Kia Forum banner

My 2012 Kia Rio SLS (Australia)

123K views 340 replies 43 participants last post by  Metragnome 
#1 ·
Hi, Im new here. I live in Australia and came across this forum a few times over the last few years but never had a reason to sign up until now.

I recently brought a black 2012 Kia Rio SLS. Not sure what they are called outside of Australia but its the 3door Rio with the bigger 1.6 engine. Not sure if they are available yet in other countries but Australia and Asia have only just got them in the last few weeks. I have been wanting to get one since late last year when they first came out in 4door form and got one this year.





What I have planned for it is just one thing; supercharger. I want to turn the little Kia into an alternative to the VW Polo GTi. The little Kia is my second project car and its one of three project cars I want to do; all of them being supercharged. Unlike my other car, the Kia is more sleeper than anything else. Visually the car is best straight from factory, I hated the wheels it came with so they quickly went.

Little Kia now looks like this:





I went with Osaka Pro Sprint wheels in 18" and a slightly different tyre set up. There is a brand of tyres I have had on my other car that I wanted to get on the Kia as they never failed me until I had worn them out. They were Takuma Avanza Sport tyres. With my other car the tyres made a huge difference in handling and road manners and when time came to get new wheels on Kia they were what I wanted. It didnt quite work out that way. What we did was use two different profile of tyres for the front and the back. I got the Takuma's up the back in 225 profile and for the front the guy recommended going with Sumitomo's HTR ZIII in 215 profile as I would have had a few issues getting the Takuma's at the front.

Just about all the issues I had with the handling of the Rio went after the tyre upgrade. Floaty feeling had gone and it holds like anything. More feeling in corners and more response. For FWD cars the best upgrades you can do to them are changing the tyres to ones that your comfortable with. It changes the car so much but its something many will overlook until much later on down the track.

I also have a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer that is also another project car of mine. Working on the Lancer has taken a few years and in short has been just short of a nightmare.

I like to work with cars that are not staples of modding (Evo, WRX, Type R and so on). The transformation is not as big as what it could have been using a lower specced car or a non performance car. I like to change cars from what they once were into something completely different.
 
See less See more
4
#4 ·
Its 6speed manual. It dont have sat nav though. In US you have the sat nav options but here we dont have yet for the smaller Kia's.

Driving it was strange coming from the Lancer's 5speed manual to the Kia's 6. The extra gear wasnt an issue it was where 1st is in the Lancer is where Reverse is in the Kia. After a couple days got use to it.
 
#8 ·
In Australia we have 5 different versions of the Rio, 3 body styles and 2 engine options. Ours start off with the 3door S and end with the 3door SLS. Here is what we have:

Rio S 3door 1.4 hatch
Rio S 5door 1.4 hatch
Rio SL 5door 1.6 hatch
Rio SLi 5door 1.6 hatch
Rio Si 4door 1.6 sedan (auto only)
Rio SLS 3door 1.6 hatch

We have only just got our 3door hatch and 4door sedan in last few weeks. We have different equipment on our versions compared to the US/Canada versions.

The Takuma tyres are hard to get hold of. Expensive but worth it.
 
#9 ·
I am SO jealous. Being in the States and I've been wanting a 3-Door Compact car such as the 3-Door Kia Rio. I want less doors but same space because I think it looks better for such a smaller car. I hate the fact that they won't be available in the US :-(.

I Think the Takuma Avanza Tyres might just be an Australian thing :), I tried Ggoogle. I got some Motorway links and then Anything that popped up in the US link for the tires was eBay and the Sellers were all from Australia (lol!).
Thanks for the tip though. Never had my own vehicle and have finally made up my mind on the Kia Rio, now just waiting for the 2013 versions :). Memo to self to change tires lol.
 
#10 ·
Isnt Canada and US getting the 3door later in the year?

We dont have many of the 3door versions here as there is around a 6week wait on them from when you order.

Was looking at the differences between US, Canada and Australian versions and there are quite a few differences. Biggest difference is the AU versions have more torque (we have 167 and US/CA have 123).

Other differences are we dont have the entertainment system, heated seats, sunroof or the body vinyl options. We also have 2 extra colours (Deep Blue and Rich Caramel) and we only get the black interiors.

If you end up getting the Takuma tyres, get the Avanza Sport type 2 versions. Thats what I had on my Lancer before they wore out.
 
#11 ·
I would have snapped up a 3-door hatch in an instant but honestly the 4-door hatch is not a total loss. There are a handful of times I have passengers and if it is my elderly mother then my wife ends up riding backseat and I would prefer she does not have to go climbing. :)
 
#12 ·
Hi TJ85

First of all, fantastic photos! With the interesting angles and locations I reckon you could pass for a car photographer!

