The word ‘Rio’ often conjures images of the world-famous Brazilian Carnival—the festive, jubilant celebration held exactly forty six days before Easter Sunday. To the unfamiliar and uninitiated, the Carnival is considered by Brazilians as a way to bid farewell to bad things and to prepare a re-birth of sorts coinciding with Jesus Christ’s death and subsequent resurrection on Easter. Now, whether it was their intention to signal their re-birth or not is beside the point, but Kia has nailed the naming of its all-new sub-compact offering right: the all-new Kia Rio.
Now on its third-generation model, the Kia Rio is single-handedly the most important vehicle in Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC)’s arsenal. Even before the bright-red (dubbed Signal Red) Rio hatchback drove onto the main stage at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, CAC President Ms. Ginia Domingo reiterated the Rio’s status as the best-selling vehicle in the entire CAC portfolio. With such heavy weight on its shoulders, the Rio definitely has its work cut out for it. And so when the trio of Rios drove up amidst the dancing Carnival girls, there was a collective gasp. Jaws dropped. Eyes were opened by bewilderment. Kia certainly has a winner on its hands.
