The new ‘baby’ in Kia’s Australian line-up brings some heavy-hitting value to the small car market.
Kia Australia is about to roll out their smallest car in the new Picanto, which arrives in its second generation as a European-styled, Korean-built micro car that the automaker says is poised to shake up the segment.
The new Picanto arrives on Australian shores after the current-generation model received a substantial upgrade in 2015. It will be offered with a single specification, five-door model at a drive away price of $14,990.
The ‘baby’ Kia is powered by a 1.25-litre MPI Kappa four-cylinder engine producing 63kW and 120Nm of torque that, while peppy, is frugal too, consuming a claimed 5.3-litres/100km on a combined cycle. It’s mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.
Despite being a most affordable offering in the Kia Australia stable, the Picanto offers up some impressive standard kit to go with its stylish exterior cues that also contribute to its low drag co-efficient of Cd 0.31.
Standard equipment for the Picanto includes rear parking sensors, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, front and rear power windows, 4-speaker audio system with CD player and steering-wheel mounted controls, Bluetooth connectivity and trip computer.
On the safety front, the Picanto offers six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control (TCS), and a vehicle stability management system (VSM) – all these contribute to its 5-star ANCAP safety rating.
The car’s suspension set up consists of front MacPherson struts coupled with a torsion beam rear axle. Kia says they have taken noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH levels in car-speak) as a key consideration, ensuring a stiff body structure and large hydraulic engine mounts to the engine and transmission to absorb stutters, as well as three layers of sound dampening material dividing the front bulkhead from the passenger cell.
Buyers will have a choice of metallic paint finishes, including: Dazzling Blue, Midnight Black, Honey Bee, Signal Red, Bright Silver, and Titanium Silver. Solid colour options are Clear White.
Every Picanto will come with a seven-year warranty, capped price servicing and a road-side assistance package.
Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith said: “The decision to bring Picanto to Australia was not one taken quickly, or lightly. We don’t live under a rock and it is apparent to anyone who wants to look that the micro car segment is, to put it plainly, very small.”
“With some 700 sales last month the segment represents less than 1 per cent of the Australian new car market, a number that probably doesn’t look that attractive. However, it is a well-known and proven mantra that to be a success you need to do the one-percenters well. We believe that everything about the Picanto ticks a box that needs ticking.”
Check our Showroom for prices and specifications on the Picanto and the rest of Kia's range of models.
