2018 Kia Rio sedan previewed as Kia K2

About two months ago, Kia gave us a glimpse of the Rio supermini hatchback at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. Now a new model from the Kia stable is letting us have a look at the 2018 Kia Rio sedan. The K2 sedan intended for China is not exactly the Rio, but it will be what the 2018 Rio sedan will look like with some minor changes.

All the chrome bling in the tiger nose grill will be toned down for a glossy black look identical to the one on the hatch. At the rear, the K2 sports a design that follows the lines of its bigger brother, the Cadenza, or K7 as it’s called in China. The K2 has tail lamps that are connected by a red strip instead of chrome lines.

Within the interior, the K2 is fitted with an infotainment screen integrated into the dashboard unlike the tablet-like one in the hatchback. The K2 has grown a bit from the outgoing Rio sedan. The new car measures 4400mm in length, 1740mm in width and 1460mm in height.

A naturally-aspirated 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol unit with 100 hp on tap is the base engine for the K2. A higher-rated 1.6-litre engine with 123 hp will also be available. The 1.4 engine can be mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed auto box while the bigger engine can only be had with the automatic.

The new Rio sedan will be launched in U.S. by mid-2017. Expect the Middle East launch to happen soon after.