Kia have an extremely strong presence in the A-segment and this update to the ever-popular Picanto is sure to enhance this presence further. The first thing you notice about the new Kia Picanto is its styling, a far more aggressive look compared to the previous model. There have been further changes to the performance, fuel economy and interior.

Fresh styling and performance for new Kia Picanto

The front face of the new Kia Picanto has adopted the “Tiger nose” grille, as Kia call it, which definitely helps to bring the Picanto into the modern era of car design. The rear of the car has also been re-done, also to emphasize the modernity of the car, with a large rear window and strong bumper section. Size-wise, the updated Picanto is 3.6 metres long, with overall vehicle length increasing by 60mm and an increase in the wheelbase of 15mm. This has resulted in increased cabin space and more front legroom.

Engine Performance

The new Kia Picanto features the highly efficient Kappa engine which has improved fuel consumption and a reduction in CO2 emissions. There will be 2 engine options available; a 4-cylinder 1.2 litre that generates 65kW and 120 Nm of torque and a 3-cylinder 998 cc unit that produces 51 kW and 94 Nm of torque. The regular models in the new Kia Picanto range will have a CO2 rating of just 117-114g/km and the fuel economy will range from 4.9 litres/100km to 6.0 litres/100km. To further improve the fuel economy, the Picanto will come with an ECO indicator. This system will inform the driver how to drive more economically and will light up when the car is being driven correctly.

The new Kia Picanto range comes with Kia’s ‘High’ suspension setup which has raised the ground clearance by 10mm to 152mm. This is to ensure that there is a comfortable ride on rough or cambered roads. This has also raised the height of the vehicle by 10mm as you would expect. Lastly the braking system in the new Kia Picanto features 241mm ventilated front discs and 180mm rear drums, with ABS available in the 1.2 EX model. This gives the car a minimum stopping distance from 100km/h at 41 metres.

Look for the new Kia Picanto at South African Kia dealerships soon!