Stand out – be that Kia Picanto guy/girl
Small cars need not be boring. In fact, they should be the opposite; otherwise, folks in the big cars just won't notice you. Enter the new Kia Picanto.
The new Picanto is big on design and big on features, but small enough that one can refer to it as a ‘small big car’.
The new light cluster and body design, combined with modern technology, give the Picanto a confident stance.
The entry-level Picanto comes with 14-inch wheels as standard, but optional 15- and 16-inch wheels are available. The GT Line derivative features 16-inch diamond-cut wheels and a sporty GT Line rear diffuser.
Performance comes with a choice of two engines: a 1.0-litre or a 1.2-litre petrol engine. So whether you prioritise economy over power, both engines maximise CO2 emissions and efficiency. Power goes to the front wheels through a five-speed manual or Kia’s automated manual transmission, regardless of your engine preference.
With a 2.8m turning radius, the Picanto is fun to drive, park and race. Although not a firecracker, the looks will certainly encourage a little adventure.
Picanto offers torque vectoring by braking – an additional function of the electronic stability control system (ESC). The Picanto’s handling and stability are better with this technology in a small car. It also helps reduce understeer during harder cornering.
The new Picanto has an eight-inch touchscreen and a digital display in the driver’s instrument cluster. The system features both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Kia Connect has on-board services like traffic updates, weather forecasts, points-of-interest (POIs) and parking information.
Meanwhile, online voice recognition lets users search for POIs or addresses, or receive weather updates. The new Picanto has over-the-air functionality that will save customers time, because the navigation and infotainment systems update wirelessly.
On the safety front, the Picanto boasts advanced driver assistance systems and a range of active safety systems, inclusive of and depending on the derivative that you buy, forward collision avoidance assist 1.5 with vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian detection.
Additionally, there is blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning and leading vehicle departure warning, intelligent speed limit assist and lane following assist.
The enhanced Picanto can be fitted with up to seven airbags throughout the cabin. It also features Isofix child-seat tether and anchor points. The model has an installed seat belt reminder mat sensor that can detect whether the rear occupants’ seat belts are fastened.
Small, but big on big car features and safety. Is this a good time for you to consider a downgrade?
Source: MotorPress
