What is it?
This is the latest and arguably greatest Kia Picanto, a Kia city car now with added turbocharging.
It was inevitable, really. City cars used to be bare-bones, unpretentious transport for pootling about town in an unhurried manner, with few concessions made to straight-line performance. But as their prices and exterior dimensions have increased, their targeted remit has become broader.
The rise in contract hire and leasing deals has increased the popularity of top-spec models across the board. After all, why settle for an entry-level variant when, for an extra £20 a month, you can have the bigger engine or the more lavish trim level?
It’s why Volkswagen has returned to the small warm hatch formula with the Volkswagen Up GTI, and why, if you want to, you can now pay nearly £15,000 for a Picanto. Yes, this flagship GT-Line S variant is knocking on the door of a mid-spec supermini price-wise, but it packs a punch to justify it.
Kia has shoehorned in the same 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol motor used in a number of its larger models, including the Kia Rio. Here, it makes 99bhp and a healthy 126lb ft of torque. Ordinarily, these aren't numbers worth shouting about, but in a car weighing slightly over a tonne, it’s promising.
Unlike the Up GTI, though, this isn’t a bone fide sporting model. There are no suspension or steering changes, just a smattering of visual faux-sportiness and a faintly staggering kit list for a car at this level. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, heated seats, a heated steering wheel and even a wireless smartphone charger are just some of the big car features thrown in on this range-topper.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Many universities like
Many universities like Skycap Financial offer a unique way of teaching the clients by having a competition at the end of the course, and the winner gets a low-interest rate for the loan so it’s beneficial in both ways and people can get profit in both directions.
It would be nice if you could
It would be nice if you could have the extra kit without someone going crazy with the red highlighter.
At last!
At last someone has reviewed this car with the 1.0 T-GDi engine - it has been ignored by every motoring publication in the UK since it was launched whilst the Up GTi seems to get a new review every other week!
Although the review briefly mentions the lower spec GT-Line trim (i.e. not the GT-Line S here), that is far more comparable to the Up in terms of equipment levels versus list price. And if you know where to look, you can get a new one from an online broker for less than £11k. I'm seriously tempted myself after experiencing VW's usual dealership 'charm' when looking at an Up GTi.
The longer warranty, competitive servicing packages and the absence of a very long waiting list just make the case against the Up stronger.
It might not be the last word in sports driving, but I'm after a go-faster city car that can do a few other things which this car fits the bill well - if I wanted a true sports car I'd buy something much more focused on that brief.
But it is a shame they didn't drop the more powerful 118bhp turbo lump in it (as also mentoned in the review) - maybe Hyundai will do that with an 'N' version of the next i10 which I think is due next year.......
gavsmit wrote:
Of the H/K brands, Kia seem to be the "sporty" one, eg Stinger, Proce'ed GT, Picanto GT-Line S, so perhaps not an i10N, but guessing that Kia have already thought of Picanto GT, with the 118bhp engine and might let it out next year. The Rio with this engine/ GT-Line S spec is Ins Gp 10, so again, looking good for decent running costs.