Kia Picanto might be small in size, but it is big on safety features

Smaller and more affordable cars are often scrutinised for a lack of safety features. Although the Kia Picanto might fit former description, it is anything but just another cheap little hatchback.

The Korean carmaker is so confident in its ability to keep its occupants safe that it declares the hatch as “arguably the safest vehicle in the A-segment”.

Kia Picanto big on safety

Before we even get to the clever things keeping us safe, Kia likes to remind us of the core structure. Up to 44% of the car’s bodyshell is made up of advanced high-strength steel ensuring the floor pan, roof rails and passenger cell are strengthened through hot-stamping technology.

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Also standard on the Kia Picanto are dual front airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

The Citizen Motoring‘s long-term Kia Picanto EX manual also features more advanced systems like electronic stability control (ESC) and hill-start assist control (HAC). These are more than just some big words that look fancy on the showroom brochure, they actually do an important out on the road.

Passive until needed

The ESC along with traction control are activated when you start the car and will stay passive until it detects the need to intervene. The system is made up of sensors that read the direction in which your car is going, the position of the steering wheel and the brakes.

The ESC intervenes when it detects the Kia Picanto is not reacting to the steering and braking inputs. This is done by braking the wheels deemed to get the car back in route, while adjusting the speed. If for instance you are too fast into a left-hand corner and your normal input on the steering wheel would cause what is known as understeer, it will brake the rear left wheel to help you keep the car on the road and not cause a crash.

Those fancying performing hand brake turns, ESC can’t be turned off completely. But a button right of the steering wheel allows you to limit the system.

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No roll-backs

HAC is slightly less complicated. It helps you pull off at an angle without causing a roll-back, a common occurrence in manual cars. HAC activates automatically when pressing the brake pedal on an incline. The Kia Picanto keeps its position for a few seconds, almost like a virtual parking brake being applied. This gives the driver enough time to release the clutch and accelerate before it releases the HAC.

The Kia Picanto EX manual might seem a tad pricey at R284 995 compared to other products in the A-segment. But it makes perfect sense once you start adding up all these little things.