Kia Rio X-line: Things you will like and some that you won’t
We recently took a trip to Russia and while we were there, we got our hands on the Kia Rio X-line. We had already driven the Rio hatchback in New Delhi and so this was a good hands-on experience with Kia's capable crossover based on that hatch. While a more detailed first drive review is already online, here is a quick synopsis of the things you will like about the Rio X-line.
Things you may like:
1. Styling
The Rio X-line is to the Rio hatchback, what the i20 Active is to the Elite i20. To that effect, it gets rugged bodywork, roof rails, and scuff plates that offer a beefier stance to the car. In typical Kia fashion, there is an understated elegance to the design and the Rio X-line doesn't try to hard to look butch or menacing - and we like that!
2. Space
It is not only the additional body cladding but also a larger passenger cell that the Rio X-line boasts of, over its hatchback counterpart. The longer and wider dimensions give the Rio X-line a cabin size that is comparable (or better) to roomy cars like the Jazz and the S-Cross.
3. Punchy engine
The Rio X-line comes with the lovely 1.6l Gamma four-cylinder petrol engine from the house of Kia and Hyundai. It puts out 123PS of power and 151Nm of torque, and as we have experienced in the Verna, it has a punchy performance that is sure to excite the driver in you.
4. Fit and finish
The Rio X-line's cabin is done up in dark colours which gives it a sporty vibe. But what you will appreciate more is the fit and finish of the cabin elements and the materials used - which all impart a premium feel that is comparable to cars from a segment higher.
Things you may not like:
There is nothing with the Rio X-line that will make you raise your eyebrows or frown in dismay. But if we had to go nitpicking, here are a few things that we would like to see improved:
1. Cabin noise
The roads in Russia are quite coarse, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the cabin of the Rio X-line is louder than expected as plenty of road noise creeps into the passenger cell.
2. No rear A/C vents
For a cabin this large, we would like to see rear A/C vents. In the warm weather, we experienced in Russia, the rear seat of the car wasn't as pleasant as we would have liked.
3. More charging points
The Rio X-line is made for road trips! But It only comes with one 12V power socket and one USB port, both of which are at the front. Some love for the gadgets of the backbenchers too, please?