I see you got your Rio from Werribee Kia- do you live locally? I literally live around the corner from the dealer. I too have a Rio SLS manual in Graphite that was delivered some two weeks ago by Yarra Ranges Kia in Lilydale. I absolutely love the car- it is everything that I need. It will be interesting to see what you do with your Rio. I personally don't have much interest in modifying mine and I wouldn't want to risk voiding my warranty. The only thing I have done so far is have my windows tinted with a nice, dark 20% film by a local company- I can recommend them and refer you if you're interested. I paid $250 cash with a lifetime warranty on the film and workmanship.

If you still have the stock alloys and tyres I may be willing to buy them from you if they're not damaged/scratched. You can reply or PM how much you would want for the set of 5.

Cheers,
Michael
 
#15 ·
I not far from the dealer. I got mine around 2-3 weeks ago too. Ordered it back in February. Originally was going to get the Si last year but waited bit longer to see pricing on the 3door and ended up getting the SLS.

Ive never bothered with the warranty when it comes to modding. Basically if I can afford to mod it I can afford to replace it. The Kia is good in stock form, it does what you want and Kia's are tuned more aggressively compared to their Hyundai cousins.

I will see if the guy still has my wheels.

I think the reason why Australia got the 3door Rio was Kia Australia still had no decision on bringing in the Kia Picanto in. Our Kia line up follows the Hyundai line up and they not bringing in the i10 to Australia yet so we most likely wont get the Picanto either.

It made Kia have a better business case to bring in the 3door Rio with nothing in the line up sitting below it.
 
#17 ·
Ok guys, seeing as you all like the 3 door so much I thought I'd upload some photos of my sweet manual SLS in Graphite to show off...










In terms of differences between the Australian and North American Rios I am aware the Kia Australia invested heavily in having the car tuned and engineered for Australian conditions and that it is consequently a more refined vehicle to drive (and more fun)! I don't think the same is true of North American Rios which is surprising given the small size of the Australian market by comparison.


I read somewhere that the designer, Massimo Fraschella, originally designed the Rio as a 3 door hatch which I think explains why it is more pleasing to the eye. It certainly makes the car look more sleeker/sportier. Although if there was a 5 door SLS available and at the same price as the 3 door, I would have bought that purely for practicality and resale value. As it stands, I'm a single guy and I rarely travel with more than one passenger so the 3 door suits me fine for now.


As I wrote above, I've had my SLS for under 2 weeks now and I placed my order on 28th February- amazing that KIA could build and ship a car in less than 6 weeks! The only thing I can complain about is the quality of the paint- when I went to pick the car up I noticed a small scratch on the rear bumper which prompted me to closely inspect the whole vehicle and consequently I found a number of small defects such as air bubbles in the clear coat etc. The dealer agreed in writing to respray the rear bumper at my first service and at the same time to have a KIA warranty assessor come out to inspect the paint defects. Hopefully it will all get fixed and for the time being these issues have not detracted from my enjoyment of the car.


The dealer included the Rio floor mats and slimline number plates with my car. Since then I have gotten my windows tinted and I stuck a little blind spot mirror on my side mirror just so I can see my alloys when I reverse parallel park- I want to avoid those gutters lol! Another thing I want to get are the window weathershields as I have a habit of driving with the windows down a bit for fresh air but these are not available yet as the three door is new to the market. Actually the official Kia Rio accessories are very limited in Australia- I had a look at what is on offer in the UK and they have plenty of things I'd be interested in by comparison, such as metal scuff guards for the door sills etc.
 
#18 ·
Always forget about torque/pounds. I remember all the other ones but that one.

You found 'performance mode' yet with the SLS or any of the other Rio's? Depending on how your driving it changes its shift indicators to side with economy or performance. It defaults to economy but once it detects more harder driving it changes its ideal shift points to keep you in the best range when shifting to keep your momentum going.

Not sure if I want to tint my windows. The dealership offered it but I said no. Ive noticed strange things with the paint too on passenger quarter panel. Not sure if it was from when I washed the car or not but slight swirly marks near the roof.

I would like the Rio in either Matt Black or Matt Graphite for a special Rio version
 
#19 ·
No, I'm not familiar with 'performance mode' actually- is that something you have heard or have you figured it out yourself from personal experience? I have to say I find the gear shift indicators annoying- they want me to gear up much quicker than I'm used to (6th gear by about 70km/h). At the moment I'm not paying much attention to the indicators and am probably driving too sensibly to engage 'performance mode' anyway whilst I break the engine in.

I suppose it's a subjective thing whether one prefers tinted windows or not. I have always liked them and had them done on my previous cars. Apart from looks it makes the cabin darker and therefore more private. It also helps to reduce sun glare and cabin temperature and I was surprised actually how significant the difference is before/after I got it done. Probably the main reason I got them done however is to protect the interior from sun damage as I park my Rio outside mostly- as this is my first car with leather seats I want to do everything to keep them in top condition.

