2012 Kia Rio looks sharp ahead of Geneva rollout

[Rania Elhoseny]

Kia has released the first images of its 2012 Rio hatchback ahead of its official Geneva Motor Show debut, and might we say, it's quite a looker. The Korean automaker has been doing some fantastic things with styling in the past few years – thanks in part to strong leadership from design director Peter Schreyer – and now the smaller Rio gets a healthy dose of modernity. It looks fantastic in these photos and we're eager to see the new angles and curves live in the metal.

The Rio will be offered with a range of gasoline and diesel powertrains in other markets, including a 1.1-liter diesel that only generates 85 g/km of CO2. We're most curious about the new 1.2-liter turbocharged direct-injected engine – we've heard about this three-cylinder powerplant before – and if it proves to be well-received in Europe, Kia will likely offer it here in the United States after the Rio's initial launch.

Look for the Rio to go on sale in the UK starting in September, with a three-door variant expected to launch in early 2012. We don't have any official word as to when we'll see the facelifted Rio here in the United States, but we'd guess that it'll arrive roughly around the same time as the Euro-spec version. Hit the jump for Kia's official release. Thanks to everyone for the tips!