio.

Comfort and convenience features abound, with even the ‘1’s having air conditioning, heated mirrors, electric front windows, remote locking, cornering lights, a 3.8-inch display screen, steering-wheel audio controls, hill start assist and more. Up in the ‘3’ range, you even get a heated steering wheel.