2024 Kia Picanto GT-Line review

The Kia Picanto has misplaced its title as Australia’s cheapest fresh car for now, nonetheless it surely’s again for 2024 with a brand fresh seek and additional expertise.

This tiny hatchback is a wide deal in Australia, having dominated the gross sales charts and proved it’s that you just shall be ready to recall to mind to sell diminutive, cheap hatchbacks within the face of most rivals disappearing.

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Its importance for Kia is rising, too. The lengthy-operating Rio is dreary, leaving the Picanto to fight the wildly standard MG 3 on my own.

Kia is gearing up for a fight. The fresh Picanto has an excited fresh seek which takes inspiration from the EV9 and Sorentoand its cabin aspects an updated infotainment system.

There’s also fresh safety instruments, that might perchance no query endear the Picanto to folks shopping for an inexpensive first car chance.

Whereas you occur to seek at the deplorable model, or the esteem GT-Line on test right here?

How mighty does the Kia Picanto label?

There’s mighty extra usual safety instruments within the updated Kia Picanto, nonetheless it surely comes at a label.

2024 Kia ​​Picanto pricing:

• 2024 Kia ​​Picanto Sport manual: $17,890 ($20,690 d/a)
• 2024 Kia ​​Picanto Sport car: $19,490 ($21,690 d/a)
• 2024 Kia Picanto GT-Line manual: $19,690 ($22,490 d/a)
• 2024 Kia Picanto GT-Line auto: $21,290 ($23,490 d/a)

Prices exclude on-freeway charges except otherwise renowned

To leer how the Picanto compares with its rivals, employ our comparability system.

What’s the Kia Picanto adore on the within?

The cabin of the Picanto stays easy nonetheless neatly belief out within the again of the wheel.

Although it’s tiny on the outdoor (it’s excellent 24mm longer than a Fiat 500), the utilizing residing up front is incessantly surprisingly accomodating for immense our bodies.

At 6’7 I used to be ready to uncover delighted within the again of the wheel, despite the indisputable truth that it’s no longer as delighted as even a somewhat better car adore the Stonic SUV.

Going throughout the driving force is a incredible, sporty steering wheel, and the easy digital dashboard from low-cessation versions of the Sportage SUV. With immense tempo and rev readouts, it’s easy to create out on the traipse without feeling in particular particular.

That theme extends to the the relaxation of the within.

With manual air-conditioning dials, quite a lot of laborious plastics, and throwbacks adore the ‘80s Mercedes-type stepped gate on the automated shifter, it feels adore an economic system car… which it is, nonetheless which also isn’t if truth be told in line with the GT-Line branding.

It begs the inquire of why you wouldn’t correct buy the deplorable model, which is in point of fact the an identical within nonetheless correct lacks a pair of superficial clear pieces.

No subject which model you opt for, you uncover a 7.0-creep touchscreen infotainment system with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Address the digital dashboard, it’s easy to seek at nonetheless within the break effective.

There’s very diminutive discovering out curve right here; we’d wager most owners will connect up their phone and by no device exhaust mighty time interacting with the native system.

Storage up front is stable, no subject the automobile’s diminutive proportions. You uncover two cupholders at the deplorable of the toddle, along with a shelf that’s excellent for a smartphone or pockets.

There’s also a correct central armrest, which isn’t continually a given in economic system autos, and usable door pockets.

The rear seats are usable for teens, or for adults on shorter trips.

Headroom again there might perchance be in point of fact correct as a result of the boxy body, nonetheless there’s minimal legroom except the driving force is squeezed factual up in opposition to the dashboard.

ISOFIX components characteristic on the outboard rear seats, and there’s a trio of high-tether components for diminutive one seats – no longer that we’d count on too many folks being energetic to on a regular foundation employ the Picanto as a household car.

There are no air vents again there, nor is there a fold-down central armrest.

Boot dwelling is 255 litres, which is enough to swallow a pair of in a single day bags or a immense supermarket store.

There’s a considerable load lip, and the boot dwelling itself is rather deep. Which device you’ll possess to snatch heavy items and up and into the cabin, somewhat than sliding them in as you’re ready to in better autos.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

Following the discontinuation of the Picanto’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine with the facelift, the complete range is now excellent available with a 1.25-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine.

To leer how the Picanto compares with its rivals, employ our comparability system.

How does the Kia Picanto force?

With a diminutive, naturally aspirated petrol engine and a four-tempo slush box, the Picanto is decidedly used-college.

Even in metropolis utilizing it feels as despite the indisputable truth that it’s working laborious, revving to 3500rpm in first gear even must you should possess to tempo up gently, and it makes a monstrous and raspy noise.

It’s a long way from insufferable, nonetheless it surely also stands out within the age of effortless turbocharged performance.

Whereas you occur to’re willing and energetic to force a manual car, the 5-tempo chance at the least provides you further gears to play with, and additional control over which one you’re in at any given point.

Given Kia killed the turbocharged Picanto GT attributable to it was excellent available with a manual despite the indisputable truth that, we’d wager most merchants will decide for the four-tempo automated on test right here.

With light steering and a tiny footprint, the Picanto does its excellent work in metropolis.

