Kia Rio 1.0 T-GDi GT-Line 2018 UK first drive

Kia may not actually have a Rio GT from which to borrow any of the Rio GT-Line's sportier elements from, but that hasn't stopped it following the same basic formula as Ford's popular ST-Line models.

That is to take a popular and practical supermini, give it a sportier-looking bodykit and dress the interior with lashings of metal and carbonfibre-effect trim but – importantly – leave performance and handling at levels that won’t make it impossible for young drivers to get insurance.

It’s an approach that has worked brilliantly for Ford, Peugeot, Volkswagen and others, and now the Rio has received a similar treatment - only the GT-Line also gets a power advantage over lesser variants. It features Kia's turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine its highest state of tune, so instead of the usual 98bhp found in 2 and 3-grade models, here it produces 116bhp.

It was recently made available with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, but here we're testing it with a six-speed manual.

The GT-Line is certainly more distinct than a vanilla Kia Rio, thanks to its chrome tiger-nose grille up front, twin exhaust tips and roof spoiler, as well as model-unique 17in alloys.

These aren’t transformative changes, however, and the five-door Rio just doesn’t look quite as purposeful as the three-door Fiesta ST-Line. It’s certainly more practical, with more boot space and a rear seat bench that can accommodate adults in reasonable comfort, although these features are unlikely to be priorities with the GT-Line’s younger target audience.

The interior goes some way to redress that balance, with carbonfibre trim on the dashboard, aluminium pedals and a three-spoke leather steering wheel giving a more sporty impression. It all looks more high-end than in a standard Rio, but the materials used aren’t quite up to the standard of the European competition.

The half-faux leather seats have the same stiff bolsters as the regular Rio's and provide the same relaxed, relatively low-slung driving position, which suits the GT-Line well.

This trim level comes well equipped with a 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a rear-view camera, lane departure warning and low-speed automatic emergency braking.

Sat-nav is only available on the £1500-more-expensive GT-Line S trim, which also adds automatic climate control, rear LED lights, autonomous emergency braking and blindspot detection. As ever with Kia, there’s no mixing and matching with options and extras.