These facts have been backed by the Rio receiving a high ranking in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, as well as being nominated as a Car of the Year finalists in 2007.

The Kia Rio 1.6 Sport 5-door Hatchback makes use of a DOHC engine coupled to either a choice of 5-speed manual gearbox, or if preferable, a smooth 4-speed automatic transmission, both variants affording excellent performance from the 82kW@6000rpm powerplant.

Having driven the new Kia Rio 1.6 Sport for the past week I can honestly sat that I became somewhat attached to the hatchback, main reason being the perkiness of the engine and comfort of the drive.

Seating upholstered in red and black is a bit bright, but then this is a sport model, and the theme is fun and excitement, the Rio also having alloy pedals, chrome package and a sports pack to complete the image.

The black and red instrument cluster is eye-catching and compliments a thick-rimmed, three-spoke tilt adjustable steering wheel.

However that’s not all. Also included are 16 inch alloy wheels, dual airbags, ABS + EBD, air-conditioning, central locking, battery saver, radio-CD plus MP3 and fog lamps front and rear, plus a host of other standard luxury features.

When it comes to cornering, the new Rio 1.6 Sport proved to be exceptionally sure-footed.

It can be thrown into a sweep at speed, and as long as one keeps applying the accelerator the car will hold its line and not threaten to break away.

Even when inducing a sudden tap-off the Rio was easy to correct and made no false moves.

Noticeable was how quiet the hatchback was over rough road surfaces, while heavy braking on a wet surface never saw the car deviating from a straight line.

As a matter of fact, the Kia Rio with a slight bit of fine tuning could turn out to be a worthwhile entry in a standard production race.

The fuel tank holds 45 litres and a 5-Year / 100 000km Warranty comes with the deal. Also available are a 3-Year / 100 000 km anti-corrosion roadside assistance and a 2-year / 45 000km Service Plan with services at 15 000km.