New 2017 Kia Picanto: UK prices revealed
New Kia Picanto goes on sale on May from £9,450, with a new turbo petrol engine and sporty GT-Line trims
UK prices for the all-new Kia Picanto have been announced ahead of it going on sale next month. The entry level ‘1’ trim car - fitted with a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder 66bhp engine - will cost from £9,450, while the same engine in the mid-grade ‘2’ trim level will begin from £10,750.
Meanwhile the 83bhp 1.25-litre option will start from £11,250, with the cheapest automatic Picanto costing £11,900 with the same engine and ‘2’ level trim. ‘3’ cars will come exclusively with the 1.25-litre unit costing upwards of £12,650, and the new, sporty looking GT-Line and GT-Line S models kick off from £11,950 and £13,950 respectively.
Kia Picanto models with the new 99bhp turbocharged T-GDi 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine will arrive later in 2017.
New Kia Picanto: tech and trim levels
Kia’s new 2017 Picanto boasts a range of updated technology, as well as a more spacious and more practical interior. Buyers will have a choice of three engines and two transmissions when the turbocharged 1.0-litre unit arrives later in the year.
Bosses at Kia are describing the new Picanto as an “innovative, bold and fun-looking urban city car”, giving Kia’s smallest model a “more assertive stance with bolder body lines”. Its sharper appearance follows the trend set by other recent additions to the range, including the updated Rio and revised Sportage SUV.
The wheelbase of all Picantos has grown by 15mm, extending the distance between the axles from 2,385mm to 2,400mm. Kia’s designers have also pushed the wheels out to the corners for a short overhang at the front, which is the basis for the new Picanto’s sportier look and tighter turning circle.
All cars will get Kia’s distinctive Tiger Nose grille, a bulkier front end, and (from later in the summer) LED lighting tech. 11 paint options will be offered, including shades like Lime Light and Pop Orange. Subtler colours include Sparkling Silver and Aurora Black.
Inside, the Picanto’s cabin features high-tech comfort, convenience and safety additions. Staying true to the current trend, interior in some of the range topping models is built around a new seven-inch touchscreen with Kia employing a floating design which protrudes from the top of the dash. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, alongside wireless phone charging and 3D mapping for the sat-nav.
Base-level cars come with 14-inch steel wheels, though alloys are on option as well. Customisation will be key to the city car’s youthful appeal, with five optional interior colour packages available immediately when the Picanto goes on sale. Additionally, GT-Line cars get red, silver and black highlights all over, as well as chrome-tipped exhausts.
Equipment highlights on the entry level grade ‘1’ car include electric front windows, a radio with AUX and USB ports, hill start assist and automatic headlight control. Grade ‘2’ cars, however, step things up with the inclusion of air conditioning and electric rear windows, plus heated door mirrors and Bluetooth connectivity. Styling tweaks such as 14-inch alloy wheels, body coloured mirrors and door handles, a chromed grille surround and a high gloss black centre fascia trim brighten things up a little too.
Grade ‘3’ cars get larger 15-inch alloy wheels, but tech additions make this trim level stand out. Autonomous emergency braking is included, plus front foglights and LED indicators placed on the folding door-mirrors. Inside, automatic air conditioning and a 7-inch floating display with sat nav, Bluetooth and voice recognition enhance the cabin, while there’s also a six-speaker audio setup. Finally, a rear parking camera and parking sensors are included.
Sitting above the numerical trims are two GT-Line grades. The standard GT-Line car carries over much of the ‘3’ car’s gear and tech, building on it with bi-function projection headlamps and LED daytime running lights. Larger 16-inch alloy wheels plus sporty front and rear bumpers are added, plus a dual exhaust tip and black and red faux leather seats. The 7-inch screen isn’t included, however.
Range topping GT-Line S takes the sporty looking Picanto and loads it with more tech. Opt for this one, and you’ll get the infotainment display with sat nav, Bluetooth and connected services. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel come as standard too, alongside a wireless phone charger, electric sunroof, plus a rear parking camera with parking sensors.
New Kia Picanto: design, practicality and engines
There’s more space inside the 2017 Picanto thanks to the longer wheelbase, which means comfort has improved on the previous model. The dashboard has been moved up by 15mm, making for greater knee and leg space at the front, while in the rear there’s enough room for taller adults on short journeys. The city car comes with a choice of either four or five seats, while useful features such as a central armrest with built-in storage give the Picanto a practical advantage missing from other rivals in this class.
Those after outright practicality will be pleased to hear the new Kia Picanto offers best-in-class bootspace of 255 litres (55 litres more than before) with the rear seats in place. The rear seats fold with a 60:40 split to uncover 1,010 litres – again, the biggest in this segment. Handily, the boot floor can be raised or lowered depending on your requirements.
Under the skin, engineers have made a series of modifications to the suspension and steering in an attempt at making the new Picanto more fun to drive. The anti-roll bars are two per cent stiffer at the front and five per cent stiffer at the rear, while the steering is 13 per cent quicker than before. The longer wheelbase is said to improve ride quality and stability, while torque vectoring is said to “reduce understeer during harder cornering”. Additional soundproofing throughout should improve refinement.
Producing 98bhp, the new three-cylinder turbo is the torquiest and most powerful Picanto ever. It’ll do 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds, and hit 112mph. Despite the added zip, bosses claim the 1.0 T-GDI will offer “high efficiency and low fuel consumption” - though no numbers have been confirmed. It goes on sale towards the end of the year.
From launch, however, there will be a choice of naturally aspirated 1.0 engines and 1.2-litre MPI engines, with the entry-level 66bhp 1.0-litre emitting 101g/km of CO2. A five-speed manual is standard across the range, though the 1.2-litre car with 83bhp offers a four-speed auto as an option.
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