The smallest vehicle in the Kia fleet is the Picanto and the sportiest model is the GT which comes only with a manual gearbox. This little pocket rocket is something different and not at all what you would expect from the Kia brand.
The Picanto has evolved into a more playful and sportier look and feel, making it the ideal companion for your everyday city drive and for some fun on the weekends.
Powered by an in-line three-cylinder DOHC GDI 1-litre turbo that produces an impressive 74kW and 172Nm. This peak power comes on between 1,500rpm and 4,000rpm and if you know how to use it and keep it there, it is a fun small engine. It also has a nice sound when inside the cabin as well.
The Picanto line-up received a comprehensive enhancement to exterior design last year, with significant updates made to sporty GT-Line and GT models. The result is a refreshed, more distinctive appearance and greater differentiation for the higher-grade models.
The new design starts with the ‘tiger-nose’ grille, which remains sleek and sporty but with a sharper and more assertive appearance. Below the grille is a restyled lower air intake, magnifying the aggressive look of the front end while the rear boasts a new bumper design with dual exhaust tips and a wider, more aggressive posture.
The GT features Projection Halogen Headlights with a sculptured front fog lights adding to the sport front visage. And as a final styling tweak, the GT now rides on a new design of 16-inch alloy wheels.
There is now an 8-inch touchscreen with 4.2-inch colour supervision cluster. Also, a quality new feature is Wireless Smartphone Connectivity and Bluetooth Multi-Connection capability.
The inside of the Picanto GT is well laid out and offers a comfortable ride for the driver and front seat passenger. The room for anyone in the back is not so good, but if you are getting a Picanto you are not buying it to take a carload of people very often.
The drive is fun and for a little engine in a little car it can really give you a spirted weekend experience. Handling is decent because of the Australian tuned suspension and it stops and turns when you want it to.
The Kia Picanto GT is $21,490 drive away and this pocket rocket is worth every cent.
