Kia Picanto: Top reasons to buy

The Kia Picanto is the quintessential compact city car. Known for being able to smoothly manoeuvre through daily traffic, the Picanto has earned its reputation for maintaining its energetic qualities. The latest Picanto is the third-generation and was released by the Korean automaker and received a much-anticipated facelift, plus a new GT variant.

According to Kia, they designed it with the intention of transforming the Picanto into a more stylish and convenient vehicle. With all these new things to look forward to, it can be overwhelming. Which is why we listed the top reasons you should consider taking home the new Kia Picanto.

New design style

The Picanto has always had a quirky appearance that makes it uniquely stand out. For the latest model, Kia refined the Picanto’s design to make it appear more sophisticated for urban driving. Its signature tiger-nose grille has been completely extended towards the headlights, resulting in a sporty look. In fact, this makes it almost resemble the Kia Rio and Kia Forte.

Gone are the cute, round-shaped headlights which were replaced with sharper ones that give the vehicle an aggressive look. All of these changes reflect Kia’s latest design language.

Spacious cabin

Kia did not compromise on size for the Picanto. The 15 mm increase in the wheelbase provided some added room, contributing to the already spacious cabin. Despite its compact dimensions, the Picanto was able to maximize its size.

The interior was also redesigned to feature a more horizontal approach which makes the amount of headroom, legroom, and shoulder room more noticeable. The seats are also split 60:40 so it’s still comfortable even when you fold the rear seats.

Advanced tech features

Another thing Kia did not compromise is the handful of tech features on the Picanto specs sheet. For an affordable compact vehicle, the variety is impressive. Inside, one can find a 2.6-inch LCD touchscreen infotainment system equipped with both Apple Car Play and Android Auto. It also has automatic climate control, steering mounted audio, and Bluetooth capable.

The more premium GT variant comes with some extra features such as keyless entry with alarm and a child anchor ISOFIX for both rear upper and lower seats. All variants come with an LED high mount stop light.

Excellent driving performance

One thing that the Picanto hasn’t failed to deliver on so far is its driving performance. Drivers will be glad to know that the Picanto has always been a smooth drive, making it easy to maneuver through city traffic. For the latest Picanto, Kia also made improvements for the chassis. This significantly improved the balance and responsiveness of the vehicle, promising an even better driving experience.

One thing Kia didn’t touch, however, is the engine. We listed the engine specs below:

Specs	1.0L SL M/T (Euro 4)	1.2L SL A/T (Euro 4)	1.2L A/T GT Line (Euro 4)
Type	Kappa 1.2 In-Line 4 Cylinder, Multi Point Injection
Displacement	998 cc	1,248 cc
Maximum Power	67 ps @ 5,500 rpm	84 ps @ 6,000 rpm
Maximum Torque	96 Nm @ 3,750 rpm	121 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission	5-speed manual	4-speed automatic

The latest Kia Picanto is still powered by the same 1.0L inline-3 mill engine and a more powerful 1.2L 4-cylinder engine. The latter can generate 84 hp at 6,000 rpm — an impressive figure for a small hatchback. Not only that, the Picanto offers top-notch fuel economy numbers, capable of almost reaching the standard benchmark.

The best part is you can take advantage of all these benefits for below P1 million. Here are the current prices for each variant:

Kia Picanto price in Philippines

Kia Picanto 1.0 LX MT	P590,000
Kia Picanto 1.0 LX AT	P635,000
Kia Picanto 1.2 EX MT	P700,000
Kia Picanto 1.2 EX AT	P745,000

All variants are priced below P1 million. For those who prefer a little more power in their daily drive— and also have the extra cash to spare— we recommend going with the 1.2L variant. Either way, you’re guaranteed to get your money’s worth.

The Kia Picanto has certainly proved that it’s still a top-notch hatchback for the urban jungle. The latest redesign and premium upgrades only added to its overall charm. It’s a yes from us.

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Also Read: Kia Picanto - Top alternatives