Expect big things from new beefed-up Picanto

Published on 7 May, 2017

The arrival of the third-generation Picanto has now been beefed up with more technology, more space and a sharper exterior

Overview

Rivalry in the marketplace is always a good thing for the consumer - but when competition for sales hots up between cousins, it is particularly interesting.

Hyundai has long been the clear leader in the city car race for sales, with its i10 far outselling rivals such as Toyota's Aygo and Kia's Picanto, the Ford Ka, plus the Up!, Citigo and Mii from the VW stables. But the arrival of the third-generation Picanto has now been beefed up with more technology, more space and a sharper exterior, and now looks to cut back the huge i10 lead. Last year, Hyundai sold 1,458 units, Toyota 408, and Kia 340. The Kia plan is to sell 500 units next year, and the July 172 registrations should mark the start of an upturn of fortunes.

Prices start at €13,295 for the entry-level TX version, which is €500 more than the outgoing Picanto and about €300 more expensive than the entry-level i10, but Kia says that it offers better value-for-money because standard equipment includes Bluetooth, four electric windows as opposed to two in the Hyundai, remote audio controls and four speakers, while the opposition has two. In the EX version with a price of €14,795, which is also €300 more than the next level up in the i10 line-up, Kia points to larger alloy wheels and air conditioning. There is also an EX ADAS version at €16,195, which has autonomous emergency braking as standard.

The Picanto exterior has been updated with sharper lines and a tiger-nose grille like the Rio. There are also LED daytime running lights. The short overhangs make it an ideal car for city parking.

Inside, there is more room for rear-seat passengers due to an extended wheel base. Seats are supportive and the switchgear is sensibly placed - and, on the road, the car shows good composure, even on secondary routes. Shoppers will like the two-level boot's 255-litre capacity (compared to the 200 litres in the outgoing model). The big seller will be the one-litre 66bhp three-cylinder version, which churns out 96Nm of torque and 101g/km of C02 and has a maximum speed of 161km/h. Kia's claim for combined fuel consumption is 4.4L/100km (66mpg) which makes the Picanto a very economical runaround. There is also a 1.25-litre engine with a four-speed automatic transmission and fuel consumption of 5.4L/100km (56mpg). The price here is €16,495 and Kia hopes to attract the older driver trading down, who likes the convenience of an automatic.

Later in the year, a turbocharged one-litre engine will be on offer, the 98bhp T-GDi promises to give the lightweight Picanto a very sporty drive and should have good pulling power with young drivers, who see the sense of buying a new car with some get-up-and-go, instead of going down the traditional route of opting for a second-hand car on their first outing.

The icing on the cake is, of course, Kia's seven-year warranty. A more highly kitted-out GT line model will also be in the showrooms later in the year.

Martin Brennan