Like large sedans before them, it looks as though light hatchbacks are on the way out for Australia as buyers shift focus toward small SUVs.
Kia has confirmed there will be no next-generation Rio hatchback offered in Australia. In a statement, the brand said “the next-generation Rio will not be produced in right-hand drive.”
“The award-winning Rio has been a tremendous car for Kia in the Australian market with 162,494 sold since its debut in mid-2000. While the Rio nameplate will not continue locally, Kia does continue to offer its popular Picanto and Cerato ranges, with new models across various segments currently under study for our market.”
The announcement comes after Kia in the United Kingdom confirmed there would be no right-hand drive model to replace the current sixth-generation car, which is said to end its run before the end of 2023.
The brand’s Australian division also confirmed the closely-related Stonic small SUV would continue, as will the smaller Picanto and larger Cerato small car.
In its sixth generation internationally, but only the fourth generation locally, the Rio has been a segment stalwart for some time. In recent years it has faced increased competition, not just from the small-SUV segment, but also from new low-cost players, like the MG3 which outsold it by nearly four times the units (4576 Rios to 16,168 MG3s).
Meanwhile, Kia managed to sell nearly double the amount of Stonics (8557 units) in Australia over the course of 2022.
The Kia joins the small hatchback graveyard in Australia which recently expanded to include the Ford Fiesta, Mitsubishi Mirage, and Suzuki Baleno, all of which were either suffering from low sales, or have been superseded by a small SUV equivalent. The Audi A1 is also expected to be discontinued globally after the current generation ends.
Segment survivors, like the Skoda Fabia, Volkswagen Polo, Mazda2, and Toyota Yaris, have become increasingly more expensive as more stringent ANCAP and ADR requirements close the vice on the once-popular small-car segment.
MG has also been suspiciously quiet on the future of the popular MG3, suggesting that it may be replaced by something different in Australia when the run of the current car ends.
The Rio is not the only hold-out Kia set for retirement this year, with the Stinger sedan also confirmed to be reaching the end of the line in 2023. Kia delivered 3500 Stingers over the course of 2022, outselling the Skoda Superb, but not the Toyota Camry or Ford Mustang. Kia said police currently account for a significant portion of Stinger deliveries. The Stinger will be sent-off with a globally limited final Tribute Edition.
Keyword: The beginning of the end for the light-hatch segment? Kia confirms there will be no 2024 Rio in Australia as it joins other discontinued models like the Suzuki Baleno and Mitsubishi Mirage