Geneva 2011: 2012 Kia Rio EcoDynamics will be UK's Lowest Emission Car

It's a grim day for all hybrid-electric cars out there as Kia has proven with the all-new 2012 Kia Rio that sipping fuel no longer requires swallowing a hefty "hybrid" premium price tag beforehand.

Full article and more images after the jump!

That is the case for the Rio "EcoDynamics" ,powered by an all-new 1.1-liter three-cylinder CRDi diesel engine that, according to Kia, will make it the greenest car on the road and will achieve an impressive 88 miles per gallon (73 U.S. MPG). The tiny engine produces 69 bhp, but who cares about horsepower here? The magic number, as inscribed on the showcar in the pictures, is 85. Precisely, 85g/km of CO2 emission output, thereby "out-cleaning" the Smart fortwo (86g/km of CO2), the current title-holder of the cleanest car in the U.K., and certainly all hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius (89g/km of CO2).

The 3-cylinder diesel Rio EcoDynamics achieves its amazing emissions figures with the help of Kia’s ISG stop start system. The car will also be available with 1.4- and 2-litre petrol engines as well as a 1.4-litre diesel.

We'll have more information on the 2012 Kia Rio later in the day. We just thought you might be as impressed as we were with the Rio EcoDynamics when we read the specs of this beauty.




[Source: Kia]

Fresh Official Images of the Hyundai i40 Estate

It's difficult not to become personally attached to this stunning wagon, especially in this menacing white paint. Reinforces our longing for the i40 estate to be available outside of Europe. The wagon is far from dead, from the looks of this.



[Source: Hyundai]

Geneva 2011: Hyundai i40 Unveiled, No Plans for U.S. Release

Hyundai officially pulled the wraps off the all-new i40 at the Geneva Motor Show today. The i40 is the company’s first D-segment vehicle to be developed specifically for the European market. At the Swiss venue Hyundai brought the estate variant, with a saloon to follow later this year.

Full article and more images after the jump!

Taking styling cues from Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language, it maintains signature features such as the hexagonal grille. Interior highlights include heated and reclining front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and an active de-mist system that automatically detects and clears mist on the windscreen.

Designed and engineered at Hyundai’s R&D headquarters in Russelsheim, Germany, in terms of performance the i40 comes fitted with a 1.7-liter diesel engine, codenamed ‘UII’, which will emit from just 113 g/km of CO2. The i40 will also be available with a 2.0-liter "Nu" 4-cylinder petrol engine.

Now, here's the bad news folks. According to a Hyundai exec who spoke with Inside Line at the show, there are "no plans for a Sonata wagon in the U.S." We're no less pleased with this report as we think the i40 is arguably one of the best interpretations of the station wagon we've seen in a while. Meanwhile, our European friends will get their first crack at the Hyundai i40 estate during the second-half of this year.



[Image Source: CarAdvice.com.au]

While we didn't have the privileges to be in Geneva for the i40 unveiling, many other websites certainly did and have generously taken many high-res images of the car for your enjoyment. Check them out in the links below!

Hyundai i40 rolls into Geneva: WorldCarFans

Hyundai i40 Live Photos: autoevolution

More Images of the 2012 Kia Rio Surface, First Interior Shot! [UPDATED]

UPDATE: New images added after the jump.

We're mere hours away from the opening of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, and the anticipation for some of the scheduled debuts there is growing by the minute. Kia hopes to make a big splash at the annual show with the world debut of the all-new 2012 Kia Rio hatchback, as well as the European premiere of the new Kia Picanto.

Check out Kia's countdown page with live video streaming of the company's scheduled press conference at Geneva later today HERE.

Until then, enjoy the latest images of the new Rio, straight from the folks at Kia, after the jump! Have a say about the first interior shots at the comments section!

Click here for our original post on the 2012 Kia Rio

More images after the jump!

First Live Shots of the 3-Door Kia Picanto [UPDATED]

UPDATE: We've added a ton of additional images including those of the interior! Check them out after the jump!

Here are the first images of the 2012 Kia Picanto 3-Door hatchback, live from the showfloor before its scheduled official debut later today. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

[Source: The Korean Car Blog & Kia Motors]

One more image after the jump!

First Photos of the Hyundai Veloster for Europe Hits the Web!

With the Geneva Motor Show just around the corner, Hyundai gave several journalists an early glimpse of what it has in store for the upcoming show.

Alongside the Europe-only i40 CW (they get all the good ones eh?), the all new Veloster tailored for the European market also made its premature debut at this event. From these pictures alone, we can discern several minor tweaks made for the European version including a different (and better looking if we must say) set of alloy wheels and a brighter shade of orange paint compared to that of the North American version.

In Europe, the Veloster will arrive in showrooms this spring with the same 138 horsepower 1.6-liter GDI engine found in the North American version and a choice between a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic transmission with dual clutch. A diesel version may be in the pipeline, but has not been confirmed yet by Hyundai.

Stay tuned for more information to come during the Veloster's official presentation next week.