As for a Rio special version, Kia big wigs confirmed at the Geneva Motor Show recently that they will be dropping a turbo into the Rio- hopefully not to soon so I can justify an upgrade :D

One thing I have come to love is the seatbelt extension guide for the driver and front passenger which I have not come across in any other 3 door car. When I first saw it I thought it looked ugly and fiddly but it actually keeps the seatbelt at a perfect distance and height for me. When I think about previous cars I would invariably get chaffing on my neck or shoulder from the seatbelt rubbing against me which isn’t a problem now.
 
#20 ·
Didnt they say they wouldnt put the turbo 1.6 in the Rio? I remember them saying they have the engine but no car yet to put it in. The other turbo they have might be for the smaller 1.2 engine which we dont get.

The performance mode is something I found while driving it. It wont do it if your already moving but if you start it off from 1st and hold until around 3500 then shift and do the same for 2nd or hold longer it then uses a higher set of shift points to keep the car inside its best torque spread. It will let you shift longer to stay in the spots.

Its perfect for twisty roads.
 
#22 ·
Here is where I found the Kia guy said they would not put the 1.6 turbo in the Rio:

Kia hot hatch on the way ? Car Reviews, News & Advice - CarPoint Australia

They say they are considering turbo engines for the Rio just not the 1.6 unit. The 1.6 turbo I think will end up in the new Koup that arrives next year. It makes more sense to put it in that than in the Rio.

They might set up their performance cars as a graduation system. Have the cooking model sit in the Rio line up, a more hotter version in the next size up (Cerato/Koup) and then have a halo model sit around the 45k mark to be a competitor to the Megane Trophy, 86 and BRZ

On the performance mode, I tried it more after work today on way home and it will do it if you start from 1st. If you do it in other gears its not as easy to get it to learn what your doing. In 1st you shift any point around 3500-4500 and with the low rpm loss when shifting into 2nd you will stay in this range. It will tell you to shift to 3rd when you come out of 1st but hold it until you pass 3500 and when you shift into 3rd around 4000 it will let you use the second set of shift points for 4th-6th and includes any downshifting you do. It will use the second set of shift points to keep the Rio in the middle of its optimum torque range to get the most out of it without redlining and risking potential damage to the engine.

The only thing is the moment you back off it will tell you to shift into 6th. Its also very quick to 80 so you need to be careful that you dont find yourself going over the speed limit. It will also use the second set of shift points if it senses inclines.

Here is couple more pictures of the Rio



 
#25 ·
On the performance mode, I tried it more after work today on way home and it will do it if you start from 1st. If you do it in other gears its not as easy to get it to learn what your doing. In 1st you shift any point around 3500-4500 and with the low rpm loss when shifting into 2nd you will stay in this range. It will tell you to shift to 3rd when you come out of 1st but hold it until you pass 3500 and when you shift into 3rd around 4000 it will let you use the second set of shift points for 4th-6th and includes any downshifting you do. It will use the second set of shift points to keep the Rio in the middle of its optimum torque range to get the most out of it without redlining and risking potential damage to the engine.
You could also just drive it like it was meant to be driven.

You're a "Modder" and you worry about redline? Live a little!
 
#26 ·
Took some more photos today. Went out to where I test my other car out for its handling and was hoping to get some wet weather testing in too to see the differences since getting the tyres put on.





There is still something about how it handles that I not sure on. It has the grip and holds itself but there is something missing. The rear feels planted but the front maybe something there.

Will take it somewhere else next weekend where I have quick succession corners to see what is giving its uncertainty
 
#28 ·
I remember taking the Rio out for a test drive when it first came out.
For me, the electric PS was way too dodgy. Found myself unable to go over 80 because it was just way too light and dangerous.

The electric PS on my Octavia is great, though. :S
 
#29 ·
Its not so much the electric steering but the overall feel of the car during turns. It might be body flex or something else but it dont feel natural. It does what its suppose to do in turns but just missing something.

May also be so use to driving my other car too, that thing corners like its on rails
 
#30 ·
Took some more photos today, went out to places where Ive taken my other car but didnt get out there in time before sun set so I took it here.







Managed to get decent shots with the lights on too. Usually they come out looking like I fingerpainted it all.

Had a look at the intake and starting to get ideas how I want to change it. It looks like I can shorten the delivery by taking out some of its lower sections so it just feeds in from the upper grille. Easy changes and still using stock parts instead of making new ones. Maybe just make a bigger feed from the upper grille into the box and that is all.

Things in the little Kia are designed much better than in my other car.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top