Focus on Kia: Picanto


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Kia : Picanto by Alisdair Suttie


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shopping. Kia offers it


The Picanto was really where Kia’s new- found abilities started a few years back, offering an engaging small car package and drive at brilliantly competitive prices. With Kia’s seven-year warranty in the mix, who could resist the Picanto’s charms then or now. The only difference is now the Picanto feels like a seriously grown-up rival to the likes of the Hyundai i10 or Citroen C1. In growing up, the Picanto has not forgotten how to have fun. The styling remains appealing without relying on gimmicks, preferring crisp lines and a look that could fool the eye into thinking it’s a larger car. This impression lasts when you sit in the driver’s seat. Granted, the front passenger is a little closer than you would find in a Ford Fiesta or Kia’s own Rio, but there’s still bags of room to get comfortable. Kia has also made the Picanto’s cabin a cut above by using plenty of soft-touch plastics where many rivals have hard, scratchy plastics. A well shaped driver’s seat and adjustable steering column help with comfort, while the upright driving position helps with all-round vision. Taller drivers or front passengers will rob those in the rear of some leg room, but the Picanto can easily cope with four average-sized adults without feeling too snug. Even the small boot can deal with a couple of smaller suitcases or the week’s


usual 1, 2 and 3 trims and the 1 is also available in 1 Air specification to include air conditioning for a


small price premium. This is the model we’d plump for as it has electric front windows, CD stereo and that chilled air to cover most of the important equipment bases. Go for a Picanto 2 and you also have Bluetooth connection, MP3 connectivity, electrically operated door mirrors, steering wheel controls for the stereo and electric rear windows. The 3 trim gains climate control for a plusher appeal. Just as important as the luxury kit, the Kia Picanto comes with ESP traction and stability control on all models, six airbags and electronic brake force distribution. This is a list of standard safety gear to shame many more expensive cars, so the Picanto scores as a safe choice. There are two engines to pick from in the Picanto, both petrols and each doing a sound job. The larger is the 1.25-litre with 84bhp and is the wiser choice for those drivers who mix town use with plenty of motorway travel. It cruises with surprising ease at the national speed limit and it’s impressively quiet at all velocities. The three-cylinder 1.0-litre appeals for its cheeky engine note and rev-happy nature when asked to work harder. In the Picanto, it combines with the car’s secure, sure-footed handling to make it a car that gets under your skin and leaves you feeling satisfied


The Instructor : September / October 2011 Visit www.ukdicmagazine.co.uk


“The Picanto was really where Kia’s new-found abilities started a few years back, offering an engaging small car package and drive at brilliantly competitive prices. With Kia’s seven-year warranty in the mix, who could resist the Picanto’s charms then or now.”


at the end of every journey. Name another small car that does that and you’ll be paying a lot more than the cost of the Kia. The other great element of the 1.0-litre engine is it comes with 99g/km carbon dioxide emissions, which is brilliant news for business drivers. The 1.25-litre engine is available with Kia’s Intelligent Stop-Go system to cut the engine when the car is not moving. It results in 100g/km emissions, but models with this cost more than the 1.0-litre, so the savings are cancelled out to some extent. With its 67.3mpg combined economy and chirpy character, the Kia Picanto in 1.0-litre guise is everything a small car should be: fun, cheap to run and practical. Kia has scored a direct hit with its new Picanto.


Facts at a glance Model: Kia Picanto 1.25 EcoDynamics Price: £10,195 Engine: 1.25-litre petrol Performance: 0-62mph: 11.0 secs; top speed: 106mph CO2 emissions: 100g/km Combined fuel consumption: 65.7mpg


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