On Test: The Kia Picanto

The one stand-out in my weeks’ testing of the ‘small car with a big heart’ was the average fuel consumption of 4.7l per 100kms, on a combined cycle of urban and open-road driving. Now that is absolutely frugal. But it was not only the fuel consumption that impressed. The overall ride quality, especially on the N2 and N3 of KZN was very pleasing for a ‘smallish’ car. The Picanto has an updated exterior design, range of new colour options, and even better value proposition. The introduction also sees the Picanto range repositioned in the competitive A-segment of the market, where its established quality and reliability is enhanced by an even greater value proposition.

Pic: Supplied

Compact range. Maximum choice. No compromises.

As part of the introduction of the new Picanto, Kia has also repositioned the entire range in line with its approach to offer customers maximum choice across a compact range without compromising on standard specification or value for money. In line with its most recent model editions, the Start, Street, and Style nomenclatures of the outgoing range fall away in favour of a standardised naming convention.

New Design. Same reliability

A new design. The same reliability. At the front, the new Picanto gains a new light signature, a new front bumper, an updated iteration of Kia’s signature ‘tiger nose’ grille, and a revised fender and bonnet, all combining to create a significantly enhanced, dramatic new visage that assists in giving Picanto a wide, confident stance. At the rear, this sporty, wide stance is reiterated through redesigned taillights that are horizontally connected just beneath the rear windscreen, giving Picanto a new rear light signature that complements the redesigned rear bumper.

The Picanto still offers excellent leg- and headroom compared to many of its segment competitors. Ride comfort is ensured through a combination of a MacPherson strut set-up at the front and a coupled torsion beam axle at the rear.

Comfortable Interior

Pic: Supplied

Inside, Picanto retains its high-quality, high-technology interior, with the familiar horizontal layout adding greater visual width to the interior. The centrally aligned dashboard retains the ‘floating’ 8-inch colour touchscreen as its main focal point, ensuring that many of the car’s controls are intuitively positioned to reduce instances of distracted driving. Black cloth-upholstered seats are standard, while higher specification models are fitted as standard with two-tone black and grey leather upholstery.

 

The new Kia Picanto retains the familiar, reliable 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre petrol engines the range is renowned for. Both engines feature improved exhaust gas recirculation lines and optimised intake valve timing. In addition, each engine provides improved combustion chamber cooling thanks to new improvements made in this field, in combination maximising efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.

The fuel-efficient 1.0 MPI three-cylinder engine produces 49 kW of power at 5,500 r/min, while the four-cylinder 1.25-litre engine develops 62 kW of power at 6,000 r/min. Customers have a choice between a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

 

Big Car Value.

Award-winning quality and premium features combine to deliver exemplary value proposition.

Pic: Supplied

From its humble beginnings two decades ago to the forward-thinking city slicker it is today, the Kia Picanto has evolved into a car that personifies progress. “With a two-decade history in the market, we have spent a lot of time assessing the past successes and shortcomings of the Picanto range in order to ensure the new range is best positioned to carry the proverbial torch well into the future. This includes many conversations with owners, past and present,” comments Stephen Crosse, Sales & Marketing Director, Kia South Africa.

Price:

Kia Picanto 1.0 LX Manual: R 260,995

Kia Picanto 1.0 LX Auto: R 278,995

Kia Picanto 1.2 EX Manual: R 284,995

Kia Picanto 1.2 EX Auto: R 302,995

Kia Picanto 1.2 EX Plus Manual: R 307,995

Kia Picanto 1.2 EX Plus Auto: R 325,995

All Picanto models ship as standard with Kia’s industry-leading Unlimited Kilometre/5-year warranty, inclusive of Roadside Assistance. In addition, a pre-paid 2-year / 30,000 km service plan is included to give customers peace of mind and predictability when it comes to vehicle maintenance. A variety of plan extension options are available at point of sale through Kia Financial Services for customers who require even more predictability of maintenance spend