KIA produces last KIA Rio in NL

PESQUERÍA, NL - After seven years of production at the KIA Motors assembly plant in Pesquería, Nuevo León, the KIA Rio sedan and hatchback versions have ended production, the company announced.

The model was seen off by workers in the body shop, paint shop and other areas in a celebration with group photographs. Now, its space on production lines will lead to an increase in the production of the new K3 in hatchback and sedan versions.

The first 91 units of the model were produced in December 2016 and from then until November 2023, 626,911 units were produced, of which 429,666 were units of the sedan version and 197,245 of the hatchback version, according to INEGI figures.

The car was introduced to the global market in November 1999, as a vehicle derived from the Ford Festiva and in its second generation was known as KIA K2 in China.

it was until its fourth generation, in 2016 when it would be produced in Mexico sharing engineering and design elements with the Hyundai Accent that was also produced for some years in Pesqueria.

In 2020, the KIA Rio received a slight redesign, improvements in equipment and technology.

In total, from February 2017 to November 2023, 249,105 units of the KIA Rio manufactured in Pesqueria had been sold, while the plant exported 375,187 units from December 2016 to November 2023.