Citroën C1, Peugeot 108 and, soon, Renault Twingo, all these models are gradually disappearing from the catalog of our French manufacturers. These A-segment city cars, once famous for their small size and attractive price, have taken a hit new standards in terms of safety and environment.

Only Toyota and its Aygo are resisting, but at what cost, as you have to pay at least €17,000 to afford it, while the previous generation model cost around €11,000 ten years ago. The Aygo is not alone in its segment either, as there is also the Kia Picanto and its cousin the Hyundai i10.

Kia Picanto (2023): design

Today, Kia opens the curtain on the new generation Picanto. Remember the previous Kia Picanto? Forget it, because this new generation is radically changing, starting with design. The bumper has been completely redesigned and is now more aggressive, especially with its famous “Tiger Nose” grille.

The lines at the rear are vertical and crisp, with the headlights and tailgate contrasting with the horizontality of the bumper, giving the car a wider appearance and a more planted look on the road.

The Picanto comes with 14-inch wheels as standard, with 15- and 16-inch wheels reserved for higher trims. The GT Line version seen in the photos above is sportier with a front bumper with larger air intakes and a diffuser at the rear.

Kia Picanto (2023): interior

The interior layout is more classic, with the rationality expected from an A-segment car. As before, everything is combined with quality materials, especially in terms of upholstery and equipment. The Picanto comes with black cloth seats as standard, but you can customize the colors of the seats, armrests, air vent bezels and gear lever thanks to special packages.

The new Picanto comes standard with an infotainment system based on an 8-inch screen, and behind the wheel we find a 4.2-inch screen for the instrument panel.

Kia has also integrated its ‘Kia Connect’ service which, when connected to the Internet, offers services such as real-time traffic information, weather forecast, points of interest and details of potential parking spaces, as well as all information about the available car. directly through the application. Over-the-air updates are also in the works for the infotainment system and navigation.

Kia Picanto (2023): what engines?

The new Kia Picanto will be available with two different engines, two 1.0-liter and 1.2-liter three-cylinder engines without supercharging. Compared to the previous engines, the exhaust channels, as well as the gas distribution phases of the intake valves and the cooling system of the combustion chamber, were revised. Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic transmission. All models in traction.

Technically, the Picanto uses a MacPherson strut system at the front and double wishbones at the rear. The wheelbase is relatively long for this category, and the wheels in the four corners of the body provide minimal overhang, which allows for increased comfort of living, as well as maneuverability.

The Kia Picanto is equipped with a driver assistance system, including automatic emergency braking, blind spot sensors, active lane keeping and driver fatigue monitoring. In the tradition of Kia, the Picanto has a warranty of 7 years and 150,000 kilometers.

At the moment, Kia has not indicated the power and performance of the two proposed engines, nor even the prices in France. Unsurprisingly, this new version is expected to replace the two engines found in the old version, with a 1.0-liter that develops 67 hp and a 1.2-liter that offers 84 hp. A 100 hp 1.0-liter turbo version may also be included later. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

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