The Kia Rio will bid farewell after 2023.
June 28 2023, World Cars Kia
The automotive industry is losing another one of its precious small cars as the Kia Rio will leave the market at the end of the year. Indeed, Kia Canada has confirmed that the production of the subcompact will cease in December. The remaining units will be sold until stocks are depleted, which should not take long since the Rio is one of the last cars in its category along with the Nissan Versa and the Mitsubishi Mirage.
It is sad news because the Kia Rio is one of the most affordable cars on the market. Its starting price is below $20,000, which is becoming increasingly rare today. Therefore, the Kia Forte will become the temporary entry-level car at Kia with a starting price of just over $23,000.
The difference is not huge, but few buyers stick to the base version. The Rio costs $25,459 in its ultimate iteration, while the price of the Forte GT Limited is $33,559. I know they can hardly be compared, but the point I am illustrating here is that once again, you will have to pay more in any case. It is a shame because it is likely to increase the average selling price of a new vehicle, which is already approaching $60,000 in 2023.
Low popularity
The Kia Rio is far from being the most popular car of the brand, which sold 2,414 units last year. This number may be modest, but the small car from the Korean manufacturer remains appreciable nonetheless. The most ironic thing about all this is that the Korean subcompact has seen its popularity grow in the past year with 352 more units than in 2021. However, Canada alone is not a big enough market to support the model.
What's next?
The truth, as outrageous as it may be, is that Kia will probably replace the Rio with a small gasoline SUV or simply an electric model. Mind you, it is not the manufacturer who mentioned it, but unfortunately, it is the current trend in the automotive industry.
For now, Kia does not seem to have any future plans regarding the departure of the Rio. The Korean manufacturer will likely focus on the rest of its lineup, which remains one of the largest and most diverse in the market.
