Kia Picanto - spicy bourgeoisie

Segment A is developing dynamically. City cars are the best solution if we mostly travel alone and rarely hit the highway. Studies show that a third of people who have only one car at home decide to represent the smallest segment of city cars. The ranks of small townspeople have just been added to the all-new third-generation Kia Picanto.

The first generation Kia Picanto debuted in 2003. When you look at the cars of that time and their modern counterparts, it seems that they come from two completely different eras, and not that they are separated by 14 years. At that time, these were funny cars and did not sin with beauty. Modern automotive fashion introduces more and more sharp forms, embossing, aggressive headlights, thanks to which even small and nondescript cars cease to be sexless.

Due to the fact that as much as 89% of the previous generation Kia Picanto models were 5-door variants, the latest version of the smallest Korean does not have a three-door body. Next year, the "civilian" Picanto and its GT Line version will add the X-Line variant. Can you imagine the Picanto off-road? We, too. But let's wait and see.

Small but crazy

When looking at the front of the smallest "tadpole" it is easy to see the resemblance to the larger brothers. For some time now, there has been a tendency to standardize the style of cars within the same company. Therefore, in the front of the small Picanto, we can see parts from the Rio model and even from the Sportage. All thanks to the characteristic grille, dubbed the "tiger nose grille" and expressive LED lights, slightly protruding upwards.

An interesting fact is that the Picanto is available in a GT Line equipment version inspired by the sporty options of the Ceed or Optima. The front of the Picanto GT Line boasts a large grille and vertical air intakes on the sides of the bumper. It must be admitted that a lot is being done at the front! It's hard to take your eyes off Picanto's formidable expression, which seems to be saying: just don't call me "little"! What is like, but the self-confidence of this bourgeois cannot be denied.

The side line of the Picanto is no longer as "exciting" as the front. A miniature body in a five-door version can be both beautiful and practical. The Korean brand puts an emphasis on passenger comfort - you don't have to exercise while sitting inside. Although the car is the size of a matchbox, it is easy to get into it both behind the wheel and in the second row of seats. In addition, the designers lowered the line of windows, which greatly improved visibility from inside the car. However, after a very interesting front, it's hard to sigh with delight about the profile. But honor in the GT Line version is protected by 16-inch alloy wheels, which seem really big with such a compact body.

Behind is also not boring. In the GT Line version, under the rear bumper you will find a large (for the dimensions of the Picanto itself) chrome dual exhaust system. The taillights are also LED (starting with the M trim level) and have a C-shape, which is somewhat reminiscent of some station wagons.

Vio!

The wheelbase of the new generation Picanto has been increased by 15 mm compared to its predecessor, reaching 2,4 meters. In addition, the front overhang has been shortened by 25mm, placing the wheels almost at the corners of the car. Thanks to this, it is felt that, despite its filigree dimensions, the Picanto rides confidently and is not afraid even of dynamic corners. In addition, thanks to the use of the new platform "K", it was possible to lose 28 kilograms. Important in this matter is also the use of as much as 53% improved steel with increased strength and less weight. Also, a large number of seams and seams were abandoned in favor of ... glue. Adhesive joints in the new generation of Kia Picanto have a total length of 67 meters! For comparison, the predecessor had a modest 7,8 meters.

Thanks to optical tricks and the use of horizontal lines and ribs, the new Picanto seems longer than its predecessor, but its dimensions are exactly the same - less than 3,6 meters (3 mm). The new Picanto is available in 595 exterior colors and five interior configurations. The smallest Kia will come with 11-inch steel wheels as standard. However, we can choose from two designs of 14" or 15" aluminum options.

It's hard to imagine anyone having trouble parking a small car like the Picanto. However, if someone is not sure about this, rear parking sensors are available for the GT Line.

Dense, but your own?

This is not entirely true in the new, third generation Kia Picanto, because it is not crowded inside. Of course, if we try to fit five tall men inside, we might change our minds. However, when traveling with two or three people, you should not complain about the lack of space. Even tall drivers can easily find a comfortable driving position, and there will still be room for the knees of passengers on the second row of seats. The steering wheel has been raised by 15mm, giving the rider more legroom. However, there was only a small range of adjustment in the up-down plane. Somewhat lacking the ability to move the steering wheel back and forth.

Thanks to the horizontal lines, the cabin seems quite wide and spacious. In fact, in the front row of seats, you have to make sure that the driver and passenger push each other with their elbows. Interior finishing materials are decent, but they are far from Persian carpets. Hard plastics predominate and can be found mostly on the dashboard and door panels. It feels like the car is a little “budget” inside, but it’s worth keeping in mind its price and purpose. Segment A never shines with gold and plush.

