Kia set to display hybrid Rio at Geneva

Kia will display three new vehicles at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, the production version of its Cee’d hatch, an all-new concept vehicle and a hybrid version of its Rio econo car. Executives at Kia made the announcement last year that the Korean brand would be adding the enviro-friendly vehicles to its lineup. In fact, the hybrid Rio was planned for launch last year but was pushed back because of exchange rate issues.

The car will feature Kia’s own proprietary hybrid technology, and will be powered by a 1.4L gasoline engine developing 90hp mated to a synchronised 12kW electric motor. Up to 4000 hybrid Rios will be used as part of a full-scale real world testing program.

The launch of the new Rio hybrid will allow many budget-minded consumers the opportunity to join the green team for the first time, and its introduction will likely spur other manufacturers to release hybrid vehicles based on more affordable models.