KIA REVEALS ALL-NEW FIVE-DOOR RIO

• Latest B-Segment model from Kia sets new class standards
• All-new Rio has more performance, power, space and better fuel economy
• Three highly competitive gasoline and diesel engines
• World Premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March

Kia Motors Europe Headquarters, Eschborn, Germany - 18 February 2005

Kia Motors Corporation has revealed early details of its latest production model, the all-new Kia Rio five-door hatchback, which will make its World Premiere in Europe at the 75th Salon de L´Automobile in Geneva, Switzerland, on 1 March 2005.

"Our new Rio is completely redesigned from the ground up, created especially with our European consumers in mind," commented Kia Motors Senior Executive Vice President and COO, Mr Yong Hwan Kim. "New Rio offers customers more space, more power, higher performance, better handling, a smoother ride and enhanced fuel economy."

Although Kia has retained the old name, the company has once again raised its game and New Rio is a very different kind of Kia. It is a high-quality rival to match or surpass the best B-Segment products from famous European brands.

Unusually in modern times, the Kia Rio is a new model that also comes with three new or fully-revised engines. The two gasoline engines and one high-performance diesel will offer
customers ´best-in-class´ power outputs that will make Kia a leader in the segment. New Rio is the third Kia passenger car to be available with a diesel engine.

Styled to attract image conscious modern consumers, the sub-4 metres New Rio hatchback is a car that perfectly matches Kia´s ´exciting and enabling´ brand aspirations, while the longer 4.2-metre sedan (launched at the Detroit Show earlier this year) has an elegant and distinctive notchback profile.

Taller, wider and shorter than the model it replaces, the new Rio has a much longer wheelbase and much improved packaging to offer significantly more cabin space than its predecessor. The new Rio line-up will feature a total of 20 models, and customers can choose from two body styles, manual or automatic transmission, two equipment levels and an extensive range of Option Packs.

"We designed the new Rio to meet the rising expectations of our European customers who
expect more from Kia, with improved quality and a fresher appearance," enthuses Jean-Charles Lievens, Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "We have created a superb compact car that is more stylish, more practical, more enjoyable to drive than its predecessor and with a 3 years warranty. It is a ´new generation´ Kia which builds on the enormous progress we have made in the last two years with the Sorento, Picanto, Cerato and new Sportage."

The five-door hatchback and four-door sedan Kia Rio models, which will go on sale across Europe this summer, are destined to be immensely significant introductions for Kia into the hugely popular B-Segment, the most popular segment of the European market.

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Editors Notes

Kia Motors Europe
Kia Motors Europe is the European sales, marketing, and service arm of Kia Motors Corporation. With its headquarters in Eschborn, Germany, it covers 20 markets in Europe. The European sales target is 300,000 units per year by 2005, thanks to new products and new diesel engines.

About Kia Motors Corporation
Kia Motors Corporation (www.kiamotors.com), which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2004, is among the world´s fastest growing automobile companies. Kia´s 15 manufacturing and assembly operations in 12 countries make more than one million vehicles each year. These vehicles are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 190 countries.

Founded in 1944, Kia Motors Corporation is Korea´s oldest manufacturer of automobiles. Kia today has 30,000 employees and annual revenues of US$ 12 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and the international sponsor of the Davis Cup.

Press Contacts

Dr Iris Kirschbaum
Tel 0049 6196 5092 132 Email i.kirschbaum@kia-europe.com

Tanja Hoppmann
Tel 0049 6196 5092 134 Email t.hoppmann@kia-europe.com

Kia Motors Europe GmbH
Hauptstrasse 185, 65760 Eschborn, Germany.
Tel.: +49 (6196) 509 2132 / Fax.: +49 (6196) 509 2100