KIA Picanto

The Picanto’s dashboard welcomes drivers to a simple yet effective layout, where the buttons are strategically placed so you can still see them in your peripheral and keep your eyes out front. The seats are not only comfy and supportive, but they also look attractive, to boot. The combination of black surfaces with standout white stitching (blue and red in the GT line) is a feast for the eyes.

Despite being a city car, the Picanto boasts impressive storage capacity, thanks to its flat-folding rear seats and dual-level luggage board. It’s also got a double tray, glove box, and cupholders front and back for the necessary accessories to your daily drive. Infotainment is supplied by 7-inch touchscreen audio with Bluetooth, Apple Carplay, Android Auto, Aux, and USB connectivity.

Regarding the Picanto’s dimensions, the car measures 3595 mm long, 1595 mm wide, and 1495 tall, with a wheelbase of 2400 mm and ground clearance of 151 mm. The façade is characterized by slanted headlights and protruding jawline that makes the Picanto look mildly furious. The top-spec GT line comes with blood-red accents on the bumper and side skirts, imbuing the model with some racing smarts.

Speaking of racing smarts, Kia certainly made a conscious effort to make the Picanto as sporty as can be. The aggressive and beefy look introduced by former Audi/BMW designer Peter Schreyer is fairly obvious, and anyone with an XY chromosome will easily find the look attractive. But what about the female of the species, the main target market of city cars in the first place? Well, they may probably find themselves opting instead for the cute and un-threatening look of the Honda Brio or Hyundai Eon, or even the more generic aesthetics of the Suzuki Celerio.

The Picanto’s size is to its detriment, as even minor road imperfections can knock you around. Perhaps the use of advanced high-strength steel and hot-stamped steel in the monocoque body, while enhancing the car’s safety, also contributes to the poor rough-road performance. The suspension also feels rigid, but the compromise is that the car drives steady despite the terrain. Ride quality is also not that smooth. However, you can reduce the jumpiness by sticking with the standard 14-inch rims instead of upgrading to the 16-inch wheel options.

The Picanto comes in a choice of two engines—a 1.0-liter Kappa MPI (66 hp, 95 Nm) for the low variants and 1.2-liter Kappa MPI (83 hp, 132 Nm) for the top ones. Both engines appear in either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. The 1.2-liter, in particular, offers seamless sounding high revs while providing its low revs with some extra pull. Needless to say, those looking for some robustness will do well to go with the Picanto’s higher trims.

The Picanto’s brakes are tuned to work in tandem with ABS and tires to keep stopping distance to a minimum while also improving stopping power and directional control while braking. Safety and comfort are enhanced by the tilt-adjustable steering wheel, Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) and Hot-Stamped Steel body, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and rear camera display with static guidelines.

With four trims to choose from (LX MT, LX AT, EX MT, and EX AT) and a price range of PHP 590,000 to PHP 745,000 the Kia Picanto is a prime contender for those looking for a sporty city car. The stylish interior is another key selling point. However, those who prefer a more benign vehicle will have to look elsewhere.