It wasn't so long ago that the Kia Rio was synonymous with rental car hell. It looks like that's about to change, with the 2012 Rio hatchback on display in Geneva.
The official press photos looked promising, and judging by these live photos, Kia has followed through on the promise. Sporting a 1.6-liter direct-injection gasoline engine here in the U.S., it'll be good for 138 horsepower--enough pep to be called fun in a small package. Its looks alone will position the car well against recent entries in the segment like the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2, as well.
Sales are expected to kick off in the second half of the year, with sedan, three-door, and five-door hatches available.
