Published
on 30
Sep 2021
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All rights reserved.
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Smart
to look and nice to handle, the Picanto may remain competitive for many
years to come...
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Not a new car anymore. The
current Picanto has been on sale in Korea since 2017, where it is
called "Morning", and the rest of
the world from 2018. However, it still looks fresh today, thanks to
smart design outside and inside. The car is not remarkably different
from the last generation. In fact, it keeps exactly the same footprint
of 3.6m x 1.6m, although wheelbase is stretched by 15mm to 2400mm. That
makes it one of the smallest cars on the market and noticeably smaller
than its Hyundai i10 cousin.
Predictably, at this price level the cabin is full of hard plastics,
but the dashboard is textured such that it doesn’t feel cheap. Fit and
finish are good, delivering a solid feel. Space up front is excellent,
while rear legroom is limited by the shorter wheelbase.
The Picanto offers 2 engines. Most will opt for the cheaper 1.0-liter
three-cylinder with only 67 horsepower. It is slightly less powerful
than the similar Volkswagen Up, so performance is underwhelming. You
need to work the engine hard in overtaking or uphill, which makes a lot
of noise and vibration. Likewise, the light body lacks the sound
insulation or NVH suppression of the new Hyundai i10, thus cruising on
highway is quite noisy.
Refinement and performance can be improved significantly by upgrading
to the 1.0T-GDI engine, whose turbocharging produces 100 horsepower and
a lot more mid-range torque, lessen the need to rev the motor. 0-60 mph
drops from over 13 seconds to 9.5. However, the turbocharged engine is
available to top trim only, so it is too expensive for most buyers of
this kind of city cars. You may get a basic B-segment supermini with
less money, or even a well-equipped Dacia Sandero.
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Solid build
quality compromised by typical small-car NVH levels.
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The 5-speed manual gearbox offers crisped and close-ratio gearshift.
Avoid the optional 5-speed automated manual box, as it is painfully
slow to make each gearshift.
It goes without saying such a compact car feels at home in city, being
nimble, easy to park and to slip into congested streets. What’s
surprising is it is also quite good to handle on more demanding roads.
Its suspension setup is stiffer than i10 and most others, so it has
body roll very well contained. Despite the short wheelbase, it feels
stable on highway. The steering feels direct and accurate. On an
undulating country road, it doesn’t bounce like some softer sprung
rivals, though the ride does feel stiffer and more fidget over
irregularities.
The good news to Kia is, owing to stricter legislation on safety and
emission hence surging costs, European manufacturers no longer build
new A-segment city cars, leaving the Picanto, Hyundai i10, Toyota Aygo
and probably a couple of Suzukis on the market in a couple of years’
time. Being a world car, the Picanto can absorb the extra costs more
easily. As standard-setting rivals like Fiat Panda and Volkswagen Up
are cruising to retirement, expect the progress of A-segment city cars
will slow down, and the current Picanto may hang on for a few more
years yet remain competitive.
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Verdict:  |
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