Drove: Kia Picanto

Picanto is developing

The Picanto will also increase interest in Kia's subcompact offering. Thanks to the successful head of Kia's design department, German Peter Schreyer, the Picanto is also a car at first glance, in fact, convincing. We look at it from any side, despite its small size radiates adult life.

At the front, next to the distinctive mask (which Kia calls the tiger nose), both pairs of headlights and daytime running lights combined with turn signals also convince. Despite its small size, the side bypass works like an adult (especially with a wedge-shaped protrusion on the side, into which hooks are installed, which are the first to stretch in cars of this class). The rear is nice too, with cleverly styled headlights accentuating the difference.

The interior is at the level of a car for the upper class.

Such seriousness is felt with all the freshness in the interior design. The dashboard with a transverse insert in a different color and (in this color) a repetitive tiger nose as an insert in the steering wheel brightens up the living space. Three meters they give the impression that we are sitting in a higher class car, the same goes for a nice repeating motif: the radio above the center console and the ventilation and air conditioning control unit below in it. Under both, in the center console, in addition to the adjustable bottle holders, you can also find USB, iPod and AUX connections. There is also support for connecting the phone to bluetooth (and control buttons on the right steering wheel spokes). In many ways, the Picanto outperforms many of the larger dashboard vehicles in range and design.

Six inches longer

Of course, it only takes a long time in the car 3,6 meterswe cannot expect spatial miracles. But there is plenty of legroom in the rear, even with the right seat for a good 180cm driver. We also can't complain about the front seat. Compared to its predecessor, the new Picanto is designed to six inches longer, and their wheelbase has been increased by 1,5 cm.The result is also a quarter larger trunk (200 l)that stays so big even with a version that also uses LPG to propel gasoline and store two fuel tanks under the boot (but there is no room for a spare wheel in this Picant!).

Despite the significant increased body strength (as well as improved passive safety equipment: six standard airbags can be supplemented with a seventh to protect the driver's knees) and the car even around 10 pounds lighter from its predecessor. Thus, the three new engines have less difficulty in providing adequate power and even better gas mileage.

Three or four cylinders?

This is actually about two gasoline, a three-cylinder with a displacement of just under a thousand cubic meters and a four-cylinder with a volume of just over 1,2 liters. To achieve even better results in terms of CO2 emissions, Kia has also prepared:double-sided enginethat uses gasoline or LPG to propel it (which turns out to be cleaner in terms of lower CO2 emissions).

What seems most commendable about the new Picant is Kia's decision to equip it with as many various accessorieswith which the Picanto can transform from a pleasant little car to an almost luxurious one. A wide variety of accessories are available, including leather inside or smart key. It also allows the Picant to unlock, enter, start, exit and lock, keeping it only in your pocket (which even some real prestige cars cannot afford).

They are here too LED daytime running lights projection headlights, automatic air conditioning, glass to reduce the penetration of ultraviolet rays into the car interior, headlight system "accompany me home" and additional storage space, heated front seats and even a steering wheel, sun visors with a mirror (also on the driver's side, which prepared a slight disappointment in terms of workmanship, because it fell apart during use), as well as sensors very useful for many as a parking assistant, including an automatic holding device when starting off from place.

In short, Picanto hides in its name that it's hot this time. We will have to restrain only the enthusiasm for the purchase, since this is promised for the Slovenian market in less than six months.

text: Tomaž Porekar, photo: institute