After six years on the market, the third-generation Kia Picanto has been given a drastic facelift, ushering in the brand’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy and a host of new technology as standard.
We’re currently awaiting confirmation that the refreshed model will make its way to New Zealand.
The compact city car now wears a face that’s more in line with the fully electric EV9 SUV, adopting its ‘tiger nose’ front fascia which includes a new set of LED headlights and daytime running lights, as well as a trim piece that connects the two.
Other updates to the front end include a new front bumper with a redesigned lower grille.
Changes are mirrored at the back, with a new rear bumper and refreshed taillight that spans the full width of the vehicle making an appearance.
The Picanto can be finished in a choice of ten paint colours and comes with 14-inch steel, 14- or 15-inch alloys, or 16-inch wheels with machined faces depending on the trim level.
Inside, there’s a new 8.0-inch ‘floating’ touchscreen which multiple devices can connect to via Bluetooth while also featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard. A new fully digital driver’s display has been equipped too.
Other features include a voice recognition system that allows users to search for points of interest or addresses via the navigation system, as well as over-the-air functionality that keeps everything updated wirelessly.
Changes have been made to the powertrain selection, which now consists of a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine or a more powerful 1.2-litre four-cylinder. Both engines can be mated to a five-speed manual transmission or Kia’s automated five-speed manual.
The Korean carmaker has fitted its range of active safety systems to the new Picanto, including forward collision-avoidance assist which can detect vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Other safety features include lane keep assist, speed limit assist, lane following assist, and more.
The updated model’s body has also been strengthened and is said to be more secure in a collision. It can also come fitted with up to seven airbags and ISOFIX child-seat tether and anchor points.
Kia NZ offers the current Picanto from $24,090 which we assume will grow dearer if the facelifted model is confirmed for our market.
