Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
As demand continues to increase for bigger vehicles, Kia would like to remind us that city cars haven’t lost their charm. For the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the all-new Picanto smirks in the face of a steadily smaller A-segment, showing off best-in-class packaging.
Joining the Euro-spec Stinger grand tourer on the show’s scene, the third-generation Picanto is slated to arrive at dealers across the Old Continent in the second quarter of 2017. Especially the two-tone GT-Line model, the Picanto is a far better-looking car than its forerunner.
Speaking of which, a friend of mine had a second-generation model. Not that I would remember it for how neat it was, but for a far simpler reason than that: since the battery went flat, I pushed the car for him to start it. People know, however, that Kia has a world-class reliability record, and the all-new Picanto stays true to the carmaker’s promise.
Even if something were to go wrong, the South Korean company would soothe your fevered brow with a 7-year/150,000-kilometer warranty, whichever of the two comes first. Considering that the all-new model is expected to start from less than €10,000 when it goes on sale in Europe, that’s mighty impressive.
And if you thought that the exterior looks a-OK, the cabin is similarly neat. The Hyundai i30-esque floating infotainment system, small-ish gear lever, chunky steering wheel, oval outer air vents, and nicely laid out HVAC controls make life behind the wheel far more interesting than in the case of my friend’s second-generation model. Legroom in the rear may not be adequate for taller guys, though, but then again, such a drawback is to be expected from a vehicle as petite as the Picanto is.
While on the subject of size, the Picanto is the same length as the model it replaces, but it has shorter front and rear overhangs. This comes courtesy of a longer wheelbase, which pays dividend in the comfort department. As far as engines are concerned, the one to choose is the 1.0 T-GDI. 100 PS and 172 Nm in a 993-kg (2,189 lbs) urban dweller sounds like a fun proposition.
Speaking of which, a friend of mine had a second-generation model. Not that I would remember it for how neat it was, but for a far simpler reason than that: since the battery went flat, I pushed the car for him to start it. People know, however, that Kia has a world-class reliability record, and the all-new Picanto stays true to the carmaker’s promise.
Even if something were to go wrong, the South Korean company would soothe your fevered brow with a 7-year/150,000-kilometer warranty, whichever of the two comes first. Considering that the all-new model is expected to start from less than €10,000 when it goes on sale in Europe, that’s mighty impressive.
And if you thought that the exterior looks a-OK, the cabin is similarly neat. The Hyundai i30-esque floating infotainment system, small-ish gear lever, chunky steering wheel, oval outer air vents, and nicely laid out HVAC controls make life behind the wheel far more interesting than in the case of my friend’s second-generation model. Legroom in the rear may not be adequate for taller guys, though, but then again, such a drawback is to be expected from a vehicle as petite as the Picanto is.
While on the subject of size, the Picanto is the same length as the model it replaces, but it has shorter front and rear overhangs. This comes courtesy of a longer wheelbase, which pays dividend in the comfort department. As far as engines are concerned, the one to choose is the 1.0 T-GDI. 100 PS and 172 Nm in a 993-kg (2,189 lbs) urban dweller sounds like a fun proposition.
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