You know that nerdy guy or geeky girl you want to avoid at your high school reunion? Now imagine that when you get there, you find out he or she is rich and gorgeous. Bingo. That’s the new 2012 Kia Rio. If you were looking at subcompacts before this and were not exactly excited, you will be now. Completely redesigned for 2012, the Kia Rio has new, trendy styling, incredible eco-friendly mileage and features to make even the popular kids envious.

The 2012 Kia Rio again comes in two versions, a 4-door sedan and the 4-door hatchback Rio5. Each is available in three trim levels, the base LX, EX and SX. The 2012 Kia Rio line has a new, punched-up 138-horsepower 4-cylinder 1.6-liter engine, which replaces previous years’ 110-horsepower 1.6-liter motor. This moves the Rio’s acceleration to the head of the class, with the highest horsepower in subcompacts and an unbelievable estimated 28 mpg city/35 highway on regular unleaded gas. Part of the increase in fuel mileage is a result of the EX trim’s Idle Stop and Go (ISG) which shuts off the engine when the car is not in motion and restarts it when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal. Previously available only in some hybrid vehicles, the ISG feature is one of the first offered in a subcompact in the U.S.

In spite of its compact cuteness and high fuel efficiency, you will need to upgrade to get some of the higher-end options, but few are found on any of the other cars in its category. The Rio LX trim comes with cloth upholstery, air conditioning, manual windows and door locks, heated power mirrors, tilt steering, variable intermittent wipers, a six-way manual driver seat, split-folding rear seat, AM/FM/CD/MP3/AUX/USB stereo with steering-wheel controls and 15-inch steel wheels. The Rio EX trims are upgraded with power windows and locks, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth, sliding center console armrest, front tweeter speakers, metallic cabin trim with faux leather door panels, power-folding mirrors, cruise control and chrome trim.

Optional for the EX are Kia’s Idle Stop and Go and a Convenience package of alloy wheels, automatic headlamps, fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, mirror signal repeaters, upgraded audio system with UVO by Microsoft and a rear-view camera. UVO, short for “your voice,” is a tricky little piece of voice-recognition technology that allows you to change radio stations, operate the rear-view camera and make or answer phone calls. Beam me up, Scotty!

The sport themed SX trims are automatic only and start with the EX items and add a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, dual exhaust outlets, sports suspension calibration, 17-inch tires on alloy wheels, larger front brakes, projector headlamps, LED tail and front running lights, fog lamps, painted center dash, alloy pedal covers and UVO entertainment with rear camera. There is even a premium package available that adds a moonroof, UVO navigation, leather seats, heated front seats, pushbutton start/smart key and LED map lights.

Some of the other changes for 2012 include a 2.5-inch longer wheelbase and transmission choices that include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic, which replace the 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmission of prior years. The Rio’s acceleration and ride make it a fun car to drive. There’s more than enough power in the new transmission’s gear ratios for such a small car, and the longer wheelbase makes for handling that tracks well on the highway. Also thanks to those extra 2.5 inches, there is a surprising amount of headroom in the front seat. No, really. And as long as your friends in the front seat cooperate, there is ample room in the back seats for standard-size adults.

Safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, curtain-side and front-side airbags, front active headrests, electronic stability control and hill-start assist. There are also lower anchor tethers in the rear seats for child safety seats and side impact door beams to help absorb side impacts.

There are many others in the 2012 Kia Rio's class, but for the money, the Rio has better styling than the Chevy Sonic and a bigger, greener engine than the Ford Fiesta. Go with the 2012 Kia Rio, for looks, for gas mileage and for pure driving enjoyment. It’s always the quiet ones.