Modern city dweller

The first thing that catches your eye immediately after opening the door is a large 7-inch touchscreen located in the center of the dashboard. It was equipped with Apple Car Play and Android Auto systems. Below is a simple air conditioning control panel (slightly similar to the X Box panel) that resembles that of the Rio. Even lower we find a storage compartment with folding cup holders and ... a place for wireless charging of a smartphone. In addition, the driver has a multi-function steering wheel typical of new Kii models. Unfortunately, there are quite a few buttons on it, which makes the controls not very intuitive. Another rarity is the electric drive of all windows (in the basic version of M - only the front ones).

In the GT Line version, the seats are upholstered in eco-leather with red accents. Most importantly, they are very comfortable and do not cause back pain even after a long ride. An interesting fact is that the seats are the same for all trim levels (except for the hem). So there is no risk that in the basic version we will find uncomfortable stools covered with fabric. The red stitching motif on the GT Line runs throughout the interior, from the steering wheel to the armrest and door panels to the shifter boot. As if the sporty edge wasn't enough, the Kia Picanto GT Line also received aluminum pedal caps.

We drive mostly around the city, we rarely need a very roomy trunk. However, we will be able to fit a few shopping bags into the new Picanto. The previous version boasted a modest trunk volume of only 200 liters. The new Picanto has a luggage compartment of 255 liters, which expands to an astronomical 60 liters when the rear seat is folded down (40:1010 ratio)! How does it work in practice? Traveling as a group of three, we could hardly fit three carry-on suitcases into the trunk of a small "tadpole".

Is small beautiful?

The Kia Picanto is a small car that doesn't need much driving. There are two naturally aspirated petrol engines on offer: a three-cylinder 1.0 MPI with a modest 67 horsepower and a slightly larger, already "four-piston" 1.25 MPI, which boasts a slightly higher power of 84 hp. Its maximum power is available only at 6000 864 rpm, so in order to force the lightweight Picanto to dynamically accelerate or overtake another car, you have to use the gas pedal quite brutally. However, the light weight of 1.2 kg allows you to move around the city very quickly. A five-speed manual transmission is tuned for typical city driving (a 4-speed automatic option is also available).

Another petrol unit will be available on the European market. We are talking about a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0 T-GDI engine with a considerable power of 100 horsepower and a maximum torque of as much as 172 Nm. Unfortunately, this engine (as in the case of the Rio model) will not be offered in Poland. Studies of the automotive market in Poland have shown that such a complete set of a car will not find buyers among our compatriots. Therefore, you have to be content with smaller motors.

Who gives more?

Finally, there is the question of price. The cheapest Kia Picanto, i.e. 1.0 MPI in M ​​version, is available for PLN 39. For this price we get a very decent technique. On board we will find, among other things, air conditioning, MP900 / USB radio, multifunction steering wheel, Bluetooth connection, electric front windows and central locking with alarm. The higher equipment version L (from PLN 3) already offers LED headlights and taillights, electrically controlled and heated mirrors, a set of power windows and rear disc brakes.

The most refined Picanto is no longer so cheap. For the version we tested, i.e. the 1.2 hp 84 engine equipped with the GT Line, you have to pay PLN 54 (PLN 990 for the four-speed automatic version). For this amount, we get a small city dweller dressed in colorful sports feathers - sporty bumpers, a rear bumper diffuser or door sills.

What should the rest do?

If you compare prices with competitors, Picanto is the best. Of course, we will find many cheaper deals, such as the Toyota Aygo, the Citigo and Up! twins, or the French C1 and Twingo. However, by bringing together the basic versions of small townspeople, the Picanto is at its best when it comes to the ratio of standard equipment and price. Firstly, it is a fully five-seater car (only the Hyundai i10 can boast of this in the basic configuration). In addition, as the only one in the competition, it has a multifunction steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity and a full-size spare tire - all in the basic equipment version.

The Korean brand is starting to act like a glacier. It is slowly moving forward in various automotive segments. And everything points to the fact that he is not going to stop. The world first saw the Niro compact hybrid crossover, which caused a real stir. The new Kia Rio has recently appeared in the C segment, which is fierce competition from compact hatchbacks. On top of that, there's of course the antipyretic Stinger, and we'll see an updated Optima soon too. It seems that the Koreans are placing their pawns on all parts of the board, and soon they can calmly say checkmate!