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Just days after we heard that Mitsubishi would axe its cheap Mirage sedan and hatchback, Kia has officially announced the demise of the Rio subcompact in the United States, set to depart after the 2023 model year. This comes shortly after the sedan and its Rio 5-door counterpart were discontinued in Europe and Australia this past February.
The Rio follows the mechanically-related Hyundai Accent to the grave, as that model left the U.S. market after the 2022 model year. And much like the Accent, Kia says that falling sales and the ever-growing popularity of SUVs are to blame. While the Rio's best sales year in 2012 saw just over 43,000 units sold, only 27,065 subcompacts were sold in 2022, which represents a considerable decline over previous years. In 2023 so far, the Kia has managed to move only 16,551 units.
Following the Rio out of the stable after 2023 will be the Stinger liftback, which served as the brand's niche flagship model since its introduction in 2017. This comes after Kia dropped the larger K900 and Cadenza sedans in 2020, and replaced the Optima with the K5. The departure of all these sedans leaves Kia with plenty of crossovers, which are proving far more successful in terms of sales.
The recently-revealed K3 sedan will replace the Rio in most markets, but it remains to be seen whether the U.S. is one of them. Meanwhile, the larger Forte sedan will continue on in America, and is even preparing a complete redesign under the K4 name.
Will you miss the Rio?
Image Credits: Kia
Discontinued
Aug 23, 2023
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Kia Rio Heading For The Chopping Block In America After 2023
Kia's affordable subcompact was already discontinued in Europe and Australia.
Just days after we heard that Mitsubishi would axe its cheap Mirage sedan and hatchback, Kia has officially announced the demise of the Rio subcompact in the United States, set to depart after the 2023 model year. This comes shortly after the sedan and its Rio 5-door counterpart were discontinued in Europe and Australia this past February.
The Rio follows the mechanically-related Hyundai Accent to the grave, as that model left the U.S. market after the 2022 model year. And much like the Accent, Kia says that falling sales and the ever-growing popularity of SUVs are to blame. While the Rio's best sales year in 2012 saw just over 43,000 units sold, only 27,065 subcompacts were sold in 2022, which represents a considerable decline over previous years. In 2023 so far, the Kia has managed to move only 16,551 units.
Following the Rio out of the stable after 2023 will be the Stinger liftback, which served as the brand's niche flagship model since its introduction in 2017. This comes after Kia dropped the larger K900 and Cadenza sedans in 2020, and replaced the Optima with the K5. The departure of all these sedans leaves Kia with plenty of crossovers, which are proving far more successful in terms of sales.
The recently-revealed K3 sedan will replace the Rio in most markets, but it remains to be seen whether the U.S. is one of them. Meanwhile, the larger Forte sedan will continue on in America, and is even preparing a complete redesign under the K4 name.
Will you miss the Rio?
Image Credits: Kia
