China's 2018 Kia K2 Previews New Rio Sedan

The world got its first look at the latest-generation #Kia Rio at the Paris Auto Show and now, we’ve been given a glimpse at the upcoming Rio sedan thanks to its Chinese equivalent.

Dubbed the Kia K2, the model adopts a number of unique styling touches to distinguish it from the Rio hatchback, some of which will and some won’t make their way onto the Rio sedan.

Overall, the K2 adopts a more ‘flashy’ design than can be expected for its worldwide counterpart, most prominently with the chrome front grille likely to be ditched in favor of a black grille for the Rio, just like the hatch. At the rear, there are unique taillights which connect to each other and a blacked-out portion similar to the Rio hatch.

The 2018 K2 measures 4,400 mm long and 1,740 mm wide, making it 22 mm longer and 40 mm wider than the outgoing model.

Inside, the similarities between the Rio hatch and K2 sedan are particularly obvious with an identical steering wheel used for both. Additionally, the 2018 K2 has the same overall center console design, including the controls for the air conditioning. One significant change between the siblings is that the infotainment screen of the K2 has been better incorporated into the dashboard.

Locally, the Kia K2 will be available with a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 98 hp and 133 Nm of torque and a 1.6-liter with 121 hp and 151 Nm of torque. The 1.4-liter can be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed auto while the 1.6-liter is offered exclusively with the auto.