2017 Kia Picanto GT Line Exterior, Interior, Test Drive – Video
The most technologically advanced, most stylish, most refined and sportiest small car that Kia has ever produced – the all-new third-generation Picanto – goes on sale in the UK priced from £9,450.
At launch there are nine versions on offer, based on two engines, two transmissions and five trim lines – badged ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’, ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’. ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ bring an unprecedented level of sportiness to the Picanto range, with bespoke exterior and interior styling and exclusive trim features. Later this year the most powerful engine ever offered in a Picanto – a 99bhp 1.0-litre T-GDi turbocharged unit – will become available.
The third-generation Picanto will be available only as a five-door car, since three-door models account for only 10 per cent of sales in the city-car sector – a share which is diminishing.
In this corner of the market, size matters. Customer research shows that city-car buyers do not want big cars, so the all-new Picanto occupies exactly the same amount of road space as the previous model, with an overall length of 3,595mm and a width of 1,595mm. However, those figures do not reveal the ingenuity that has gone into the new car’s packaging to improve passenger and luggage space.
Advanced connectivity and driver assistance features are now available to keep occupants fully in touch with the outside world while minimising the risk of accidents, the car is based on an all-new platform featuring twice as much high-strength steel as the previous Picanto for strength and safety.
Extensively modified versions of the 1.0-litre and 1.25-litre normally aspirated petrol engines from the previous Picanto reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The all-new Picanto is capable of up to 64.2mpg, with CO2 as low as 101g/km.
The all-new Picanto in the UK
Small cars do not have to be spartan. In fact, customers cite equipment levels among their chief considerations in deciding what to buy. The all-new Picanto will not disappoint.
Even the entry-level grade ‘1’ model features electric front windows, remote locking with a folding key, tinted windows, a radio with AUX and USB ports, a tilt-adjustable steering column, automatic headlight control, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), 60:40 split folding rear seats and six airbags.
From grade ‘2’, air conditioning, electric rear windows, electric heated door mirrors, Bluetooth with music streaming, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear-lever become standard. There is a four-speaker rather than a two-speaker audio system, body-coloured door handles and side mirror housings, high-gloss black centre fascia trim, a chromed grille surround and 14-inch alloy wheels in place of steel rims.
Grade ‘3’ adds 15-inch alloy wheels, a supervision instrument cluster, Autonomous Emergency Braking, front foglights, electric folding mirrors with LED indicators, a floor-mounted sliding centre armrest, automatic air conditioning, cruise control with a speed limiter, a 7-inch ‘floating’ central display unit with satellite navigation and full connectivity, Bluetooth with voice recognition, DAB radio as part of a six-speaker audio system, a rear parking camera and sensors and chromed exterior door handles.
Distinguishing features on the ‘GT-Line’ model are 16-inch alloy wheels, sports front and rear bumpers and side sills, a dual exhaust, black and red faux leather seats, a supervision instrument cluster, electric folding mirrors with LED indicators, satin chrome interior door handles, privacy glass on the rear windows and tailgate, bi-function projection headlamp units, LED daytime running lamps and rear lights, a chrome beltline strip and stainless steel pedals with non-slip rubber inserts.
To this, ‘GT-Line S’ adds a wireless phone charger, an electric sunroof, heated front seats and steering wheel, a smart key and push-button engine start/stop, a 7-inch central display unit with satellite navigation and connected services, DAB radio, rear parking camera and sensors, a dual-height boot floor, luggage net and hooks and a driver’s-side illuminated vanity mirror.
The ‘GT-Line S’ and grade ‘3’ versions are distinguished by the 7-inch centre-mounted ‘floating’ touchscreen, giving access to the navigation, infotainment and connectivity systems, which include integration with Kia Connected Services powered by TomTom and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay via apps pre-loaded onto a smartphone.
All models from grade ‘3’ have Autonomous Emergency Braking which can bring the car to a complete stop at certain speeds and to a partial stop at up to 107mph. This means that many accidents can be avoided, while the severity of others is considerably reduced. This feature is a £350 option on grades ‘1’ and ‘2’.