The 2020 Toyota Wigo has just been unleashed to the Philippine automotive market last June, and what better way to celebrate its arrival than to see how it compares against its biggest competitors?
In this round, we pit the latest iteration of Toyota’s entry-level city car against that of its South Korean rival, Kia. Check out how the 2020 Toyota Wigo compares against the 2020 Kia Picanto in this Carmudi Car Comparo.
Far from an all-new version, the 2020 Wigo is just a refreshed version of Toyota’s small hatchback, and the biggest changes can be found on the car’s exterior. Sportiness has been enhanced upfront, beginning with more identifiable fog lamp housings that now link to the lower grille via blacked-out horizontal trimmings. Headlamps are now projector-type and taillights are now LED. The top-of-the-line TRD S trim receives added custom lighting units, two-tone rear spoiler, TRD sideskirts, and custom TRD badging.
The Kia Picanto is certainly one sporty and elegant little car. Oozing with contemporary style, this little South Korean beauty has been streamlined to make for one concise, less-confusing, and greatly improved small car offering. It's bigger and better than before, and every change from the previous version only serves to impress. Kia’s signature Tiger Nose welcomes the Picanto’ onlookers, creating a thick ‘unibrow’ look that links to both headlamps. A muscular stance complemented by protruding chin help the Picanto stand out from the crossover market.
Winner: Picanto
Save for the redesigned seats, improvements to the standard Wigo interior between the new and old model are barely noticeable, but the top trims do get powered side mirrors rearview camera, touchscreen display, digital A/C, keyless entry, and push/start ignition. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility is available only in the TRD S trim.
The Kia Picanto cabin welcomes occupants to 60:40 split-folding rear seats, while a dual-level luggage board enhances storage capacity. For drivers, the MDPS tilt steering wheel and segmented cluster LCD makes viewing controls easier and more convenient while also ensuring comfortable driving positions. Infotainment in the upper trims is handled by a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto linking.
Winner: Picanto
Toyota’s spritely city car is powered by the same 1.0-liter 3-cylinder DOHC engine with VVT-I found in the outgoing model. It’s good for 65 hp and 89 Nm, which are conservative numbers to be sure, but you don’t really need your daily driver to reach sports car speeds. Top variants get a 4-speed automatic transmission, while the lower ones receive a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The newest, four-speed automatic or five-speed manual Picanto offers a Kappa 1.2 In-Line four-cylinder, Multi-Point Injection engine, with a power punch of 83hp and 122Nm. In addition, it also comes with the KAPPA 1.0 MPI which makes for a plenty decent 66hp and 95Nm of torque.
Winner: Picanto
Despite its size, the Toyota Wigo has a surprising amount of legroom at the backseat, making it perfect for barkada nightouts after work. Here’s another feature for the barkada to enjoy—both G variants come an iPod player that links to four speakers. Navigation display and steering wheel controls are also on hand to add convenience. Airbags, ABS, and seat belt warning come standard on all trims, while the G variants enjoy vehicle immobilizer and alarm system additions.
Safety is one of the Picanto’s most improved areas. According to the South Korean carmaker, its little city carhas "more than 44 percent Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS), resulting in phenomenal rigidity and hot-stamping of components employed in core stress areas." The result is "improved average body tensile strength, enhance cabin protection and improve dynamic performance." Other noteworthy safety systems include an advanced braking system, and a rear camera display with static guidelines (both are available for EX variants only).
Winner: Picanto
Six colors are also on offer for the new Wigo, including Orange Metallic, Silver Metallic, Gray Metallic, White, Black, and finally, Yellow SE, a TRD S trim exclusive. Meanwhile, here’s the price list for the Wigo’s latest iterations:
The 2020 Kia Picanto comes in 11 paint finish options, including classic hues such as Titanium Silver, Aurora Black Pearl, Milky Beige, Clear White, and Sparkling Silver, and less traditional shades like Pop Orange, Shiny Red, Lime Light, Honey Bee, Alice Blue, Celestial Blue. Like the Wigo, the Picanto also has four trims to choose from.
Winner: Picanto
It seems the Picanto is the hands down winner in this entry-level hatchback shootout, as it beats the Wigo in every aspect that counts. Nevertheless, both cars are suited to a wide range of budgets, and their price ranges are not entirely that different, with the Kia coming in a little bit pricier. Either way, their combination of practical safety, space, and comfort is what makes each car a great buy.
Photos from Toyota, Kia
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