Kia Rio will be dead in the U.S. after the 2023 model year

Kia has announced that it is pulling the plug on the Rio. The subcompact's demise was revealed in a statement to Automotive News, with no plans to sell the vehicle after the 2023 model year. It follows a similar decision by Hyundai, which removed the Accent from its portfolio after the 2022 MY.

It's no big surprise that another sedan is biting the dust as customers continue to flock to crossovers and SUVs. Recently, Kia has simplified its sedan lineup in the U.S. by ending the Cadenza and K900 after the 2020 model year. The sporty Stinger - which is a five-door liftback - is being dropped globally, with a Tribute edition serving as the model's finale.

Although the Rio is no longer available in the USA, Kia has introduced the next-gen K3 as a direct replacement in other markets. The name is somewhat unclear as it was previously used for the larger Forte, but it is now being reused for the direct successor of the Rio Sedan. It looks completely different inside and out. 

A February report published by Autocar claimed that Kia intends to kill the Rio in Europe as well, with the Stonic subcompact crossover serving as an indirect replacement.

Source: Automotive News