In 2017, Kia will usher in the next Rio, which for the first time will enter the compact hot hatch market.



A report from Autocar claims that, in 2018, the Korean carmaker will go heard-to-head with rivals like the Ford Fiesta ST with a sporty version of the next-gen Rio that will bear the GT designation.

The new Rio is set for a 2017 debut and will be based on a platform that will be lighter and offer better dynamics, something that should provide the GT with the ability to challenge the opposition.

The man behind the development of the Rio GT is Albert Biermann, a former head of BMW’s M Division. In order to closely match up to the Fiesta ST, the Kia hot hatch will be powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with around 180 hp.

No further details about the car are known, but we expect the performance improvements to be be matched with a number of visual and chassis modifications compared to the rest of the range.

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