It’s a portion of cake to thread through tight spaces, slipping into diminutive parking spots that’d possess a Seltos stumped without room to spare, and the boxy window line provides excellent all-round visibility.

Trot quality is in most cases gorgeous correct on the 16-creep wheels, that are tiny by 2024 requirements.

The Picanto keeps many of the fiddly bumps on metropolis roads out, nonetheless the suspension would perchance also be noisy must you slap into sharper potholes, and you’re attentive to how short the wheelbase is over tempo bumps.

It’s completely acceptable given the worth and the automobile’s dimension. At freeway speeds the diminutive engine is working laborious, revving between 3000 and 4000rpm.

Wind and freeway noise are noticeable at 100km/h, and must you set apart your foot down at tempo it wants to kick down and rev laborious. It’s no longer a natural freeway cruiser, nonetheless it surely’s a capable one given its dimension.

Although it doesn’t possess adaptive cruise control, you cessation uncover lane-keeping abet with energetic lane-centring. They advance in at hand on longer trips, nudging you again between the white lines while you occur to stray.

The lane-centring would perchance also be a bit too palms on now and again, attempting to wrest control away from the driving force. Some participants of our team fancy it, nonetheless I’m no longer one in every of them.

What cessation you uncover?

The 2024 Kia Picanto is on the market in two clear levels – on test is the flagship GT-Line.

Picanto Sport highlights:

• 14-creep alloy wheels (NEW)
• Halogen headlights with halogen daylight hours operating lights
• Computerized excessive-beam
• Computerized headlights
• LED rear fog lights (NEW)
• Remote central locking
• Home-saver spare
• Energy-folding exterior mirrors (NEW)
• 8.0-creep touchscreen infotainment system
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay
• Wi-fi and wired Android Auto
• 4.2-creep instrument cluster cowl (NEW)
• Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel (NEW)
• Leatherette-wrapped shifter (NEW)
• 4-device manual driver’s seat adjustment
• Fabric upholstery
• 3 x high-tether and 2 x ISOFIX anchor components for diminutive one seats
• Aircon
• 4 x audio system and 2 x front tweeters
• Cruise control
• Energy dwelling windows
• Day and evening rear-look replicate
• 1 x front USB-A outlet
• 1 x front USB-C outlet
• 1 x front 12V outlet

GT-Line adds:

• 16-creep alloy wheels
• LED headlights (NEW)
• LED daylight hours operating lights
• LED tail lights (NEW)
• GT-Line exterior bundle
• Energy-folding, heated exterior mirrors (NEW)
• Leatherette upholstery
• 6-device manual driver’s seat adjustment (entails peak adjustment)
• Three-spoke ‘Sports’ steering wheel (NEW)
• Metallic pedals (NEW)
• 1 x rear USB-C outlet (NEW)

Is the Kia Picanto safe?

The Kia Picanto had a four-well-known person ANCAP rating essentially essentially essentially based on checking out performed in 2017, nonetheless this expired at the cessation of December 2023. This device it’s now unrated.

It obtained an grownup occupant safety rating of 87 per cent, a diminutive bit one occupant safety rating of 64 per cent, a pedestrian safety rating of 54 per cent, and a security abet rating of 47 per cent.

All Picanto units advance usual with the following instruments:

• Independent emergency braking (AEB)
• Blind-issue abet (NEW)
• Driver consideration warning
• Lane-abet abet (NEW)
• Lane Apply Abet (NEW)
• Leading car departure alert
• Rear spoiled-traffic abet (NEW)
• Rear occupant alert
• Reversing digital camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Safe exit warning

How mighty does the Kia Picanto label to traipse?

Kia Australia backs its autos with a seven-year, limitless-kilometre guarantee.

These first seven products and providers label $285, $467, $341, $511, $321, $584 and $341, respectively, beneath Kia Australia’s capped-label carrier program.

CarExpert’s Steal on the Kia Picanto

The Picanto might perchance very neatly be a extra contemporary, and additional aggressive taking a survey beast than the automobile it replaces, nonetheless it surely’s easy a worth-effective and joyful diminutive metropolis hatch at heart.

There’s nothing harmful with that – it’s arguably one thing we need extra of in 2024.

However that makes the GT-Line if truth be told feel a diminutive bit… redundant.

If it had a extra extremely effective engine, or a vastly nicer within, it’d be definitely worth the extra money over the deplorable model.

As it stands despite the indisputable truth that, you’re playing the Picanto as a deplorable model and inserting the $1800 you’ll build in opposition to a pair of years worth of gasoline.

MORE: Buy a Kia PicantoMORE: All the pieces Kia Picanto

Pros

• Beneficial properties key safety equipment
• Restful one in every of Australia’s cheapest fresh autos
• Looks to be neatly excited

Cons

• Four-tempo auto is extremely used-college
• GT-Line luxurious is missing the purpose of cheap autos
• Prices are up for 2024

High Line Specs

• Energy: 62kW
• Gasoline Form: Unleaded Petrol
• Economy: 5.8L/100km
• CO2 Emissions: 134g/km
• ANCAP Safety Ranking: 4