Kia has comprehensively up to date its child Picanto metropolis automotive with a recent look and extra tech. Our household of testers pattern the $23,490 driveway GT-Line.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
IAIN: The Kia Picanto’s top-of-the-line new automobiles on sale as we speak.
JULES: Are you insane? It’s tiny, the cabin’s plasticky, the boot’s a shoebox and the engine’s from the darkish ages.
IAIN: Whoa. Let me clarify. We should decide a automotive on how fit-for-purpose it’s, and the way effectively that’s been executed.
JULES: Like value, goal market and typical use?
IAIN: Precisely. Kia should maintain the Picanto inexpensive, however protected and feature-packed.
JULES: What’s the funds?
IAIN: The most cost effective mannequin is a $20,690 drive-away Sport handbook, whereas our fancier GT-Line’s $22,490 drive-away. It’s $1000 extra with auto gearbox. These costs are about 10 per cent increased than earlier than.
JULES: A number of years in the past you can drive away in a heap of automobiles for lower than $20,000. No longer even a Picanto?
IAIN: Nope. Its sole remaining metropolis automotive rival is the $10,000 pricier Fiat 500. And the brand new MG3 is rather more costly than the automotive it replaces.
JULES: The Picanto’s titchy, however appears to be like fashionable, sharp and sporty on its 16-inch alloys.
IAIN: Importantly, it doesn’t look low-cost. It’s chunky and I really like its flat-sided rear with full-width LED lightbar.
THE LIVING SPACE
JULES: It feels low-cost. There’s no good key so the doorways don’t unlock routinely and it is advisable to put a steel key within the ignition.
IAIN: Outdated World attraction? It’s speculated to be low-cost and cheerful, however there are faux-leather seats, digital devices and Kia’s glorious 8-inch infotainment display with wi-fi CarPlay and Android Auto.
JULES: The tech and connectivity’s nice – first automotive consumers will love that – however seats are too agency and the fabric doesn’t quiet down effectively.
IAIN: I desire them to low-cost material. The Sport steering wheel feels good, however there’s exhausting plastic on the doorways, sprint high and centre console.
JULES: There are correct knobs for the aircon and a handbook handbrake. Maybe I’m nostalgic, however the simplicity of those is right for an inexpensive metropolis automotive.
IAIN: The cabin’s mature and effectively designed. Storage is okay, there’s a correct armrest and rear house is nearly tolerable for adults.
THE COMMUTE
JULES: I’ve come to depend on adaptive cruise management – it makes journeys far much less tense – however this Picanto does with out. Boo.
IAIN: That’s a disgrace, however there are stable security inclusions resembling blind-spot and lane-keep help.
JULES: I really like this factor on the town. It’s so tiny you zip between automobiles and it activates a dime. A giant digital speedo’s very helpful too.
IAIN: However the engine’s a weak level. Different metropolis automobiles use zesty three-cylinder turbos to get the job accomplished, however Kia’s caught with a non-turbo four-cylinder placing out simply 62kW and 122Nm.
JULES: It’s match for goal, however rattling noisy once you flooring it.
IAIN: Ours has a four-speed auto, which feels a gear brief. At 110km/h it sits at a loud 3200rpm.
THE SHOPPING
JULES: I’ll be honest. The boot dealt with the weekly store regardless of how small it’s and because it’s deep so the groceries didn’t fall out once I lifted the tailgate.
IAIN: Its compact dimensions make it a deal with to park. It feels half the scale of utes dominating our automotive parks. However the rear digicam’s horrible high quality for a contemporary automotive.
SUNDAY RUN
JULES: I often love metropolis automobiles however the Picanto’s engine spoils the get together.
IAIN: It’s a little bit of a sloth, eh? The five-speed handbook is a greater choice – engine efficiency is way simpler to take advantage of once you’re in cost.
JULES: For such a tiddler, the general experience’s snug and the steering gentle and simple.
IAIN: Plus it’s enjoyable to throw round. At lower than a tonne it adjustments path sharply and sticks effectively in corners but it surely runs out of energy rapidly.
THE FAMILY
JULES: Our tweenagers grumble about tight rear house, however the Picanto presents simply sufficient. There aren’t any air vents, although, only a USB-C port.
IAIN: I reckon it’s effectively packaged for a metropolis automotive. The rear seats and boot are completely usable, and with seats folded my bike squeezed in.
JULES: I’m bothered there’s no ANCAP ranking but it surely has auto emergency braking and rear cross-traffic alert, that are reassuring.
IAIN: The vintage engine and gearbox imply a 6L/100km return, which we simply bettered on check. The handbook model manages 5.4L/100km, whereas companies are dear at greater than $2000 for the primary 5. Kia’s seven-year guarantee’s an enormous incentive, although.
THE VERDICT
JULES: In case you’d handed me this Picanto as a P-plater I’d have fallen in love. It appears to be like cool, has the required tech and feels stable and protected. Nevertheless it’s dwarfed by all else on the highway. I would like one thing greater.
IAIN: I disagree. We want extra Australians to get up and realise Picanto-sized automobiles are completely appropriate for a lot of. And this Kia’s a winner on value, options and expertise.
KIA PICANTO GT-LINE
PRICE: From $22,490 drive-away (good worth)
WARRANTY AND SERVICING: 7 years/limitless km guarantee (glorious), $2069 for five years/75,000km (dear)
ENGINE: 1.2-litre 4-cyl petrol, 62kW/122Nm (a bit weak)
SAFETY: Six airbags, auto emergency braking, rear cross-traffic help, lane comply with and maintain help, blind-spot help (good)
THIRST: 6.0L/100km (OK)
SPARE: House saver (not very best)
BOOT: 255 litres (tiny)
