2012 Kia Rio Likely to Get 138-HP in North America, Sedan at Debut at NY Auto Show

Kiaclub Nieuwsrobot · April 1, 2011

The all-new 2012 Kia Rio will sedan will debut at the New York Auto Show, with a strong possibility that it will house a significantly more powerful engine than its European counterpart.

At the Geneva Auto Show last month, Kia unwrapped the Rio hatchback, sporting a turbocharged direct-injection 1.2-liter 4-cylinder engine. North American models, however, are likely to feature the same 1.6-liter gasoline direct-injection engine as found in the new 2012 Hyundai Accent, which makes an impressive 138-hp and should achieve approximately 41-mpg on the highway.

Kia hasn’t confirmed as much, but with the Rio a sister car to the Accent and Hyundai-Kia’s long standing powerplant sharing, a 138-hp Rio is a safe bet.